Equality and the City
Urban Innovations for All Citizens
Enrique Penalosa Londono author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:University of Pennsylvania Press
Published:16th Apr '24
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
The book explores how urban design can promote equality and inclusion, providing practical insights for developing better cities. Equality and the City emphasizes the importance of accessible public spaces.
In Equality and the City, Enrique Peñalosa Londoño shares insights from his tenure as mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, and his extensive international experience as a lecturer and consultant. He addresses the pressing challenges that developing cities face, particularly in terms of sustainable transportation and equitable access to public spaces. Peñalosa Londoño's innovative approach to urban design emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive environments that cater to all citizens, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
During his time as mayor, Peñalosa Londoño spearheaded the development of the TransMilenio Rapid Bus Transit system, which stands as one of the largest and most effective public transit networks in the Global South. This system, which serves 2.5 million passengers daily, features dedicated bus lanes, bike paths, and a rapid metro line, all designed to ensure accessibility for the entire population. His commitment to enhancing public spaces is equally noteworthy, as he oversaw the creation or improvement of over a thousand parks during his administration.
Equality and the City goes beyond mere urban planning; it presents a humanistic philosophy of sustainable urbanism that intertwines city design with human happiness, dignity, and equality. Peñalosa Londoño argues that true advancement in urban living is reflected not in car ownership but in the rich using public transport. The book offers practical guidance for reimagining cities, addressing obstacles, and proposing solutions for a more equitable urban future.
"For Peñalosa, remaking cities is a dream within reach—achievable not decades from now, but in our lifetimes. He outlines the hurdles, and how to clear them, in the recent book Equality and the City...It is a call to action, essential reading for planners and urbanists around the world, as his strategies have been tested and applied at scale." * Untapped *
"Enrique Peñalosa Londoño has been a powerful advocate for making better cities; cities that embrace the human experience and equality for all citizens. As Mayor of Bogotá, Peñalosa Londoño made that city inviting and accessible to people of all incomes through transformative achievements in public transport, green infrastructure, and neighborhood civic institutions. In this brilliant book, Peñalosa Londoño demonstrates how a vibrant pedestrian realm is at the heart of a healthier, more livable and truly equitable city." * Amanda M. Burden, former New York City Planning Commissioner *
"For the last twenty years, Enrique Peñalosa Londoño has tirelessly campaigned for equitable cities. His message has been transformational at many levels, not just in his native Bogotá, but in cities worldwide. This book offers a charismatic mayor’s insights into how a city’s DNA can be shaped to promote greater social inclusion, environmental equity, and human well-being at a time when cities are at the frontline of planetary change." * Ricky Burdett, London School of Economics *
"There is no one with a more complete and realistic vision of how our cities should develop to achieve a better country than Enrique Peñalosa Londoño. Few have such clear ideas for improving our society. In Bogotá, he demonstrated the tremendous importance of public space as the only place where we all are equal. After his first term as mayor of our capital, most mayors in Colombia understood the importance of quality pedestrian spaces and public buildings of dignity and meaning. In this book, Peñalosa Londoño presents himself as he is: an idealist who keeps dreaming of a better city and a more just and egalitarian society." * Daniel Bermúdez, Colombian Biennial National Architecture Prize–winning architect *
"It is a saying that every city planning problem has been solved somewhere. The key is to find out where and combine all the good solutions. Bogotá and the work of Enrique Peñalosa Londoño have been offering inspiring solutions for decades, and in this excellent book, it seems that all the good solutions have finally come together. Based on Peñalosa Londoño’s unique experiences during his terms as mayor of Bogotá, as well as his first-hand studies in cities all over the world, Equality and the City is a fabulous handbook for twenty-first-century cities everywhere." * Jan Gehl, author of Cities for People *
ISBN: 9781512825701
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
312 pages