The Seduction of Place The History and Future of the City (Paperback)

Erscheinungsjahr 2004
ISBN: 978-0-19-280554-6
Verlag: Oxford University Press

Buch, Englisch, 320 Seiten, Format (B × H): 129 mm x 197 mm, Gewicht: 291 g

What do our cities say about us? What have we made them, and how ought they to be? How has our vision of the city evolved over time, and can we really influence change and effect improvements?

In this vibrant cultural history of the city, Joseph Rykwert explores the great cities of the modern world, examining their fabric and assessing how successfully they have met the needs of their inhabitants. From the teeming city centres of the industrial revolution to the exclusive gated suburbs of the 21st century, from the Parisian boulevards of Haussmann to the 'green' architecture of Emilio Ambasz, Rykwert charts the complex story of the growth of the city, setting architectural
development firmly within a political, economic, social, and cultural context.

Drawing on examples from Brasilia to Islamabad, Shanghai to Houston, Rykwert presents a fascinating analysis of urban growth, arguing forcefully that as voters and consumers we need to consider the economic, social, and cultural implications of developments and demonstrate our resistance to them if necessary. The arguments over the future of the Ground Zero site in Manhattan encapsulate the conflicting demands of civic pride and public utility set against private gain that vie for dominance in
the 21st century, and exemplify the choices that, as citizens, we must all eventually make.

Zielgruppe

For those interested in history, architecture, cities, and their future

Autoren/Hrsg.

Rykwert, Joseph

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Architektur Städtebau, Stadtplanung (Architektur)
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Stadt- und Regionalsoziologie
• Geowissenschaften Geographie | Raumplanung Regional- & Raumplanung Stadtplanung, Kommunale Planung
• Geisteswissenschaften Architektur Architektur: Allgemeines

Über Autor(innen)

Joseph Rykwert is Paul Philippe Cret Professor of Architecture Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of ten previous books, including The Idea of a Town, and is an eminent and widely-respected author in both Britain and America.