Debra Flanders Cushing is Associate Professor in Landscape Architecture within the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. With expertise in landscape architecture and community planning, Debra worked as a design practitioner before focusing on teaching and research in academia. Debra is passionate about promoting evidence-based design within multi-disciplinary initiatives to create parks and urban environments that better support health and wellbeing for all people, especially children and youth.

Evonne Miller is Professor and Director of the QUT Design Lab in the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. Drawing on her background in environmental gerontology and design psychology, her research focuses on creating sustainable, inclusive and age-friendly places. Evonne has published widely in the fields of urban design, population ageing, climate change and sustainability, and is a passionate advocate for creative arts-based participatory research.

About the Authors; Introduction: Why Evidence-Based Design?; PART I: Six Critical Theories for Contemporary Urban Design; 1 Affordance Theory: Take Your Cue; 2 Prospect-Refuge Theory: Now You See Me, Now You Don't; 3 Personal Space Theory: Keep Your Distance!; 4 Sense of Place Theory/Genius Loci: Locating the Magic; 5 Place Attachment Theory: Fostering Connections; 6 Biophilic Design Theory: The Healing Power of Nature; PART II: Applying Design Theory to Global Priorities 7 Salutogenic Design: Promoting Healthy Living; 8 Child-Friendly Design: Where Young People Thrive; 9 Age-Friendly and Inclusive Design: Designing for Everyone; 10 Sustainable Design: Radically Redesigning Our Built Environment; Conclusion: Creating Great Places through Theory-Storming; Recommended Readings; Acknowledgments; Index