Inverse Utopia - by Albert Pope (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Inverse Utopia looks at urbanism from the perspective of
modernism and postmodernism, as well as at how commercialization has
transformed the modern city. In his earlier book Ladders (1997), the author described the emergence of the cul-de-sac as a typical manifestation of this trend.

In this new book, Inverse Utopia,
he argues for the development of architectural and urban forms that
respond to contemporary ecological and social challenges. The title
refers to a statement by the philosopher Günther Anders: whereas
utopians are unable to make the things they imagine, others are unable
to imagine the things they make.

This book is a stand-alone volume but may be read as a sequel to Ladders.

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About the Author

Albert Pope, Rice University, Houston, Texas.

Albert Pope has written and
lectured extensively on the broad implications of postwar urban development.
His current research addresses the urban implications of climate change, and he
is actively working on the formulation of new models of density in light of the
extraordinary demands soon to be placed on the urban environment. His design
work has received numerous national and regional awards including from the
American Institute of Architects and a design citation from Progressive
Architecture. He is the recipient of numerous grants from a wide variety of
funding agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts, National
Science Foundation, and the Shell Center for Sustainability. He continues to
teach, write, and lecture on the necessity of articulating a contemporary urban
project.