Predatory Urbanism

Agatino Rizzo, Chaired Professor and Head of Architecture, with Anindita Mandal, Doctoral Candidate in Architecture, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden

• Contents: Foreword Alessandro Melis PART I INTRODUCTION 1. Rapid urbanization and greenwashing in Asia PART II THE PROBLEMATIC METABOLISM OF MEGAPROJECTS 2. The rise of megaprojects in Asia 3. The sustainable development rhetoric in Asia 4. From resource consumption to urban metabolism PART III PREDATORY MEGAPROJECTS AND CONCLUSIONS 5. Two cases in Doha: The Pearl and Education City 6. The Straits Megacity Region 7. Mumbai and Bhendi Bazaar urban renewal proposal 8. Conclusion to Predatory Urbanism References Index

‘A powerful reminder that many urban megaprojects exacerbate social and environmental issues that they pretend to solve or alleviate, inducing unnecessary resource consumption and stimulating segregated developments and displacements. The studies in the book make a powerful case for the need to critically reexamine the neo-liberal urban policies and agendas, suggesting a restraint in the usage of such played-out and abused concepts as smart-, eco-, intelligent and sustainable cities. This thought-provoking book not only presents a critique of the neo-liberal patterns of urban development, but also offers new insights on urban metabolism, the implications of “green planning”, the nature of “instant urbanism”, and the development of solidaristic communities.’