Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0218 - Utopia

This course is an examination of utopian plans in modern architecture and art, including the works of Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, William Morris, Bruno Taut, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, El Lissitzky, Kandinsky, and others. This class will consider the expression of utopia in architectural plans in relationship with other art forms (painting, sculpture, the decorative arts, etc.) We explore role of history in utopian schemes--how different projections about life in the future are also harsh criticisms of the present, which often rely upon real or imagined views of social organizations in times past. We also examine the relationship of the individual to the community, and consider how spatial constructions--real and imagined--can affect this relationship. The course includes an examination of literary utopias, including books by Sir Thomas More, Edward Bellamy, and William Morris. Different philosophical approaches to utopian design will be studied, as in the theories of Henri St. Simon, Petr Kropotkin, and Ernst Bloch. This class will also critically examine the relationship between theory and practice, by looking at the successes and failures of actual attempts at utopian communities-the Shakers, Brook Farm, Darmstadt Artists' Colony, Timothy Leary's Millbrook, Disney's Celebration Florida, Arcosanti, etc. The course will conclude with a discussion of contemporary sensations of dystopia and chaos, and consider whether utopian design is applicable to the 21st century.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Writing and Research Students are expected to spend 6 hours weekly in preparation and work outside of class time.