Every amateur philosopher has dreamed about what they perceive as a utopian society. It’s fascinating to think about a world without the ills we experience today and how perpetually imperfect humans would achieve such an existence. Utopian fiction does just that, enabling readers to travel to a world that will never truly exist. Below is a list of the 20 essential works of the genre. Each are an excellent read when the real world seems as though it’s becoming a dystopia.

1. Utopia, by Thomas More: More’s 16th century masterpiece builds a framework for what he viewed as an ideal society; one that is both communal and democratic. The fictional island of Utopia is governed by concepts that were considered unthinkable at the time the book was written but are taken for granted today, such as religious tolerance.
2. The Commonwealth of Oceana, by James Harrington: Harrington describes in detail a utopian land named “Oceana” that features an enhanced version of 17th century England’s government. His mission was to evoke discussion related to change, though the book was originally censored by Oliver Cromwell and its suggestions were ignored by leaders.
3. Candide, by Voltaire: During his travels to South America, the protagonist finds the utopian city of El Dorado, which is devoid of poverty, crime and prisons. Its citizens live in perfect equality and benefit from rich culture and a superior educational system. It’s quite different from the harsh realities of 18th century Europe, in which people must figuratively cultivate their gardens in order to deal with the harsh world, according to Voltaire.
4. The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia, by Samuel Johnson: In a world that’s obsessed with the pursuit of happiness, Johnson’s novella attempts to find the root of the it. The protagonist Rasselas escapes the boredom of constant contentment and travels with his sister and a philosopher, learning that happiness isn’t easily achieved.
5. The Millennium, by Upton Sinclair: In the year 2000, the ruling class of America’s hardcore capitalistic society lives in unnecessary excess, causing an accident that kills all but 11 people in the world. Those survivors were raised in privilege and thus struggle to build a new capitalistic society, eventually constructing a successful utopian communist society instead.
6. News from Nowhere, by William Morris: Another excellent utopian read in which a man is transported from the 1890s to the 21st century, where capitalism no longer rules society and equality has been achieved. The world is less high-tech and work is done for its own sake. Written during a time when many where romanticizing over the virtues of socialism.
7. The Coming Race, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton: An underground race known as the Vril-ya is discovered by a man from the 19th century. The Vril-ya people possess an energy source called Vril that heals, alters and destroys, enabling them to enhance their way of life. However, the seemingly perfect society is boringly predictable and it’s neighbored by a primitive, animal-like race that hasn’t evolved.
8. Looking Backward, by Edward Bellamy: A Boston man falls asleep in 1887 — the time the book was written — and awakens in the year 2000, finding his city as a prosperous utopia devoid of poverty and the ills that plagued society more than 100 years earlier. The ideas brought forth in the book remain relevant today.
9. A Crystal Age, by WH Hudson: Despite being transported into a peaceful and pastoral society, a young man is unable to find fulfillment, falling in love but failing to adapt to the matriarchal tradition. Readers will be surprised by the gritty and challenging ending.
10. A Modern Utopia, by HG Wells: In Wells’ utopia, national boundaries cease to exist, but competition remains. People have the freedom and time to pursue activities that make them happy. Inequality lingers as the dumb and anti-social are cast away from normal people. Overall, it’s a unique look at a society that reflects our own, combining ideas from other utopian works.
11. Men Like Gods, HG Wells: The World of Utopia is quite different from Victorian England. It has evolved from an Earth-like period known as the “Days of Confusion” and now has a socialist work government and advanced science. A group of English transplants are confused by the selflessness exhibited by the inhabitants, as it conflicts with everything they were indoctrinated to believe in their native land.
12. Last and First Men, by Olaf Stapledon: Utopias and dystopias are created and explored by Stapledon, as he imagines society from the present to the distant future. The ways in which different segments evolve varies; some do better than others. The book is highly imaginative and entirely wrong, but it left a lasting impression, inventing concepts later used by numerous science fiction writers.
13. Star Maker, by Olaf Stapledon: This is somewhat of a sequel to Last and First Men — this too was a precursor to the science fiction genre. A man is bestowed with the ability to travel through time and observe the creation and evolution of different life forms, including the peaks of their existences well into the future.
14. Lost Horizon, by James Hilton: Plane crash survivors in Tibet encounter a utopian civilization in Shangri-La that differs from their own. The protagonist meets with the Head Lama, learns about the history of his surroundings and is given the secret to the monk’s longevity. He ultimately discovers there’s much more to life than he previously realized.
15. Walden Two, by BF Skinner: Skinner, a behavioral psychologist, imagines a community in which equality, cooperation and relationships are valued to the highest degree. Told from the perspective of an outsider professor, a detailed description is provided pertaining to the commune’s unique practices, which include behavioral-engineering.
16. Island, by Aldous Huxley: Huxley’s final novel reflects his lifetime of thoughts on society as he cultivates a practical island utopia called Pala that heavily subscribes to the values of Buddhism. A man sent to secure an oil contract soon realizes that the island must be saved from the civilization that promises to ravage it.
17. Ecotopia, by Ernest Callenbach: Northern California and the Pacific Northwest are transformed into a futuristic ecotopia by Callenbach, who established a new genre with this book. His new egalitarian society is characterized by a renewed reliance on nature and an authentic do-it-yourself spirit that seems to have diminished in modern America.
18. Herland, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A society run entirely by women is free of war and conflict. And although it may seem that Gilman is portraying men as destroyers of the world, that’s not her purpose. The books is about exploring the capabilities of women outside of their traditional gender role, when they don’t exist simply to please men.
19. Mizora: A World of Women, by Mary E. Bradley Lane: Lane creates another world without men where the ills of modern society have vanished — the cities are clean, pollution isn’t a problem, peace has been achieved, no prisons are in operation and educators are the heroes. This book predates Herland, making it the first feminist utopian work.
20. The Probability Broach, by L. Neil Smith: Smith authors a work of utopian fiction that doesn’t revolve around communal living, but rather libertarianism. A detective is thrown into a society in which selfishness is valued and personal responsibility is a necessary characteristic. Unlike some other works in the genre, it’s more than just a lecture on the way people ought to live.

