It has been nearly six years since Lars Müller Publishers and Harvard University Graduate School of
Design (GSD) published the English-language edition of Ecological Urbanism. The book has impacted design
education and practice in very palpable ways and has led to numerous publications, programs, and projects.
In October 2014, for example, conferences in Chile and Brazil allowed the opportunity to launch Spanish and
Portuguese translations of Ecological Urbanism, as well as to present exhibitions of the book and to engage
with experts from all over Latin America. The book inspired conversations with remarkable designers,
educators, and policymakers from a range of cities and organizations. These interactions led to visits to
several impressively built projects including São Paulo’s SESC-Pompeia, by Lina Bo Bardi; low-income housing
by the firm Elemental; and the Parque Bicentenario in Santiago, by Teodoro Fernández. Building on these
events, we are especially happy to have been invited to guest edit this special edition of urbe, with a focus on
ecological urbanism in Latin America.
