Designing Utopia: John Ruskin's Urban Vision for Britain and AmericaAlthough his name is not one that springs to mind when the public thinks of influential urban planners and designers, John ruskin was undoubtedly a most important influence. Art critic, social reformer, giant of English literature, his prodigious output of books, pamphlets and lectures, as well as his efforts at practical reform, established his tremendous reputation in Britain and America. More than providing a vision statement, he challenged artists, architects and town planners to collaborate on developing prototypes of his vision. To a remarkable extent they succeeded in doing so and thereby created a legacy of good community design that this book highlights. Designing Utopia presents a broad overview of John Ruskin's life: the development of his views on architecture and urban design, as well as his views on social justice; how his vision was developed in his writings; his efforts at practical application of that vision, in particular his efforts to build a guild based society. Finally the book analyses how Ruskin's urban vision influenced the work of a long line of progressive architects and planners and the buildings and communities they designed modern urban designers such as Lewis Mumford, Patrick Geddes, Ebenezer Howard. The work of these figures are then related to current practitioners of the New Urbanism such as Duaney and Plater-Zyberk. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 35
Page 122
... green . The entire community was knitted together by an extensive system of footpaths that served to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic . The original trees were preserved , ensuring a green lush environment . But the ...
... green . The entire community was knitted together by an extensive system of footpaths that served to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic . The original trees were preserved , ensuring a green lush environment . But the ...
Page 146
... green on two sides by attractive low rise apartment houses which provide a strong sense of enclosure . Churches , the library , the public meeting hall , and the school were located off the central green , but on the several greenswards ...
... green on two sides by attractive low rise apartment houses which provide a strong sense of enclosure . Churches , the library , the public meeting hall , and the school were located off the central green , but on the several greenswards ...
Page 147
... green . This placement ensures easy accessibility from all parts of the village . This design feature meets the main requirement of the so called " neighbourhood unit " concept associated with Clarence Perry , but actually pioneered by ...
... green . This placement ensures easy accessibility from all parts of the village . This design feature meets the main requirement of the so called " neighbourhood unit " concept associated with Clarence Perry , but actually pioneered by ...
Contents
The Development Of A Visionary | 19 |
Ruskins Efforts At Practical Town Planning | 48 |
William Morris And The Town Planning Implications Of | 73 |
Copyright | |
8 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Designing Utopia: John Ruskin's Urban Vision for Britain and America Michael H. Lang No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
achieved Ackerman aesthetic American architects architecture artistic Arts and Crafts Ashbee associated beautiful British building built called Camden central Chipping Campden Clavigera co-housing cottages Crafts communities Crafts Movement craftsmen described design approach efforts England English environment established felt Garden City garden villages Gothic green Guild Socialism Hampstead Garden Suburb Hill human ideal industrial influence inspired John Ruskin Kelmscott Kentlands land trust lecture Lethaby live London major medieval Modern Painters Mumford nature neighbourhood neo-traditional Octavia Hill open space organic Oxford Philadelphia Philip Webb planning system Press Price principles produced projects Radburn Raymond Unwin Red House regional planning result romantic Rose Valley Roycroft Ruskin and Morris Ruskin's urban vision Ruskinian socialist society sprawl stone street style suburban Swenarton town planners town planning traditional urban design utopian vernacular vernacular architecture Webb's William Morris workers wrote York Yorkship Village