This article was written by Tim Handorf for BestOnlineColleges.net. Click here for the original.

We are looking for motivated and enthusiastic people to strengthen our research and production team!

Candidates should bring:

• commitment to the field of work of Archis and Volume magazine
• fluency in English and or Dutch
• capability of working independently and ‘carry’ a theme.

You’ll get:

• ‘behind the scenes’ insight of editorial research and production and publishing
• exchange with and feedback from the small and dedicated Archis team
• access to the wide Archis and Volume network

Archis is a foundation with 3 basic sections: Publishers (Volume, Beyroutes, e.g.), Interventions (workshops e.g.) and Tools (lectures, debates, e.g.). Volume is an English thematic quarterly magazine, dedicated to the potential of architecture in its broadest sense. We are specifically looking for interns on the following themes.

Architecture of Peace
For our long term (2 years) project consisting of two issues of Volume, two exhibitions and several (online) debates and forums we are looking for interns on several aspects of the project from research to production to publicity.
Period: from January 2011 to February 2012 for a minimum of three months and two days a week.

Aging
The upcoming issue of Volume deals with several aspects of Aging: like demography (aging of populations), technology (aging of matter) and politics (aging of ideology). The issue will be released in March 2011. We are looking for someone to help with the research and production but also with the ‘afterlife’ of the issue once it’s out by actively searching for relevant platforms (virtually or physically) to continue the debate.
Period: January 2011 – April 2011.

Internet of Things
The summer issue of 2011 will be dedicated to the Internet of Things. The issue will be about ways to go beyond the gadget and application mode. We are looking for someone to help with research and production but also with the ‘afterlife’ of the issue once it’s out by actively searching for relevant platforms (virtually or physically) to continue the debate.
Period: March 2011 – July 2011.

