A History of the Future

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.

Donna Goodman has taught architecture and urban planning for more than twenty years at prestigious design schools including Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design at the New School, Rhode Island School of Design, and New York University. Her architectural practice focuses on sustainable design. The author lives in New York.