Chimera Reading Salon．New Urban Perspectives | Cities and Nature

Introduction

“Chimera Reading Salon．New Urban Perspectives” continues the spirit of The Chimera Group, a transdisciplinary arts society founded in the 1950s by Wang Da-Hong, who often invited artists for cultural gatherings at his home. This event began with “architecture” and gradually expanded to performing arts, art, literature, photography, and review, recreating the free and open transdisciplinarycommunication at Wang’s home. With “city” at its core, the first series invites Professor Chih-Hung Wang from the Graduate Institute of Building and Planning at National Taiwan University, and a special guest, to explore new perspectives on urban space and culture through six of his translated books on the subject. The fifth lecture, Cities and Nature, will be based on the book Cities and Nature, which will lead participants to an in-depth discussion through an introductory reading by Wang and a sharing by special guest Professor Wan-Yu Shih.‍

Cities and Nature
“There’s no such thing as a ‘natural’ disaster in the city, just as there’s no city that exists independently of nature.”

‍Geographers have traditionally regarded cities as purely social phenomena, while environmental scientists tend to overlook urban areas. Consequently, Cities and Nature, by examining cities, aims to reconnect science and the social sciences, critique mainstream academic discourse that neglects the foundations of urban life and living environments, and discuss how the natural environment of cities and the cities themselves are shaped by society.

The book centers on three core themes: 1) Urban environments within historical contexts; 2) Issues in urban-nature relations; 3) (Re)configuring urban-nature relations. It includes advanced readings and case studies addressing Bangladesh, Paris, Delhi, Rome, Cubatão, Thailand, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, and Toronto. The author seeks to reintroduce a social science perspective in examining urban nature, cities, and the built environment. This book offers significant value for students and scholars in environmental studies, urban studies, and planning.