utopian urbanism
DESCRIPTION
A brief document outlining the Utopian process in Architecture & Planning and the evolution of Utopic cities.TRANSCRIPT
Utopian Urbanism A Critical Evaluation
“Our business here is to be Utopian, to make vivid and credible, if we can, first this facet and then that, of an imaginary whole and happy world.”
H.G. WELLS, A Modern Utopia
But how far are we from Utopia?? Or a Utopic state??
EVOLUTION OF CIVILIZATION
UTOPIA
UTOPIA
TIME
UTOPIA
UTOPIA
The Biblical Garden of Eden: Perhaps the first “Utopic” city…!!
….And God said “Let there be Light …..!!!!
“Man is a social animal” Always striving to create “communities”
Utopia: Early Theories
The Republic (Greek: Πολιτεία, Politeia) is a Socratic dialogue written by Plato around 380 BC concerning the definition of justice and the order and character of the just city-state and the just man.
Utopia: Conception of the term, and Thomas Moore’s Utopia
The Early Utopia: Beginning
NEW HARMONY, Posey County, Indiana • New Harmony is a historic town in
posey county, indiana, 15 miles (24 km) north of mount vernon, on the wabash river.
• the country-side population was 916. • the community covers an area of
30,000 acres (121 km²) causes of failure • lack of individual sovereignty • absence of private properties and
privacy • difference of opinion, tastes and
purposes of individuals • increase in demands of people
J.S. Buckingham
IN 1849 published a treatise entitled “national evils and practical remedies”in which he described his plan for a model town for an “associated temperance community of about 10,000 inhabitants .
• most utopian proposals were not executed .
• focused attention upon the
growing evils of the urban environment .
Bess Brook: Model Town AGRICUTURAL FIELDS
INDUSTRIES
HOUSING FOR
WORKER WITH
GARDENS IN FRONT
Port Sunlight • In 1886, lever brother, famous soap manufacturer, built port sunlight near liverpool • Large blocks were used as interior gardens and play areas • Total site area was 550 acres • A future- runner of future planning
Port Sunlight
URBAN DESIGN
OBJECTIVES PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
1 CHARACTER A distinct sense of place responding to the
local context
2 CONTINUITY &
ENCLOSURE
Continuity of frontages, defined public &
private spaces
3 QUALITY OF PUBLIC
REALM
safe,attractive,lively and functional public
space
4 EASE OF MOVEMENT An accessible, well connected, pedestrian
friendly
5 LEGILIBILITY A readily understandable, easily navigable
environment
6 ADAPTABILITY flexible & adaptable public & private
environment
7 DIVERSITY A varied environment offering a range of
experiences
Findhorn
Findhorn Innovative use of building materials such as local stone and straw bales
A Barrel House
Spiritual Social
Economical
A Constantly evolving model. A non-profit organization. The Findhorn Foundation Ecovillage Project has received Best Practice designation from the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat).
CHARACTER
A distinct sense of place responding to the local
context
CONTINUITY & ENCLOSURE
Continuity of frontages,defined public
& private spaces
QUALITY OF PUBLIC REALM
safe,attractive,lively and functional public space
Findhorn
EASE OF MOVEMENT
An accessible,well connected,pedestrian
friendly
LEGILIBILITY
A readily understandable,easily navigable environment
ADAPTABILITY
flexible & adaptable public & private
environments
DIVERSITY
A varied environment offering a range of
experiences
Findhorn
Arcology and Arcosanti : Paulo Soleri ARCHITECTURE + ECOLOGY = ARCOLOGY
Arcology : “A set of architectural design principles aimed toward the design of enormous habitats (hyperstructures) of extremely high human population density.”
Largely Hypothetical Contains all basic Architectural facilities. MINIMIZE INDIVIDUAL HUMAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Economically self-sufficient.
