A History of the Future

by Donna Goodman

The political, social, and economic upheaval of the early twentieth century generated an extraordinary range of proposals for the future as successive generations grappled with issues of organizing vast urban systems and humanizing dense industrial environments. As conceptual design became the vehicle for exploring ideas and presenting new movements, a dialogue between technology and design began to emerge. A History of the Future explores the impact of modern technology on design and planning, beginning with Renaissance concepts that laid the foundations for modern visionary work and concluding with emerging projects in sustainable design. It also includes relevant projects in related fields, such as film, photography, and industrial design. Profusely illustrated, A History of the Future is a visual survey of the heroic, utopian, and occasionally misguided visions of the twentieth century.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction

280 pages, Hardcover

First published November 25, 2008

Reviews

[Sarah]

Professor Goodman provides a nice history of how people have been planning for the future. Because she is an architect herself, the book is very architecturally based, she also includes planners, inventors, and politicians. I wouldn't pick it up out of the blue for a fun read, but for a text book it was fast moving and easy to get through. Lots of pictures, too, which always helps!