By Ilaria Di Carlo

Sustainability is flaunted as the answer to innumerable problems posed by environmental and social degradation. However, as epitomised by its role in many modern urban and landscape projects, it often lacks a quality essential to any anthropic space: seduction. Sustainability has to develop its own unique style if it is to compete with the established charms of the unsustainable city. Talking about sustainability as an ethical necessity is a given, but aesthetics and emotions must also come into play. These elements are essential to making the city an attractive place. Paradoxically, in the capitalistic city, aesthetics have much to do with excess and exuberance, surplus production, conspicuous consumption and waste. The research presented in this book stimulates discourse about the importance of aesthetics to urban environments.