OCL_200 Sustainable Roman Urbanism and Agriculture

Instructor: Tom Rankin (thomas.rankin@gustolab.com)

credits: 3

contact hours: 45

keywords: cities, sustainability, ecological urbanism, regenerative urbanism, community development, design for social justice, transition towns, food culture, urban planning, architecture, urban agriculture, zero waste, carbon neutral cities, transit equity,  climate justice, sharing economy, climate change, resiliency

Open to all majors and minors for general elective credit. Recommended for students in Food Studies, Architecture, Environmental Studies, Italian Studies, Sustainable Food Systems.

In chemistry, in physics, in technology, we have laboratories. The laboratory is where you develop an experiment. and then you take the experiment to the breaking point so that through this failure. you learn about the subject. Well, we should do the same thing with those urban problems which are the most complex. the most demanding. 

—Paolo Soleri, The Urban Ideal

Introduction

The 8-week summer course will examine Rome and its surroundings through the lens of environmental and cultural sustainability. 

The course looks at Rome as a laboratory for urban sustainability in an increasingly metropolitan world. It is estimated that in the 21st century, cities will produce around 90% of world population growth, 80% of its wealth and 60% of energy consumption. In the urgent clamor to redesign urban environments we will look not only at technological solutions and “smart city” strategies, but also traditional approaches to improving social, economic and environmental conditions. Adapting to an urban planet in the age of climate crisis will necessitate a critical awareness of social inequalities as a basis for socially responsible actions. Thus the course is both technical and ethical in scope.