Ariadne's thread : the connection between political structure and urban form in industrial society

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to compare the history of the concept of the Ideal city and the history of the 'Real' city from the Industrial Revolution to the present day and to bring out that the two histories which were at first distinct are now merging into each other. The essay will be divided into three parts I. In the 'Real' city there appears to be a relationship between the politico-social reality and the urban form; more precisely the political situation prevalent in a particular time and a particular place is reflected in the urban layout. In the first part of the essay I will try to show that as changes occur in the political situation, parallel corresponding changes occur in the architectural/urban situation. [...]