Biourbanism: Cities as Nature | A Resilience Model for Anthromes represents a revolutionary approach to urban planning that reconceptualizes cities as an integral part of Earth’s natural systems. This paradigm shift comes at a crucial time, as cities currently generate three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions and stand at the forefront of climate change challenges.

At its core, Biourbanism integrates traditional urban planning with principles from landscaping, ecology, and earth science to create a comprehensive framework for understanding and managing urban environments as interconnected systems. The model’s distinctive feature is its ten-system framework, which uniquely combines five biological and five urban systems, providing a holistic approach to city development.

The project has gained significant momentum through the establishment of the Biourbanism lab at McGregor Coxall, which serves as a global research hub. The lab’s work has found particular resonance in Latin America and the Caribbean, where developing nations are actively implementing its systematic approach to urban planning. The publication of the Biourbanism book has further catalyzed international interest, with founder Adrian McGregor delivering keynote presentations across Australia and South America.

Unlike traditional approaches that treat sustainability as an add-on feature, Biourbanism embeds ecological principles into the fundamental structure of urban development. This integration enables more effective solutions to contemporary challenges such as climate change, urban heat management, and sustainable development. The model provides cities with practical tools to measure and achieve sustainability, decarbonization, and equity targets while enabling better climate resilience planning.

The project’s impact is already visible: cities are implementing greener, more walkable infrastructure with improved temperature management, communities are being positioned away from vulnerable areas, and urban environments are becoming cleaner, enhancing the quality of life of residents. The model’s scalability is enhanced through digital twins for city monitoring, enabling real-time tracking of performance metrics and more effective achievement of sustainability goals.

Particularly noteworthy is the model’s impact in developing nations, where it provides a structured approach to addressing complex urban challenges while improving quality of life. As cities adopt the Biourbanism approach, they’re seeing systematic improvements in urban living conditions, reduced poverty through better planning, and enhanced integration of wild nature into urban environments.

Looking forward, the model’s potential for scaled implementation is substantial. As more cities embrace Biourbanism, there’s opportunity for widespread transformation in urban planning practices globally. The framework’s adaptability to cities of various sizes and contexts makes it particularly valuable for achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals through structured urban development.

By reconceptualizing cities as a form of nature, Biourbanism offers a path toward more sustainable, resilient, and livable urban environments. This innovative approach represents not just a new way of thinking about cities, but a practical framework for transforming them into environments that work in harmony with natural systems while meeting the needs of their inhabitants.

Category:Green ResearchYear:2025Location: Sydney, AustraliaArchitects:Adrian McGregor, Lynne Blundell, and Brooke Eddey, McGregor Coxall, Manly, New South Wales, Australia and Erik Wiegers, Studio Wiergers, Zutphen, The NetherlandsPhotographers:Edward Burtynsky, Toronto, Ontario, Canada