Cities For The Living

Using an approach that combined urban planning and sociology, Yona Friedman championed the principle of “cities designed by their inhabitants”, which was embodied in his Spatial City project.

He proposed using movable and interchangeable modules, which could be deployed in a vertical urban development to free up land. Including housing, services, public buildings, shops, etc., Spatial Cities are designed to evolve in line with their inhabitants’ needs.

Conceived and designed according to the principles of self-planning, they also redefine the role of the architect, whose mission is now more about making assessments and supporting choices and ways of living. A new urban aesthetic would also emerge, with “a random ensemble resulting from the individual tastes of all residents”

Exhibition by Frac Centre-Val de Loire in partnership with the cneai =, Frac Grand Large – Hauts-de-France, the 49 Nord 6 Est – Frac Lorraine, Cnap / Centre national des arts plastiques, and the Fonds Denise et Yona Friedman.