- Who We AreMeet the Ecocity Design TeamDr Paul F Downton
Architect, Author, Urban Evolutionary
BSc(Hons) BArch(Wales) PhD ArchitectPaul is a prize-winning architect, writer, international speaker, green building and ecocity pioneer and early advocate for action on climate change.He is a senior consultant on ecocity design for government and private Chinese organisations has served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide. Paul has taught subjects including urban ecology, ecological architecture, urbanism and design at universities and educational institutions in Wales, Jordan, Australia, the US and China.His projects include keynote green buildings for Adelaide Zoo and the Australian National University, the iconic Halifax EcoCity Project and the internationally awarded Christie Walk development.Paul is a Stewardship Council Member of the International Ecocity Framework and Standards Advisory Committee and is a regular contributor to The Nature of Cities. A primary author since its inception in 2001, he was editor of three editions of the Australian Federal government's ‘Your Home’ Technical Manual and a reviewer and contributing expert for development of the NABERS Building Environmental Rating System.Founder of Urban Ecology Australia in 1991, his vision of ecological cities is supported by years of working with communities. In 1989 Paul founded Australia’s first community organisation focused on climate change and he was a State finalist for the 2008 Australian of the Year Awards. With a doctorate in environmental studies and over 30 years teaching architecture, Paul is acknowledged as a world leader in ecocity theory.His seminal work Ecopolis: Architecture and cities for a changing climate was published in 2009 and he is currently working on various books and educational programs about ecocities, as well as projects in China, New Zealand and Australia. Paul fervently hopes that his grandchildren will be able to survive on the planet we’ve bequeathed them.Sharon EdeCommunications & MarketingGrad Dip, Regional & Urban PlanningSharon is a pioneer in raising awareness of the sharing + collaborative movement in South Australia - in 2012, she launched Share Adelaide, and conceived the idea for Share N Save, a South Australian government platform that maps community sharing assets.In 2010, she co-founded the Post Growth Institute, an international network and catalyst for exploring paths to global prosperity and wellbeing that do not depend on economic growth.She worked closely with Paul, Cherie and dozens of other volunteers over many years to progress various ecocity projects and outreach/education programs at the Centre for Urban Ecology in Adelaide, including representing Urban Ecology Australia at the 1996 United Nations City Summit in Istanbul.Sharon has a track record of building online communities, including singlehandedly developing the Post Growth Facebook page to 17,000+ fans, and establishing and supporting the development of the successful peer-to-peer pet finding community Lost Dogs of Adelaide. She supports change agents to become more effective communicators via Cruxcatalyst.Cherie HoyleTaking Care of BusinessEcocity Activist and Community OrganiserCherie Hoyle is an accomplished community organiser with decades of experience. She co-convened Urban Ecology Australia in 1991, organised and ran the Second International Ecocity Conference in Adelaide in 1992, and ran the Centre for Urban Ecology (the home of the Halifax Ecocity Project and Christie Walk) from 1993-99.She has held management positions with Trees for Life, served on the executive of the Conservation Council of South Australia, and represented UEA on the Federal National Air Toxics Steering Committee and Air Toxics Indoor Air Quality working group. - Presentations + ConsultanciesPaul Downton has given keynote, plenary and workshop presentations on six continents and has extensive experience consulting on ecological architectural, urban design, planning and related projects.Please contact us at info@ecocitydesign.net or via the contact form below to enquire about commissioning Paul for speaking engagements and consultancy services.
