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
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Page 21
... Given Ruskin's happy childhood and his strong affection for his parents with whom he always lived , it is understandable that this edenic . conceptualization would become the basis for his vision of utopia . While contemporary ...
... Given Ruskin's happy childhood and his strong affection for his parents with whom he always lived , it is understandable that this edenic . conceptualization would become the basis for his vision of utopia . While contemporary ...
Page 50
... given the widespread acceptance of university based community service , but the Oxford road building project in particular , caused a major uproar . It was widely derided both in Oxford and in the national press as a waste of time and ...
... given the widespread acceptance of university based community service , but the Oxford road building project in particular , caused a major uproar . It was widely derided both in Oxford and in the national press as a waste of time and ...
Page 55
... given his position as an Oxford professor who was a recognized authority on Gothic architecture , his views were followed by the university authorities to a surprising degree . For instance , the building was viewed by many as an ...
... given his position as an Oxford professor who was a recognized authority on Gothic architecture , his views were followed by the university authorities to a surprising degree . For instance , the building was viewed by many as an ...
Contents
The Development Of A Visionary | 3 |
Ruskins Urban Vision | 19 |
Ruskins Efforts At Practical Town Planning | 48 |
Copyright | |
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Designing Utopia: John Ruskin's Urban Vision for Britain and America Michael H. Lang No preview available - 1999 |
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