In the 1950s, the modernists dreamt of reshaping the urban landscape, creating the ideal city from scratch and envisioning new spaces and new ways of living. Their utopian approach was underpinned by political interests, desires and anxieties that affected architecture and urban planning, as well as human life and free mobility.
During the Architecture and the Art of Agitation exhibition, we will take a closer look at the situationist 'counter-urbanism' of Constant's manifesto Another City for Another Life and of Ivan Chtcheglov's Formulary for a New Urbanism, challenging the megalomaniac modernism of the period.
Tonight's manifesto reading group will be guided by David Pinder, professor in Urban Geography at RUC and author of the book Visions of the City: Utopianism, Power and Politics in Twentieth-Century Urbanism (2005). Pinder will share his deep insight into the situationist and surrealist movements, introducing the ideals behind the utopian urban planning of modernism and discussing its encounter with the ideas of the situationists.
Afterwards, the floor will be open for a joint discussion on the potential of utopianism and the manifesto today.
You can download tonight's two manifestos, read them in advance and prepare for the Q&A session here:
Ivan Chtcheglov, Formulary for a new urbanism, originally written in 1953. First published under the pseudonym Gilles Ivain in Internationale Situationniste #1 (1958); translated by Ken Knabb.
Constant, Another city for another life, Internationale Situationniste #3 (1959). Translated by Paul Hammond.
Program:
16:30 - Doors open
17:00 - Contextual reading by David Pinder
17:45 - Joint discussion of the two manifestos
- 19:00 Enjoy the exhibition and drinks
Price: 30 DKK for non-members, 0 DKK for CAFx Community members
Check out other events from the CAFx Manifesto Reading Club Series:
27 April Exhibition Opening and CAFx Manifesto Reading Club Vol. I: Le Corbusier vs. Koolhaas
2 May CAFx Manifesto Reading Club Vol. II : The New Neighbourhood Manifesto
