The modernist designers had a utopian vision, and their products have transformed both our homes and our cities. But while the style remains popular to this day, it is important to consider the many ways in which the modernist project was less successful than intended (some would say that's putting it mildly).
We will investigate some of the principle failures of modernism this week, focusing in particular on the modernist attempt to transform our cities and social realities.
Written Assignment
For this week, focus on the readings/links posted in the content area and on Professor Pepper's blog, as well as your own research into the topic of 'failures of modernism'. You may also include materials from Week VII when we covered the European mid-century designers.
For this week, focus on the readings/links posted in the content area and on Professor Pepper's blog, as well as your own research into the topic of 'failures of modernism'. You may also include materials from Week VII when we covered the European mid-century designers.
RE: https://bb.cazenovia.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_114553_1&course_id=_6455_1&mode=reset
Texts each link back to course materials found on bb.cazenovia.edu
Here is a good example of a quality, academic approach to some of the issues we have been touching on this term.
The article contrasts the recent phenomenon of 'New Urbanism' - an urban planning movement aimed at reestablishing 'traditional,' small town communities stressing community and 'family values' and typified by such pre-planned developments as Celebration in Florida - with the general ethos of modernism and Modernist urban planning in particular (and against which the New Urbanists are seen as reacting to). Surprisingly, the article suggests that what the two movements lack in outward appearances underlies a more significant degree of commonality than typically assumed.
You needn't read the entire piece closely, but I strongly encourage you to read the introduction (first page and a half) as a good example of how an academic exploration of this topic is introduced. Note the last paragraph here especially and how the aim and strategy of the paper is clearly spelled out for the reader. In telling the reader how the paper will proceed, an original idea is introduced, which will then later be explained in more detail, and which, as is made clear, will be illustrated by reference to and discussion of two examples (the cities of Brasilia, Brazil, and Celebration, FL).
Also, beginning on page 3 (numbered as 43 since it was published in a journal) is a good discussion of the Athens Charter and then a comparison of that (which you all have access to) with the stated principles of New Urbanism. The point the authors draw from this is the extent to which the anti-modernist rhetoric of New Urbanism's promoters often misses the high degree of commonality in the two movements' principles. Apart from what it actually says, this is a very good example of how an original academic insight on a topic like this gets communicated. While this, in particular, is done at a very high level, it is nonetheless the basic kind of form and approach that we could all strive for in writing about our own particular topics and issues in the course.