Arcosanti
CHARACTER A distinct sense of place
responding to the local context
CONTINUITY & ENCLOSURE
Continuity of frontages,defined public & private spaces
QUALITY OF PUBLIC REALM
safe,attractive,lively and functional public space
Arcosanti is an experimental town that began construction in 1970 in central Arizona
EASE OF MOVEMENT
An accessible,well connected,pedestrian
friendly
LEGILIBILITY
A readily understandable,easily navigable environment
ADAPTABILITY
flexible & adaptable public & private
environments
DIVERSITY
A varied environment offering a range of
experiences
Arcosanti
Arcosanti Today:
Mesa city: Paulo Soleri (hypothetical) “Project Mesa: quest for an environment in harmony with man.” Mapped out on an imaginary landmass roughly the size of Manhattan, with a population of 2 million. Mesa City is centered around two nodes of peak density and activity: the theological complex in the north, and the higher learning center in the south.
These nodes are connected by highways, underground bus tunnels, and the Axial Parks. Thirty-four villages will be grouped around civic buildings and shopping centers in clusters of five. “By roofing over the center of Manhattan with sky-lights and suspended gardens topping and spanning between the highest skyscrapers, one would approach the scale of things involved . .
Damanhur : Community,Spirituality, Research & Action share all resources and live on site full time
School of Meditation
Social
The Game of life
Tecnarcato (Individual Inner
refinement)
CLASS -A
contribute to financial goals and live on site a minimum of 3 days a week.
CLASS -B
Live anywhere, Class C citizens participate fully in The School of Meditation.
CLASS –C & D
In a tragic period of Earth history, in which more and more peoples and races are disappearing, impoverishing the culture and diversity of all humanity, Damanhur is creating a new human group with its own artistic, philosophical and cultural expressions.
Damanhur : A spiritual approach to Utopia
Damanhur : The Temples of Humankind
Once In the Temple you take Journeys into all the Halls for experiential learning and healing.
Damanhur is an eco-society and UN award-winning sustainable community.
Freedom and reawakening
Self-sustaining model of life
Good Communal
Living & Love
Harmonic Integration
A federation of separate communities, with their own constitution, schools, flag, calendar, and daily newspaper,also their own currency known as “Credito”
A sustaiinable eco-society
A laboratory for the future
Masdar City,Abu Dhabi-The Future is Coming? Masdar City believes “Only use energy when you’ve exhausted design.” Solar energy and other renewable energy sources, with a sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste ecology. Automobiles will be banned.
Fatehpur Sikri : Deserted Mughal Utopia, Perhaps an attempt to achieve Utopia
Fatehpur Sikri : Why it failed despite of the grandeur? The reason for the sudden decline of the city is usually given as the failure of the water supply, however the real reason may have been the emperor's loss of interest in the place.
Auroville Foundation of Auroville on 28th February 1968: People from 124 countries dropped a handful of earth in an urn, as a testimony of Human Unity
Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future. Taking advantage of all discoveries from without and from within, Auroville will boldly spring towards future realisations.S
1968:A land devastated by cutting of trees
For years: Healing Mother Earth
Auroville: The Galaxy
Auroville : The Activities
CHARACTER A distinct sense of place
responding to the local context
CONTINUITY & ENCLOSURE
Continuity of frontages,defined public & private spaces
QUALITY OF PUBLIC REALM
safe,attractive,lively and functional public space
EASE OF MOVEMENT
An accessible,well connected,pedestrian
friendly
LEGILIBILITY
A readily understandable,easily navigable environment
ADAPTABILITY
flexible & adaptable public & private
environments
DIVERSITY
A varied environment offering a range of
experiences
UTOPIA
PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY
SELF-SUFFICIENT
FUTURE VISION
RENEWABLE SOURCES HARMONIC INTEGRATION
References: The Urban Pattern BY –A.B.GULLIAN Ancient & Medieval Town Planning in India- Bedge P.V. Auroville Universal Township : Master Plan Perspective 2025 Fatehpur Sikri: A Utopian Approach to Urban Planning And Design.: Rajinder S. Jutla, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Planning Department of Geography, Geology and Planning Southwest Missouri State University Internet source : Wikipedia and various Websites
Thank You