Paul Downton speaking at TEDxEQCHCH in 2011, a special TED event which was convened after the earthquake that devastated Christchurch, New ZealandEcocity World Summit, Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 2015Focus 7 Global Conference, Chantilly, FRANCE: 2015Zhuhai International Livable City Conference on Promoting the New Urbanization, International Liveability: Australia & Zhuhai, liveable cities & eco-city principles, Zhuhai, CHINA: 2014The Tenth International Conference on Green and Energy-Efficient Building & New Technologies, Space, Connections & Community, BEIJING: 2014Tehran Urban Planning & Research Center Seminar, Christie Walk & Urban Fractals, Tehran, IRAN: 2013Euro-Asia Economic Forum, Science & Technology Sub-forum, Urban Fractals & Pocket Neighbourhoods – The building blocks of eco-cities, Xi’an, CHINA: 2013Architecture Week Keynote, Urban Fractals – Shaping the future a neighbourhood at a time, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND: 2012Green Building Council of South Africa National Convention, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA: 2011TEDx EQChCh – Re-imagining Christchurch as a world leading city, Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND: 20119th Green Building Conference, Sydney, AUSTRALIA: 2011Gaining Ground – The Power of Green Cities to Shape the Future, Vancouver, CANADA: 20101st International Conference on Low Carbon Ecological Habitat & Ecological Health, Haikou, CHINA: 2010Senior Forum of Ecocity Construction, Nanjing, CHINA: 2009International Ecopolis Forum, Huaibei, CHINA: 2009World ECO2008 (World Environment and Climate Outlook 2008), Brasilia, BRAZIL: 2008Beijing International Forum on Ecological Restoration, Beijing, CHINA: 2008Ecocity World Summit – Ecocity 7, San Francisco, USA: 2008Ecopolis Forum 2004 – International Forum on Adaptive Ecopolis Development to Meet the Challenge of Fast Urbanization, Ningbo City, CHINA: 2004Ecopolis – Visions & Means, Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND: 2004The Fifth International Ecocity Conference, Shenzhen, CHINA: 2002EcoCity IV – Fourth International EcoCity Conference, Curitiba, BRAZIL: 2000Green Building Challenge 98, Vancouver, CANADA: 199820th International Conference on Making Cities Livable, Sante Fe, USA: 1997Ecological Cities, Towards a Sustainable Development, Padova, ITALY: 1995Community Sustainability Across America, Washington DC, USA: 1993Partnerships for Change, Manchester, ENGLAND: 1993EcoCity 2 - Second International EcoCity Conference, Adelaide, AUSTRALIA: 1992Architecture of Cities International Conference, Calcutta, INDIA: 1990First International EcoCity Conference, Berkeley, California, USA: 1990
Paul Downton was invited to speak at Global Conference 2015 in Chantilly, France in July 2015 on 'An urbanism built on a priority for fauna and flora.' (Paul begins speaking at 12 minutes, and again at 1 hour 28 minutes)
Cities’ landscape are part of the stakes of tomorrow, a geomorphological body in which we must reconnect the city and territories, and reveal them both from inside et outside, via a better mobility and ecological corridors, looking for a thermic revolution. Beyond the ecological and sustainable reality, the main issue of urban development is linked to mankind, and there we must draw our political project for tomorrow. How to reveal the urban biological treasure?
Speakers:
- Paul F. DOWNTON, Urban Architect, Ecopolis (Australia)
- Christian DUBOST, Sustainable Development Director, SNCF (France)
- Bill DUNSTER, Architect; Founder, ZEDfactory (United Kingdom)
- Carlos MORENO, Scientific Adviser to the Chief Executive Officer, COFELY INEO (France)
Moderator:
- Nicolas BUCHOUD, Co-founder and Principal partner, Renaissance Urbaine; Chair, The Grand Paris Alliance (France)
- Christie WalkLearn more about this community driven development and award-winning piece of ecological city
Paul Downton accepts the Tehran International Award in recognition of Christie Walk at the 6th International Research and Innovation Festival on Urban Management in Tehran, 2013Christie Walk Awards
International Winner, Tehran International Award, 6th International Research and Innovation Festival on Urban Management, 2013National Winner, Christie Walk Ecocity Project – Inner-city Sustainable Housing Development, ENERGY GLOBE Award, 2008.
Silver Prize in the international Ryutaro Hashimoto Asia Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED) Awards for Good Practice (an international environment and development award), 2006
Finalist in the international Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF) World Habitat Awards, 2005
Short documentary about Christie Walk and its residents
A more in-depth look at Adelaide's 'piece of ecocity'
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