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Wednesday, 15 October 2008
2.30—7.30pm
The Board Room, University
of Westminster,
309 Regent Street, London
W1B 2UW
INVENTED EDENS:
TECHNO-CITIES OF THE 20TH
CENTURY
This event discusses the
20th century phenomenon of ‘techno-cities’ – cities
planned and developed in conjunction with large technological or
industrial projects, integrating modern technology into the world
of ideal life. The ‘techno-city’ phenomenon responded to many of
the same utopian imperatives as modernism and shared much of the
same social agenda, including affordable housing in healthy and
liveable cities. However, in response to the perceived problems of
technological excess techno-city designs often blended modernist
with what could be interpreted as anti-modernist elements.
Techno-cities, like all
other cities, are rooted in their times and reflect their
historical context. They mirror a society’s understanding of
current technologies and their role in shaping lives. They expose,
as well, aspirations for the future. Because they were planned in
connection with large technological or industrial projects,
techno-cities are especially interesting for understanding the
complex relations between technology and its social environment in
the industrial and post-industrial eras. They embody especially
well themes that are present in the early reactions to the urban
excesses of the industrial era and that continue to resonate. As
such, they can provide useful historical insights into the analysis
of contemporary developments in ‘sustainable urban’ and
‘eco-cities’ design and planning.
Download PDF
Flyer here
Read Interview with Art Molella on 20th Century
Techno-Cities (27 August 2008, Dazed & Confused
website, link here)
INVENTED EDENS:
programme
Wednesday, 15 October
2008
Panel Discussion
(2.30—5.00pm)
Professor Simon
Joss (Chair), University of Westminster, London
Professor Ian
Inkster, Nottingham Trent University
Dr Alan
Morton, National Endowment for Science, Technology and the
Arts (London)
Professor Peter
Newman, University of Westminster (London)
Public Lecture
(6.00pm)
followed by
reception
Professor Robert
Kargon, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore)
Dr Arthur
Molella, Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and
Innovation, Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC)
_______________________
This event is hosted by
the Governance & Sustainability Programme, University of
Westminster (London), in connection with the UK launch of
Invented Edens: Techno-Cities of the Twentieth Century by
Arthur Molella and Robert Kargon (2008, MIT Press). The event is
co-sponsored by MIT Press (London).
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