ABOUT THE BOOK More than a plea for New Urbanism and traditional architecture, For an Urban Renaissance offers a compelling roadmap for rethinking our cities and territories through the lens of human happiness. Drawing on international best practices, real-world examples, and insights from the social sciences, urban planning, architecture, the psychology of happiness, and neuroscience, the book explores practical ways to create cities that are more human, more beautiful, and more sustainable. Through fifteen major challenges—from mental health and social fragmentation to the education of future generations and the preservation of cultural heritage—the author proposes an ambitious transformational ecosystem that can be implemented at local, national, and international levels. Both a manifesto and a strategic guide, this book is intended for anyone who wishes to help shape an urban future that truly responds to our social, aesthetic, and human aspirations—placing collective happiness at the center of urban thinking. TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword by Leon Krier PART I – ABSURDITY AND UGLINESS The major dysfunctions of today’s urban planning From rupture to ideology A reality poorly understood by politicians PART II – URBAN RENAISSANCE AND NEW URBANISM The Manifesto Some definitions Criticism from all sides PART III – HAPPINESS AND URBANISM The ten foundations of happiness Universal Beauty Scientific studies PART IV – URBAN CHALLENGES OF THE 21st CENTURY The fifteen major urban challenges of the 21st century The ten battles of the transformational ecosystem The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) This book is the English translation of the French book Pour une Renaissance Urbaine: Comment faire face aux grands défis urbains du XXIe siècle? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Guy Courtois has lived in the United States, Italy, Belgium, and China. A graduate of ESSEC Business School, he worked for several years within the LVMH group before becoming a strategy consultant, a profession he practiced for many years, conducting more than 250 assignments on a wide range of issues. Co-founder of several companies and associations, he now applies the rigor and methodology of strategy consulting to urbanism. Passionate about cities and their impact on mental health, well-being, and happiness, he is the president of the think tank Pour une Renaissance Urbaine , which he co-founded to place beauty, social connection, and quality of life back at the heart of urban projects in France and around the world. He is also co-founder of the Collection Courtois, dedicated to urban and landscape representations of western Paris, reflecting his longstanding commitment to heritage and the memory of places.