Towards a more environmental urbanism: the “territorial mosaic city” Carles Llop
small territoriality, a close one, in a symbiotic system and bound to man and habitat, as the community and the areal environment where he inhabits. During a conference, I heard how José Luís Sampedro associated ecology and economy, what I understand by a more environmental urbanism is based on his reflections, a balance between the anthropic action in the urbanization and the care and respect towards the
To start talking about planning, I am going to
dynamics
of
the
ecological
natural
systems.
offer you a funny anecdote. Some years ago, recently
Paraphrasing him, I also subscribe that ecology and
arrived from a trip to Nicaragua, the taxi driver who
economy have much to do and determine the basis for
was carrying us asked about the reason of our visit in
a more environmental urban planning. To begin with,
the country- it is known that taxi drivers have great
they have as the root oikos, home or habitability in the
conversation skills. So I thought about what I had gone
widest sense from the etymological point of view. The
there for, and I answered him to teach a course of
nomos of the economy cares for the efficient guidelines
urbanism. In the answer, I hindered thinking that
in order to make feasible the habitability in the planet
maybe he did not know exactly what this was, situation
which is sheltering us, and worries about the conditions
in which he emphatically answered: Oh, of course, what
that make it easier, that is what the civilization has
we were taught in school when we were kids!,
been searching for since immemorial time. In its place,
confusing urbanism with urbanity or good manners.
the logos of ecology talks about the concern about the
But in fact, the taxi driver was not so confused: the
habitability logics, through the relations between the
exercise of good manners has much to do with the way
organisms and the environment which gives them the
how we treat the environment, the territoriality; that is,
inputs nutrients and, even from an ethic point of view,
it has much to do with the subject of urbanism, and
it proposes how we face this habitability in a more
especially a more environmental urbanism.
balanced, solidary and ecumenical way.
This concept of territoriality is given to us for a
The first shelter that man builds is a
life experience when we live integrated in a certain
good reference that makes us think, as urban planners,
space; and at the same time, it is conditioned for what
in the chance of a minimal interaction with the
we want to do beyond our lives when we think of a
environment and how we should proceed to not modify
desire to colonize, to take up more territory, to explore
substantially our environment. Jean Philipe Vassal said,
and move unlimitedly in wider environments. It is in the
“If nature was perfect the architecture would not have
moment in which we think about occupying or taking
been necessary”. Indeed, engineering and urbanism
more advantage of the environment, when we break up
would not have been necessary; neither to modify it
our serene relation with it. And this has some very
because of our needs. Therefore, from minimalist
significant consequences. Every time we have a relation
positions, it is tried to do almost nothing and to value
less pristine with our environment. And the effects that
what nature gives us and serves us to live. Giving
we cause on our urban or rural environment show it.
examples of the first shelters (a log cabin with four bent
Our cities have detached from the territory, because
trunks and plaited leafs; to modify the land topography
millions of people no longer live or work slowly on a
to build a wall, like in a Viking settlement which is