What if Women Designed the City?: 33 leverage points to make your city work better for women and girls

by May East

What if Women Designed the City? offers a unique perspective on urban development through the eyes of women from diverse backgrounds. Author May East identifies 33 leverage points for all those engaged with city design to create greener, wilder, more inclusive, liveable and poetic cities. The book highlights the benefits of involving women in city design, such as prioritising proximity, promoting active travel, connecting green spaces, enhancing safety through community engagement, and fostering a love for nature among residents of all ages.

Genres: Nonfiction, Urban Planning

184 pages, Paperback

Published January 31, 2024

Reviews

[Maxwell Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all want cities designed by women, we just don't know it yet. (We being men)

I realised quite soon on that I was basically reading someone's PhD thesis but still readable and informative without being too dry. It was researched in an interesting way that leant itself to what felt like a realistic picture of how women feel navigating cities. It felt understandably heavy on the Anglospheric perspective, but the author's upbringing and travels helped to flesh out the points with more global examples.

Due to my work, am cursed with the omnipresent question of "how does all this get paid for", but adopting any of the 33 leverage points would be an improvement over the status quo.