Interpretation of Organic Cities and Towns

Organic Cities and Towns refer to cities with ecological optimization, self-regulation, growth and renewal and optimized urban metabolism like organic life, including cities with low emission and renewal, livable residents and healthy environment.

Organization：International Alliance of Organic Urban Environment

Development

Cao Wei, an urban planning expert  in field of organic city in  International Alliance of Organic City & Environment , is the first expert to put forward the concept and standard of "organic urban environment" with integration of urban environment, architecture, health and culture. In his book Space Behind The Third Eye, he mentioned that the significance of "organic" is a form of urban existence that has natural vitality. It can grow and renew according to its own natural development law without the intervention of unnatural factors, and has the functions of urban optimization, regulation and metabolism.

At present, The Alliance fully authorizes China City and towns of Habitat Environment Planning and Development Centre.（C.C.C.H.）to promote the concept of organic city in the Asia Pacific region.It also authorizes application, planning and design services to assist local governments in building towns that can meet the environmental standards of organic cities, so as to create a better living environment and develop local culture for local residents.

Connotation:"Organic city" consists of "organic" and "city". It uses the concept of biology to define the form and function of cities and towns.

Features:

Organic city has the same characteristic as life, including the following five features: the vitality of organic City, the self-regulation and renewal of urban metabolism, excellent living environment, excellent health environment and excellent spiritual and cultural environment. Among them, the vitality of organic city are embodied in the circumstance that urban functions and industries are enough to support the sustainable development of the city. The self-regulation and renewal of urban metabolism are embodied in self-regulation of urban ecology and the improvement of municipal health facilities. The feature of harmonious survival with the surrounding environment are reflected in the excellent urban living environment; The health of life itself are reflected in the excellent health, spiritual and cultural environment of urban residents.

Meanings:From the perspective of industry development, "organic urban environment" is a deeper development of urban construction, and its concept originates from the improvement of local culture and living environment.

From the perspective of residents, the current environmental and health problems and the increasingly prominent phenomenon of destruction of urban culture make "healthy environment" an urgent need to ensure people's "realization of healthy life".

Essential Factors

International Alliance of Organic Cities & Towns believes that the environmental elements of organic cities and towns should not only be measured from the space and facility systems of the city, but also include organic development and self-regulation of the city. The content of environmental space of organic cities and towns is mainly reflected in four main aspects, including the ecological,natural and environmental factors of the cities and towns,space facilities, health and culture.