Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Pandgt;The Scottish urbanist and biologist Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) is perhaps best known for introducing the concept of "region" to architecture and planning. At the turn of the twentieth century, he was one of the strongest advocates of town planning and an active participant in debates about the future of the city. He was arguably the first planner to recognize the importance of historic city centers, and his renewal work in Edinburghïand#191;½s Old Town is visible and impressive to this day.Geddes's famous analytical triad--place, work, and folk, corresponding to the geographical, historical, and spiritual aspects of the city--provides the basic structure of this examination of his urban theory. Volker Welter examines Geddesïand#191;½s ideas in the light of nineteenth-century biology--in which Geddes received his academic trainingïand#191;½-showing Geddesïand#191;½s use of biological concepts to be far more sophisticated than popular images of the city as an organic entity. His urbanism was informed by his lifelong interest in the theory of evolution and in ecology, cutting-edge areas in the late nineteenth century. Balancing Geddesïand#191;½s biological thought is his interest in the historical Greek concept of polis, usually translated as city-state but implying a view of the city as a cultural and spiritual phenomenon.Although Geddesïand#191;½s work was far-ranging, the city provided the unifying focus of nearly all of his theoretical and practical work. Throughout the book, Welter relates Geddesïand#191;½s theory of the city to contemporary European debates about architecture and urbanism.andlt;/Pandgt;
Review
"Welter does a first-class job of 'reading' Geddes and interpreting the complex ideas in his work." Marcia L. Nation Journal of Regional Science The MIT Press
Review
"A landmark study that analyzes the complex ideas that lie behind Geddes's work with fresh clarity and insight." R. Longstreth Choice The MIT Press
Review
andquot;Welter does a first-class job of 'reading' Geddes and interpreting the complex ideas in his work.andquot;
-- Marcia L. Nation, Journal of Regional Science
Review
Winner in the 2003 AAUP Book, Jacket, and Journal Competition in the Scholarly Illustrated category.
Review
"Biopolis scrapes off a century of gloss to give us Patrick Geddes's early modernist vision of the city in all its original vivid coloration."--Michael J. Hebbert, Professor of Town Planning, University of Manchester The MIT Press
Review
"This impressive and topical study on Patrick Geddes is a major contribution to the 'postfordist' call for an understanding of the city as an expression, symbol, and monument of human culture--as a social piece of art. 'Biopolis' is an indispensable source of inspiration for all urban theorists and practitioners who are engaged in the reinvention of the city after a century of failure in urban planning and urban design."--Dieter Hassenpflug, Faculty of Architecture, Bauhaus Universitat Weimar The MIT Press
Review
"Biopolis breaks through the long-standing enigma of Patrick Geddes and his 'thinking machines.' It is essentialreading for anyone interested in the cross-currents of modernism at the turn of the twentieth century."--Robert Wojtowicz, Chair, Department of Art, Old Dominion University The MIT Press
Review
"Taking the city as the unifying focus of the prolific but seemingly disparate activities of Patrick Geddes, Welter brilliantly illuminates and lucidly explores the guiding threads in Geddes's projects on the city within a 'larger modernism' and as an organic entity, as expression of life, as historical ensemble, as metaphysical city, and as cultural and spiritual metropolis. In so doing, and for the first time, Welter has provided us with a richly textured conception of Geddes's project as a living whole, one that is not only deeply embedded within its international philosophical, cultural, and social contexts but is revealed to be profoundly relevant to today's urban and architectural concerns. As such, this finely crafted and meticulously researched study should be essential reading for all those concerned with the development of the modern city."--David Frisby, Professor of Sociology, Glasgow UniversityPlease note: Endorser gives permission to excerpt from quote. The MIT Press
Review
"Going further than all recent discussions of the history of the city in the first machine age, Welter considers the Geddesian 'thinking machines' as fundamental with regard to the emergence of the modern city. Biopolis, with its profound analyses, has set a keystone for a new way of looking at the starting point of modern town planning in Britain and Europe before World War I."--Bernd Nicolai, Department of Art History, University of Trier The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"A landmark study that analyzes the complex ideas that lie behind Geddes's work with fresh clarity and insight." andlt;Bandgt;R. Longstreth andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Choiceandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Welter does a first-class job of 'reading' Geddes and interpreting the complex ideas in his work." andlt;Bandgt;Marcia L. Nation andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Journal of Regional Scienceandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Biopolis scrapes off a century of gloss to give us Patrick Geddes's early modernist vision of the city in all its original vivid coloration."--Michael J. Hebbert, Professor of Town Planning, University of Manchesterandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"This impressive and topical study on Patrick Geddes is a major contribution to the 'postfordist' call for an understanding of the city as an expression, symbol, and monument of human culture--as a social piece of art. 