Urban metabolism in Frankfurt – an utopian sketch of ecologically and socially fair modern cityscapes

Summary:

Due to a series of societal developments in the near past triggered by industrialisation, capitalism and modernist consumer behaviour, human beings alienated themselves more and more from nature. It can be observed, as a result, that the critical analysis with e.g. the origins of consumer goods and conscious resource use in society is decreasing. Specially in urban societies it seems like everything dwellers need magically appears, without acknowledging, which resources are put into, are transformed by and put out of the city and how these processes occur.

The examination of practical examples of the city Frankfurt was carried out by selecting them according to the different material flows derived from urban metabolism studies. By conducting qualitative data in form of interviews and existing data sets from different institutions and departments, studies and reports. Because of its complexity, two more components were selected. The administration and the information and data flow.

Shifting the focus on the fabric that fills the spaces between and above the supply hubs of high density and dynamic material movements in the city. That fabric connects the data about material flows. How they are generated, transformed and distributed and how these processes could be improved. The meta-sectoral urban fabric which could enable planners, decision makers and inhabitants to co-create socially and ecologically fair urban future scenarios.