Paul Downton Email & Phone Number

Carrum, Vic, Au

Carrum, Australia

Ecopolis is a publisher and portal for my work as a writer, artist and erstwhile practicing architect – committed to exploring how our city-building species can evolve as an integral, conscious part of our living planet.

San Francisco Bay Area

A new venture by Richard Register to keep pushing out the really necessary ideas and strategies that are needed to shape our cities, cultures and lives as integral parts of planetary evolution.'The mission for Ecocity World is simply to help create ecocities while advancing the whole idea of cities “in balance with nature,” whilst benefiting the whole world in evolutionary time.'

Adelaide, Australia

This is an initiative with Sharon Ede and Cherie Hoyle where I'm creating on-line courses based on my experiences as an ecocity pioneer, drawing on my years of teaching and practice and my book 'Ecopolis: Architecture & cities for a changing climate'.Progress has been slow for a number of reasons but the project is still bubbling along nicely and when you see the results, hopefully you'll regard the wait as worthwhile!

Shanghai City, China

This is a contracted position in which my initial task has been to design an ecological urban design program for Chinese universities. This was a massive undertaking that resulted in the design of a complete university course but, as yet, there are no Chinese universities in a position to adopt what is, admittedly, a fairly radical program.

Wherever I Happen To Be

I've been writing since my early student days when I first had articles published in the student magazine at the Welsh School of Architecture. I've written a number of commissioned pieces for environmental, architectural, design and arts publications and contributed chapters to a number of books. I was a primary author and edited the federal government's Your Home Technical Manual for a number of years and blog regularly for The Nature of Cities. I also dabble in fiction...

Tianjin City, China

This is a contracted position in which I generate key presentations and develop ecocity design concepts for new and existing Chinese cities. Part of their team, and a director of the Institute, is my old friend, ecocity pioneer and visionary Richard Register.

Zhuhai, Guangdong, China

I am part of an international stable of Advisers nominated by Zhuhai Municipal People's Government offering services on an as-needed basis.

Beijing City, China

This is a contracted position in which I generate key presentations and develop ecocity design concepts for new and existing Chinese cities, working with a lively team that includes the wonderful Professors Robert and Brenda Vale.

Wales, Jordan & South Australia

I am not a brand! I'm an architect, writer and urban ecologist. I have maintained an architecturally based, environmentally informed design practice of one kind or another for nearly four decades. My independence gives me the freedom to use my expertise on behalf of business, academic, institutional and community organisations with a demonstrated commitment to principles and practice that contribute to the evolution of ecological urbanism and civilisation.As result I've been called a number of things, including: "​...one of the icons of sustainability in Australia"​ (Janis Birkeland) and "A neighborhood pioneer" (Ross Chapin).

Adelaide, Australia

This honorary position was a result of my many years of association with the University of Adelaide as a sessional teacher and visiting lecturer. Then I moved to Melbourne.

Adelaide, Australia

This was the company for my Australian practice. The name 'Ecopolis'​ was initially used for the company to help protect the concept. The company no longer exists but I have retained the term 'Ecopolis' to describe what I believe is a powerful and useful theory and practice of ecological city-making.

Adelaide, Australia

Over the years I spent at the University of South Australia I was responsible for introducing a number of ecological architectural and planning courses and concepts into the academic program at a time when it most certainly wasn't trendy... but the students loved it!

Irbid, Jordan

In 1982 Chérie and I headed to Jordan with our family of 3 young children. I began my first full-time lecturing job teaching architecture to students who had English as their second or third language, in a culture that I wasn't at all familiar with, in a place quite unlike England or Wales, and it turned out to be one of the most rewarding times of my life. The people of Jordan embraced us and our children and, whatever the difficulties, we felt safe, cared-for and appreciated.I was struck by the sheer intelligence and commitment of all the students, of whom more than half, like Jordan's population, were Palestinian; many were refugees. I learned how, within a few tens of kilometres of Irbid, rapacious land-use by the Ottoman Empire created gibber desert from flourishing forest. And I learned a lot about Arabic culture.

Bsc., Barch, Architecture

Phd, Environmental Studies