Lewis Mumford and American Modernism
Eutopian Theories for Architecture and Urban Planning

An examination of the career and writings of Lewis Mumford.

Robert Wojtowicz (Author)

9780521639248, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 May 1998

260 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.4 cm, 0.39 kg

"...readers may find entertainment and insight in this volume....it is broad in scope, chronologically organized, and clearly written, it touches upon a great many topics which are already of interest to many architectural historians and students of American culture." Joan Draper, Journal of the Society of Architectural History

Lewis Mumford and American Modernism examines the career and writings of America's leading critic of architecture. The author of numerous books on the history of architecture, Mumford focused on the roles that technology and urbanism have played in modern civilisation. One of the first to write appreciatively of the achievements of the Chicago school, he was also a fervent supporter of Frank Lloyd Wright, whose buildings embodied the organic, rather than technological, basis for modern architecture that Mumford strongly advocated. Indeed, his writings have proved to be prescient, forming the basis for architecture and urban planning at a time of transition and redefinition at the end of the twentieth century.

Introduction: the story of Mumford's Eutopia
Part I. The Education of a Critic: Part II. The Study of Architectural History: Part III. Towards an Organic Architectural Criticism: Part IV. Building the Regional City: Conclusion: Lewis Mumford, 1895–1990.

Subject Areas: Individual architects & architectural firms [AMB]