‘Biourbanism’ Combines Nature and Data to Boost Resilience

The concept of biourbanism views cities as natural systems, but brings a data-driven approach to quantifying and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

2 minute read

June 1, 2023, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


To confront climate change, Australian designer Adrian McGregor calls for thinking about cities as part of, not in opposition to, nature. As Keira Wright explains in an interview with McGregor for Bloomberg, “With cities responsible for over 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, designing smart and sustainable cities is the single most pressing challenge in confronting climate change.”

McGregor sees cities as “spectacular living, dynamic systems that evolve with us” that should be classified as “novel nature” or a “human-modified biome” to understand how to increase cities’ resilience in the face of climate change. McGregor’s concept of ‘biourbanism’ “focuses on the urban organism, considering it as a hypercomplex system, according to its internal and external dynamics and their mutual interactions.” The concept includes an urban structure focused on “10 interconnected systems: citizens, economy, energy, infrastructure, mobility, technology, water, waste, landscape and food.”

Despite the focus on natural systems, McGregor also believes technology can play an important role in mitigating the impacts of climate change and helping reduce our carbon footprint. One example is ‘digital twins,’ “models that simulate a real city linked to real data that can enable governments to “undertake climate impact testing and also plan for resilience by prioritizing investment and infrastructure spending in the right places.” McGregor’s data- and tech-centric approach focuses on transparency and access to data as first steps in understanding and reducing energy use and decarbonization

Tuesday, May 30, 2023 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

April 24 - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 24 - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

April 24 - Missouri Independent