Utopian visions: Book builds on new horizons

04 : 05 : 2011 Publishing : Utopia : Utopian

Berlin – A new book from German publisher Gestalten explores the relevance of Utopian thinking in architectural design.

Utopia Forever by Gestalten Utopia Forever by Gestalten
Utopia Forever by Gestalten Utopia Forever by Gestalten
Utopia Forever by Gestalten Utopia Forever by Gestalten

Utopia Forever presents experimental architectural and urban visions that provide intriguing solutions to the challenges faced by modern designers. As curator Lukas Feireiss writes in the book’s prologue, the projects presented ‘rise above the disillusionment of the present, and expand the imaginative horizons of human potential’.

The book is divided into five chapters, each exploring different areas of proposed innovation. Sky High, for example, considers the possibilities of vertical habitation, while Rising Tides explores the consequences of rising sea levels. Although the projects presented are not always realistic, they represent the possibilities of human thought. Feireiss writes: ‘The out-of-reach Utopias featured in the book, by creating images and visions of tomorrow, are becoming part of the creation of our future.’

A great example of an architectural practice that is realising such Utopian visions is Copenhagen-based studio BIG. For more information, see our Bjarke Ingels Inform feature.

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