@text:Cities, initially a product of the manufacturing era, have been thoroughly remade in the image of consumer society. Competitive spending among affluent households has intensified the importance of style and design at every scale: from appliances to kitchens, from clothes to cars, and from houses to entire neighbourhoods. As a result, the design professions have grown in size and importance and have also begun to reflect distinctive geographies, locating disproportionately in the cities most intimately connected with global systems of key business services. Meanwhile, many observers still believe that good design can make positive contributions to people's lives. This is especially pronounced in the fields of architecture and urban design, where the idea that the unwanted side effects of urbanization can be mitigated or precluded by the design of buildings, streets, neighbourhoods ' and even entire towns and cities ' remains powerfulCities and Design explores the complex relationships between design and urban environments. It traces the intellectual roots of urban design, presents a critical appraisal of the imprint and effectiveness of the design professions in shaping urban environments, examines the role of design in the material culture of contemporary cities, and explores the complex linkages among designers, producers, and distributors in contemporary cities: for example fashion and graphic design in New York; architecture, fashion, and publishing in London; furniture, industrial design, interior design and fashion in Milan; haute couture in Paris; sportswear and athletic shoes in Portland, Oregon; and so on.The book is distinctive in focusing on the economic and cultural context of design in contemporary cities, presenting cities themselves as settings for design and design services and emphasizing the 'affect' associated with design. It also offers a distinctive social science perspective on subject matter that is traditionally explored from the perspective of the design professions themselves. As such, it makes design ' and design professionals ' more easily understood by social scientists.