City21: The Search for the Second Enlightenment

City21 arises from a worldwide learning journey that was transmuted into cinematic composition illuminating some of the key perspectives and initiatives that are reshaping the ethos of the 21st century city.The underlying quest of the writers is to reframe the conventional and uninspiring visions of the urban future with an unprecedented combination of fresh, invigorating, sustainable, economically viable, and life-enhancing concepts.Some of the themes explored in the book, in an effort to loosen the geometric and economic grip on the urban imagination, are:The Sacred Origins of the City-city plans through timeThe City as Memory Theater-David Mayernik's timeless cities: useful knowledge transmitted through the generationsRegenerative Design-nature and architecture: the transformation of the Biosphere2 Project into eco-village designThe Creative Green City-The Lighthouse Project in GlasgowFindhorn-the art of creating eco-villagesMagical Architecture-the underground city of Damanhur, ItalyThe Utopian Imagination-poetry and architecture: The Open City Project in Ritoque, ChileStewart Brand-the long now perspective