In the 1920s, the modern city seemed to hold nothing but promise: order, cleanliness, rapid movement, economic growth and technological progress. But disaffection grew as neatly planned metropolises sprawled and outpaced themselves. In the 1950s, urban planners recommended more order, urban renewal and slum clearances. Dutch artist Constant Nieuwenhuys offered a different alternative in the 1960s: a city of linked megastructures called New Babylon that would drift high over the regimented city and provide a place without order—a place “for This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Seven Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 48 Cult Rooms After “completing” philosophy, Ludwig Wittgenstein tried—and failed—at architecture. Arts & Culture Issue 47 Peer Review Hadani Ditmars on the disappearing legacy of Rifat Chadirji, Iraq’s most influential architect. Arts & Culture Issue 47 CULT ROOMS In north Lebanon, two architects are rebuilding a corner of Oscar Niemeyer’s international fair. Arts & Culture Issue 43 Stone Cold A history of spite architecture. Arts & Culture Issue 40 Olalekan Jeyifous On fantastical architecture and sci-fi Brooklyn. Arts & Culture Design Issue 39 What the Duck An introduction to duck architecture.
Arts & Culture Issue 48 Cult Rooms After “completing” philosophy, Ludwig Wittgenstein tried—and failed—at architecture.
Arts & Culture Issue 47 Peer Review Hadani Ditmars on the disappearing legacy of Rifat Chadirji, Iraq’s most influential architect.
Arts & Culture Issue 47 CULT ROOMS In north Lebanon, two architects are rebuilding a corner of Oscar Niemeyer’s international fair.
