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 43
... green belts . Ruskin would not be surprised to learn that one of the central concerns of modern comprehensive town and country planning has become the mitigation of unplanned urban growth and suburban sprawl . Ruskin gave ample evidence ...
... green belts . Ruskin would not be surprised to learn that one of the central concerns of modern comprehensive town and country planning has become the mitigation of unplanned urban growth and suburban sprawl . Ruskin gave ample evidence ...
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 ...
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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