Video postproduction
We are looking for people with video editing skills to create ‘digestible’ video/audio material for the websites, vodcast or other use. We have raw material from launches of Volume issues, debates and research trips. Most pressing to tackle is the video capture of our Tehran research trip. The Tehran research (in collaboration with the TU Delft and the NAI) will result in an alternative travel guide to Tehran to be published late 2011.
Period: January 2011 – July 2011.

We are flexible and open to proposals on your side, regarding working hours and input. If you are interested in any of these positions please write an email with your background and motivation to Valerie Blom: vb@archis.org.

In the midst of the snow blizzard which turned Amsterdam white and matching with the cover of Volume #26, the Architecture of Peace issue was launched in SPUI25 with a lunch time debate. Editor-in-Chief Arjen Oosterman pointed out some of the dilemmas involved in working in post conflict areas and looked at the ethical codes used in the design field. Architect Rory Hyde wondered whether and how aesthetics played a role when ethics are so badly needed. It leaded to a lively discussion that will be put online in the coming days for those who couldn’t make it through the snow.

Click here to visit a gallery on Facebook with pictures of the event. Below you can find a live registration of the Lunch Launch.

Friday December 17, 2010, from 12:45-14:00, at SPUI25 (Spui 25-27, Amsterdam). Click here to register.

Can architecture establish and perpetuate peace? Does it have anything to offer on that level? Often architecture has been accused of causing tension, social unrest and even segregation. To be accused of such effects it must be powerful. So let’s explore this strength in a pragmatic positive direction: architecture’s contribution to post-conflict reconstruction. For the presentation of Volume 26: Architecture of Peace a debate on two themes will be held at Spui 25, Amsterdam:

• Is an ethical code for architects needed and if so, what should it look like?
• What is the relation between ethics and esthetics?

Presentations by Rory Hyde and Arjen Oosterman.
Door open: 12:15 w/ sandwiches.
Debate: 12:45—14:00.

This event is kindly supported by the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.

Buy now! Available on Amazon and NAi Booksellers.

How do we materialize peace? On the level of fundamental and basic needs, global society more or less knows what is wrong, and what to to do about it. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience in relief and first aid organizations, as there is with architects. We’re ready to intervene in conflict areas, to fight for peace, but what are we to do next? Experts seem agreed on strategies, but are the architects and politicians ready for the long-haul?

After its successful launch in Amsterdam, Archis will organize a special Asian launch of Volume #25 on December 19 in honor of the Moon Life Concept Store by Alicia Framis in Shanghai.

The launch at the Dutch Design Workspace in Shanghai will be followed by a PechaKucha-style Night with Voyager 3 as a special theme. Participants are asked to give short presentations on a concept or object that they suggest to send with an imaginary Voyager 3 — the spaceship that will be sent into deep space and might be found by ‘other intelligent life’. What should those ‘aliens’ know about Earth? And what is worth keeping, telling about or remembering from our small planet? PechaKucha has invited 15 creatives form the art and design world to present their ideas and hope we’ll evoke a discussion on the values of current design.

For more information, please download the flyer (PDF).

The Shift Boston Moon Capital Competition has announced a winner. The competition called on all architects, artists, landscape architects, urban designers, engineers and anyone to submit their most provocative wild visions about a capital for the moon in 2069. According to the organization some of the ideas are “way impossible”, says CNN. But that’s what the non-profit group Shift Boston aims to collect: ideas that change our perception on society and building. The competition is a typical architectural ‘what if’ competition — not meant to propose useful solutions but to broaden scope.

“When considering the future of design let’s start looking out into space. What if we could occupy the Moon only 100 years after our first visit there in July of 1969? Might the Moon become an independent, self-sustaining, and sovereign state? If so why not start designing for that new world now?”

There are some amazing concepts among the entries, such as a complete inflatable membrane city, a modular city enabling an organical growth of the new moon capital, and a proposal to for a moon cemetry. The winning idea by Bryna Andersen imagines a moon base surrounding a massive satellite dish that would collect solar energy and beam it back to Earth. Another finalist is envisioning the process of gradual colonization of the moon’s surface and represents this process with growing cluster settlements at different density and configurations. Other entries, designs and jury comments can be found at the competitions website.

