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Describe an architectural dystopia and/or utopia

trecaines

Explain an architectural dystopia or utopia and what it would look like to you? I'm interested in seeing the many different interpretations of this. 

 
Jan 6, 16 11:08 pm
shellarchitect

Detroit

Jan 7, 16 12:08 am  · 
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no_form
Seven American Utopias by Dolores Hayden.
Jan 7, 16 1:33 am  · 
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midlander

both exactly the same to me, and would be some combination of Boston City Hall, the Mesoamerican Pyramids, and Jersey City.

Jan 7, 16 2:52 am  · 
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jfk2396

Personally, I am a big believer in climate change so any architecture that helps with carbon neutrality is utopia for me!

http://buildingarchitecturemagazine.com/2015/12/24/major-increase-in-architecture-firms-reporting-progress-on-achieving-carbon-reduction-targets/

This article is worth reading as it shows positive changes for making buildings carbon neutral!

Jan 7, 16 3:35 am  · 
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The novel Perdido Street Station presents a thoroughly believable, well-wrought dystopian city. Lots of architectural description of the various neighborhoods and landmarks, as well as how dirty and squalid everything becomes.

Jan 7, 16 9:59 am  · 
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x-jla

Dystopia: Pyongyang, Monrovia, All Isis controlled territory, most of the world is dystopian.

Jan 7, 16 10:16 am  · 
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archiwutm8

Or Utopia depending on how you view it...

Jan 7, 16 10:19 am  · 
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JLC-1

zaha and mexico city

Jan 7, 16 10:26 am  · 
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Volunteer

Dystopia would undoubtedly be the Hillbrow area of Johannesburg, South Africa. They have a cylindrical skyscraper, Pointe City, hollow at the core. The core itself is filled dozens of feet high with trash. To say they have a high crime rate is an understatement; there are no words to describe it.

Jan 7, 16 12:36 pm  · 
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zaha and mexico city

Which is which?

Dystopia is anywhere that the .01% own 50% of everything.

Jan 7, 16 1:26 pm  · 
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JLC-1

Both, you can see what Zaha does as a utopia, but in context it becomes dystopian; and Mexico DF is definitely owned by less than .01% of its inhabitants, although it keeps luring a large amount of people to move there for their own utopia. 

But in the sense the OP is asking, I think the modernist ideals are the best example of a utopia becoming a dystopia, stuff like brasilia and chandigarh, or walden7 and abraxas. Not a coincidence that abraxas was part of the set for the film Brazil. (and FLW Ennis House was in Blade Runner)

Maybe in 50 years the world will see OMA as the utopian turned dystopian.

That southafrican ghetto was in Chappy, great movie.

Jan 7, 16 1:38 pm  · 
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x-jla

Soweto is a dystopian nightmare.  I encourage all of you to watch the film Tsotsi. 

Jan 7, 16 3:03 pm  · 
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x-jla

And check this out....scary ass place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRuSS0iiFyo

Jan 7, 16 3:05 pm  · 
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gwharton

Dystopia: Lagos, Nigeria

Utopia: Can't think of one.

Jan 7, 16 3:15 pm  · 
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