1st Edition

Fundamentals of Community Design for Wellbeing Fostering Sustainability and Livability

By Avi Friedman Copyright 2026
282 Pages 200 Color Illustrations
by Routledge

282 Pages 200 Color Illustrations
by Routledge

282 Pages 200 Color Illustrations
by Routledge

Fundamentals of Community Design for Wellbeing addresses the need to rethink the philosophy and form of residential environments due to recent social, economic, environmental, and cultural shifts, including depletion of non-renewable resources, elevated levels of greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. This book highlights innovative planning strategies for livability and wellbeing of... Read more

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. A Call for Sustainable and Livable Communities

2. Fitting in with the Context

3. Smart Growth in Urban Evolution

4. Grid Based Community Planning

5. Mobility for Wellbeing

6. Building Blocks for Wellbeing

7. Minimizing Ecological Footprints 

8. Considering Environmental Elements in Planning

9. Density for Sustainable Development

10. Human-Centric Spaces in Built Environments

11. Planning Walkable Environments

12. Public Outdoor Spaces as Generators of Wellbeing

13. Designing Playful Communities

14. Cultivating Sustainability Through Edible Landscapes

15. Adaptable Living

16. Designing Communities for Aging Populations

17. Solar Design for Sustainability

18. Designing with Circularity of Materials in Mind

19. Water Management Strategies for Sustainability

20. Cultivating Social Relations for Wellbeing

Bibliography

Illustration Credits

Biography

Avi Friedman received his bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Town Planning from the Israel Institute of Technology, his master’s degree from McGill University, and his doctorate from the University of Montréal. He is the Director of the Affordable Homes Research Group at the McGill School of Architecture where he teaches. He also holds a Visiting Professor position in Lancaster University in the UK. Avi is known for his housing innovation and for several demonstration projects. He is the author of 30 books and the principal of Avi Friedman Consultants Inc. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Manning Innovation Award, Lifetime Achievement Award from Sustainable Buildings Canada, and the World Habitat Award.