An ecological design philosophy: Randolph T. Hester's Design for ecological democracy

Abstract

This paper provides an extended review of Randolph T. Hester's Design for ecological democracy (2006). Initially, a brief introduction to the book, its author and the works position in the literature is given, before a broad summary of the book's central argument is provided. The paper then considers the three key themes Hester explores: enabling form, resilient form and impelling form. Through this discussion, linkages are made to wider concepts of ecology in planning practice as well as political and planning theory. The paper concludes that Design for ecological democracy provides not only an engaging philosophy for the future, but also a series of case study‐supported interlinked practical methods for change for the way the built environment is shaped.

Acknowledgement

Many thanks to John Friedmann for his comments and suggestions on various iterations of this paper.

Notes

1. Unless otherwise noted, all specific references to ‘Hester’ are to Hester (2006).

2. Hester's first major work, Neighborhood space (1975) reviewed “the evolution and history of neighborhood theory” (Larice and MacDonald 2007, p. 376). It was followed by Planning neighborhood space with people (1984); The meaning of gardens: idea, place and action (1990), co‐edited with Mark Francis; Community design primer (1990); A theory of building community (1999), co‐authored with S. Chang; and Democratic design in the Pacific rim (1999), edited with C. Kweskin (University of California, Berkley, 2007).