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Stuckeman School professor co-edits new book on sustaining city streets

Ken Tamminga's research focuses on contextual and ecology-informed design, novel and restored ecosystems, and green places in cities. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSTY PARK, Pa. — Ken Tamminga, distinguished professor in the Stuckeman School’s Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture, has co-edited a new book that examines city streets and their vast array of activities over time through the eyes of sustainability scientists and urbanists from different backgrounds.

Published by MDPI and co-edited by architect and landscape architect Thomas Knüvener, “Sustainable | Sustaining City Streets” investigates streets and street-based phenomena in western Europe and the United Kingdom; central Africa; east, southeast and south Asia; and the United States. 

The book includes papers from authors representing 23 research organizations; almost 20 distinct disciplines in the social sciences, engineering, design and policy professions, and health and physical sciences; and 13 countries.

“I’ve long been interested in streets-as-places and urban micromobility. As I dug in, I realized the need for a broad, interdisciplinary look at what makes streets tick, how they help sustain city life and how we might bring them into the mainstream of sustainability discourse,” said Tamminga. “This book is loaded with research findings and practical advice for students and researchers alike. Beyond investigating city streets in their particular contexts, we encouraged the authors to tease out universal principles on what makes for safe, efficient, healthy, convivial and inclusive streets.”

At Penn State, Tamminga regularly teaches advanced and intermediate studios including the award-winning Pittsburgh Studio, which introduces students to the joys and challenges of designing in and with underserved communities. His research focuses on contextual and ecology-informed design, novel and restored ecosystems, and green places in cities.

Last Updated July 22, 2021

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