THE WELL-TEMPERED CITY

Cities are birthplaces of civilization; centers of culture trade and progress; cauldrons of opportunity—and by 2080 will be home to 80 percent of the world’s population. As the twenty-first century progresses metropolitan areas will bear the brunt of global megatrends such as climate change natural resource depletion population growth income inequality mass migration and education and health disparity among many others.. In The Well-Tempered City Jonathan F. P. Rose—the man who “repairs the fabric of cities”—distills a lifetime of interdisciplinary research and firsthand experience into a five-pronged model for designing and reshaping cities with the goal of equalizing their landscape of opportunity. Drawing from the musical concept of “temperament” Roseargues that well-tempered cities can be infused with systems that bend the arc of their development toward equality resilience adaptability and well-being to achieve ever-unfolding harmony between civilization and nature. While these goals may never be fully attained if we at least aspire to them and approach every plan and constructive step with this intention our cities will be richer and happier.. A celebration of the city and an impassioned argument for its role in addressing important issues in these volatile times The Well-Tempered City is a well-reasoned hopeful blueprint for a thriving metropolis—and the future.