Regenerative Urbanism

We close the year with the publication of Issue No. 25 (2025): Regenerative Urbanism of ZARCH. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Architecture and Urbanism.

ZARCH is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published biannually in both digital and print formats, dedicated to the dissemination of original and previously unpublished research in the fields of Architecture, Urbanism and Engineering. Each issue is structured around a monographic theme and is addressed to a broad academic and professional audience, including architects, engineers, students and researchers, as well as all those interested in contemporary architectural and urban thought, projects and constructions.

This issue has been edited by Miriam García (LANDLAB, landscape laboratory), Jon Aguirre-Such, Iñaki Romero-Larrea (Paisaje Transversal) and Pablo de la Cal, and critically examines the profound environmental and social crisis resulting from the extractive urban model that emerged with the Industrial Revolution. This model has produced highly unsustainable cities, far exceeding the planet’s capacity for regeneration.

The issue analyses how contemporary urbanism, primarily oriented towards productivity and economic growth, has neglected domestic, social and ecological dimensions, leading to fragmented, mono-functional urban fabrics heavily dependent on private vehicles, as well as to a significant increase in social inequalities. Within this context of global systemic crisis, conventional urban planning instruments prove insufficient to address challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity and environmental degradation.

In response, the issue proposes regenerative urbanism as a paradigm shift that goes beyond sustainability, advocating for an active process of repair, revitalisation and co-evolution of urban ecosystems. This approach is grounded in an eco-dependent and interdependent vision of territory, based on cooperation, symbiosis and mutual aid, and promotes the development of more resilient, inclusive and biodiverse cities.

The call for contributions brings together theoretical, critical and practical reflections on regenerative strategies at multiple scales, addressing fields such as sustainable mobility, circular economy, energy transition, governance, planning and design methodologies, as well as educational experiences aimed at the construction of a more just and resilient urban habitat.

Among the most significant contributions to this issue are the texts by Carlos Moreno and Margarita Jover, along with interviews conducted by the editorial team with Carolyn Steel and Kate Raworth, together with Leonora Grcheva, offering key perspectives for rethinking the future of cities from a regenerative standpoint.

The full content of this issue can be consulted here.