"At the turn of the twenty-first century, the world is faced with an unprecedented challenge. It must address a fundamental shift in the world's population towards the cities, and away from mankind's rural roots. Over the course of two years, a group of internationally renowned professionals from a variety of different disciplines and backgrounds gathered together in six world cities to take stock of the new urban condition and to offer an approach to dealing with it. The result was a sometimes passionate, always challenging and informed debate on how architects, urbanists, politicians and policy makers can constructively plan the infrastructure and development of the endless city, to promote a better social and economic life for its citizens."--Jacket.