Ideal Cities
Utopianism and the (Un)Built Environment
Ruth Eaton

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Publication

Antwerpen : Mercatorfonds, 2001

Scope

255 Pages, illustrated, 29 cm.

ISBN

9061534755

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Utopias, Eaton explains, are most often conceived as panaceas during "times of profound social unrest"; aim for "the greatest collective happiness and harmony"; and tend toward geometrically precise and orderly designs as though mathematical balance can control nature's wildness and humanity's perversity. After presenting her working definition of paradisiacal cities, Eaton ventures forth to conduct elaborate guided tours of various utopias, many inspired by myths or religious texts. As Eaton moves into the machine age, plans for ideal cities (Le Corbusier presides) grow more and more ambitious, extreme, and morbidly entrancing.

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Person as subject

Le Corbusier, …[et al.]

Keywords

urban life , urban planning , urbanism , utopia , city

Location

Cabinet 19 - 3: Utopia ; De Ideale Stad

Remarks

Incl. Bibliographical References