American scientists are busy building the “world’s first sustainable fusion reactor” by creating a miniature star on Earth. Their project at the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, which costs 3.5 billion dollars, could mean a breakthrough in the development of safe renewable energy of the future. According to the plans, a workable fusion reaction should be realized by the 2012. On November 2, the scientists fired up the 192 lasers beams at the centre of the reactor and aimed them at a glass target containing tritium and deuterium gas. “The resulting release of energy was of a magnitude of 1.3 million mega joules, which was a world record and the peak radiation temperature measure at the core was approximately six million degrees Fahrenheit.”

Order now: ‘The Complex History of Sustainability’ timeline, which was part of Volume #18: After Zero. Limited edition, only € 5 (shipping included!). Look for ‘Special’ on this website.

Did you know that the term Sustainability first appeared in a German forestry manual in the 1700s? Did you know that some people feel paranoid about an alleged conspiracy plan of world domination behind global warming? What did French philosophers in the Seventies think about ecology? Discover all the different attitudes of humans towards Nature throughout history. Learn more on the architect’s approach to environmental design and get inspiration from a wide utopian fiction bibliography! Impress your friends with a full set of fresh notions! The Complex History of Sustainability is a timeline of trends, authors, projects and fiction made by Amir Djalali, with Piet Vollaard.

In the last week of September, Amsterdam-based art institute Mediamatic organized a two-day event in order to explore the opportunities for using bamboo as building material. Around a wooden bicycle track, designed by DUS Architects, a massive bamboo-constructed city arised. In this very short interview, the people of DUS explain about the relevance of bamboo in architecture.

What makes bamboo such an interesting buiding material?
“Obviously, bamboo is a very interesting building material – green, lightweight and strong. It allows you to build large structures really fast, in a very easy manner. All one needs are bamboo stems and in this case, simple postal elastic bands- a technique carefully developed and engineered by collaborating artist Antoon Versteegde. (In the 70ies, Versteegde was unhappy with the elitist atmosphere inside the galleries that were exposing his paintings, and he searched for another way to show his work to a broader audience, truly located outdoors in the public domain. This led him to develop temporal bamboo structures, as an outdoor display for his paintings. While working on these bamboo structures in the open, he quickly came to realise that the bamboo structures themselves, and the spontaneous bamboo-constructing with random passer-bys on the street, were more interesting than his paintings! This led him to gradually develop the postal elastic band construction technique- anyone can do it.) One learns really fast how to make a strong construction that stays put. And one doesn’t need a permit either- as the construction can be taken down in a few minutes, without leaving a trace. Building with bamboo in this manner, allows one to design while doing. It’s architectural beta testing: and therefore particularly interesting to (d)us.”

Could you tell us more about the Bamboo Building Bash?
“The Bamboo Bash coincided with PICNIC’10 (new technology/media festival) that was themed ‘re-design the world’. We took this theme literal and invited people to come build a bamboo city. We’re fascinated by people taking up own initiative, and we’re highly intrigued in that sense by the democratic powers of digital / social media, but feel that these should always be linked to physical spaces for people to gather and act. So we offered all those individuals that were collectively twittering away at PICNIC, a Bamboo Bash with some real-time analogue action! It was telling to see that while building together, people construct much more than just a bamboo structure. On a more architectural level, the Bash relates for instance to our current role as supervisors of the ‘bottom up masterplan’ in Almere Haven de Wierden, where we’re implementing and testing rule-based d.i.y. urban transformation. In the case of the Bamboo Bash, we wanted to test the possibility to create one social superstructure with help of only one rule: this being that the bamboo should somehow be connected to the ‘bike-highway’ (a wooden ramp which we recycled from our Mediamatic fixed-gear exhibition interior.) The result: Bamboo madness. And a lot of fun!”