'Biopolis' is an indispensable source of inspiration for all urban theorists and practitioners who are engaged in the reinvention of the city after a century of failure in urban planning and urban design."--Dieter Hassenpflug, Faculty of Architecture, Bauhaus Universitat Weimarandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Biopolis breaks through the long-standing enigma of Patrick Geddes and his 'thinking machines.' It is essentialreading for anyone interested in the cross-currents of modernism at the turn of the twentieth century."--Robert Wojtowicz, Chair, Department of Art, Old Dominion Universityandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Taking the city as the unifying focus of the prolific but seemingly disparate activities of Patrick Geddes, Welter brilliantly illuminates and lucidly explores the guiding threads in Geddes's projects on the city within a 'larger modernism' and as an organic entity, as expression of life, as historical ensemble, as metaphysical city, and as cultural and spiritual metropolis. In so doing, and for the first time, Welter has provided us with a richly textured conception of Geddes's project as a living whole, one that is not only deeply embedded within its international philosophical, cultural, and social contexts but is revealed to be profoundly relevant to today's urban and architectural concerns. As such, this finely crafted and meticulously researched study should be essential reading for all those concerned with the development of the modern city."--David Frisby, Professor of Sociology, Glasgow UniversityPlease note: Endorser gives permission to excerpt from quote.andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Going further than all recent discussions of the history of the city in the first machine age, Welter considers the Geddesian 'thinking machines' as fundamental with regard to the emergence of the modern city. Biopolis, with its profound analyses, has set a keystone for a new way of looking at the starting point of modern town planning in Britain and Europe before World War I."--Bernd Nicolai, Department of Art History, University of Trierandlt;/Pandgt;
Synopsis
The Scottish urbanist and biologist Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) is perhaps best known for introducing the concept of "region" to architecture and planning. At the turn of the twentieth century, he was one of the strongest advocates of town planning and an active participant in debates about the future of the city. He was arguably the first planner to recognize the importance of historic city centers, and his renewal work in Edinburgh�s Old Town is visible and impressive to this day.Geddes's famous analytical triad--place, work, and folk, corresponding to the geographical, historical, and spiritual aspects of the city--provides the basic structure of this examination of his urban theory. Volker Welter examines Geddes�s ideas in the light of nineteenth-century biology--in which Geddes received his academic training�-showing Geddes�s use of biological concepts to be far more sophisticated than popular images of the city as an organic entity. His urbanism was informed by his lifelong interest in the theory of evolution and in ecology, cutting-edge areas in the late nineteenth century. Balancing Geddes�s biological thought is his interest in the historical Greek concept of polis, usually translated as city-state but implying a view of the city as a cultural and spiritual phenomenon.Although Geddes�s work was far-ranging, the city provided the unifying focus of nearly all of his theoretical and practical work. Throughout the book, Welter relates Geddes�s theory of the city to contemporary European debates about architecture and urbanism.
Synopsis
An examination of the work and influence of Scottish urban planner and theorist Patrick Geddes.
The Scottish urbanist and biologist Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) is perhaps best known for introducing the concept of "region" to architecture and planning. At the turn of the twentieth century, he was one of the strongest advocates of town planning and an active participant in debates about the future of the city. He was arguably the first planner to recognize the importance of historic city centers, and his renewal work in Edinburgh's Old Town is visible and impressive to this day.
Geddes's famous analytical triad -- place, work, and folk, corresponding to the geographical, historical, and spiritual aspects of the city -- provides the basic structure of this examination of his urban theory. Volker Welter examines Geddes's ideas in the light of nineteenth-century biology -- in which Geddes received his academic training -- showing Geddes's use of biological concepts to be far more sophisticated than popular images of the city as an organic entity. His urbanism was informed by his lifelong interest in the theory of evolution and in ecology, cutting-edge areas in the late nineteenth century. Balancing Geddes's biological thought is his interest in the historical Greek concept of polis, usually translated as city-state but implying a view of the city as a cultural and spiritual phenomenon.
Although Geddes's work was far-ranging, the city provided the unifying focus of nearly all of his theoretical and practical work. Throughout the book, Welter relates Geddes's theory of the city to contemporary European debates about architecture and urbanism.
Synopsis
Although Geddes's work was far-ranging, the city provided the unifying focus of nearly all of his theoretical and practical work. Throughout the book, Welter relates Geddes's theory of the city to contemporary European debates about architecture and urbanism.
Synopsis
An examination of the work and influence of Scottish urban planner and theorist Patrick Geddes.
About the Author
Volker M. Welter is Associate Professor in the Department of History of Art and Architecture, University of California at Santa Barbara