Planning Utopia: Revisiting Thomas More's Classic

In this second installment of a three-part review of Thomas More's Utopia in its 500th anniversary year, L.A. area planner Jodie Sackett looks at More's ideas for planning a Utopian city. Do More's ideas have current relevance?

1 minute read

September 18, 2017, 10:00 AM PDT

By wadams92101


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Arthur C.C. Hsieh / Shutterstock

It's been 500 years since Thomas More penned his classic Utopia. Los Angeles Area planner Jodie Sackett thought it would be both interesting and informative to review More's ideas and consider how they hold up against modern planning concepts. In this second of a three-part series, Sackett looks at More's ideas for planning a Utopian city. In particular, Sackett looks at More's ideas on regional platting, water supply, streets, housing, social life, and shopping (actually trading) for daily necessities and not-so-daily luxuries, as well as More's ideas on political hierarchy and the urban form for a "capitol" city. For more details, please see the source article, as well as part one in the series.  

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