The City Crown by Bruno Taut
Bruno Taut's Vision for Utopian Urban Design
Matthew Mindrup author Ulrike Altenmüller-Lewis author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:12th Oct '17
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£135.00(9781472421999)
This English translation of The City Crown by Bruno Taut explores his visionary concepts for a utopian urban environment, blending architectural innovation with social ideals.
This book presents the first English translation of Bruno Taut's influential anthology, The City Crown. Written during the aftermath of World War I, Taut envisioned a utopian urban environment characterized by a garden city model that emphasized 'apolitical socialism' and collective harmony around a crystalline structure free from specific purposes. His innovative approach aimed to integrate the garden city principles of Ebenezer Howard with the rural aesthetics of Camillo Sitte, while also introducing his unique 'city crown' concept.
In addition to Taut's own writings, The City Crown includes contributions from notable figures such as Expressionist poet Paul Scheerbart, writer and politician Erich Baron, and architectural critic Adolf Behne. Although the original German text saw a reissue in 2002, only the title essay had been translated into English prior to this publication. This comprehensive translation now fills a crucial gap in the understanding of early modern architecture in Germany and urban design history, featuring all illustrations and supplementary texts alongside the original essays, poems, and designs.
The book is enhanced by a translator's preface, introduction, and afterword, which provide context and insights into Taut's work. The new preface clarifies the rationale behind the English translation, detailing its structure and the translators' methods to preserve the distinct voices present in the original text. Matthew Mindrup's introduction offers a critical analysis of the professional and intellectual landscape that shaped Taut's vision for a centralized glass structure, the city crown, within the framework of the English garden city concept.
’This English translation of Bruno Taut's The City Crown with informative essays by Matthew Mindrup and Ulrike Altenmüller-Lewis is a welcome addition to an understanding of this important modernist architect. The essays place The City Crown in the context of Taut's other utopian books, his extensive work in housing, and within the broader history of the early twentieth century.’ Rosemarie Bletter, City University of New York, USA
ISBN: 9781138572324
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 410g
220 pages