Introducing the second edition of The Dictionary of Urbanism
by Rob Cowan
About The Dictionary of Urbanism
The Dictionary of Urbanism explains the language and concepts of urbanism, urban design, planning, architecture, regeneration and the environment. The forthcoming second edition presents a major sponsorship and publishing opportunity.
The first edition, published in 2005, was universally praised. The second edition, now complete, is an unprecedented work of scholarship in its field. With 13,000 entries and lavishly illustrated with the author’s explanatory line drawings (see Illustrations), it will be an enormous book. To have the impact it deserves, it needs to be both well presented and reasonably priced. To achieve that, we are seeking sponsorship from organisations that value this enterprise: see the publishing proposal.
Sample entries
The second edition will have more than 13,000 entries. Here are six of them:
autoguano
The toxic materials and other wastes that drip or are expelled from motor vehicles. Stephen Goldsmith coined the term in 2001...
accurate visual representation
(AVR) (also verified view) A picture showing a proposed building or structure alongside what already exists, for use in assessing the visual impact…
address
1 n. A place with a fashionable address. Example: ‘It’s a great neighbourhood, but it ’s not an “address” – and I say “address” with...
Christopher Alexander
(1936-2022) Architect, mathematician and theorist. Born in Vienna, he was raised and educated in England, and 1963 was professor of…
alley
A narrow LANE or passage. The English word comes from the Latin ambulare, meaning ‘to walk’, by way of an Old French word. There is an…
anti-urbanism
1 The belief that cities or towns are an unacceptable setting for human life. 2 The belief that existing, large or dense cities are unacceptable...
Sponsor the second edition
Organisations that would like to be associated with the publication of the second edition are invited to contact Rob Cowan on X (Twitter) or on LinkedIn.
The Dictionary of Urbanism
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Provides the most readable, comprehensive and authoritative introduction to urbanism, urban design, urban planning, urban architecture, urban regeneration and the environment.
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Defines the meanings of the English-language terms (specialist and technical, as well as those in common use) that anyone engaged in urban design, planning, regeneration and environmental issues is likely to come across.
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Explains all the significant concepts and ideas that have shaped how people think about cities.
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Introduces the debates and controversies relating to the design, planning and management of cities.
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Explains and illustrates the various styles of architecture and types of building, and their significance for the development of cities.
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Introduces the most significant personalities in the design and planning of towns and cities.
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Records the historical development of the language of urbanism, and significant regional variations.
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Illustrates many of the entries with the author’s own line drawings (see illustrations).
