Architecture and Utopia

Michael and Bracha Chyutin are leading Israeli architects, whose firm has won many competitions and awards for public buildings designs. Michael Chyutin has been the editor of the Israeli Architectural Association Journal and also published several books and articles on modern and ancient architecture and on Biblical studies.

• Contents: Social Utopia and the ideal settlement; Utopian settlements in Israel; The kibbutz: a communal society; The cooperative settlement: (moshav shitufi): a commune of families; The workers' settlement (moshav ovdim): a cooperative of families; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

’A fascinating account of a return to the land, a return to normalcy, prompted by unconventional thinking to which the world is not accustomed. This wonderful volume, Architecture and Utopia, describes a phenomenon that - despite its minuscule dimensions within the new Israeli entity - became the torch lighting the way for all of Israeli society.’ David M. Cassuto, Ariel University, Israel ’This is the first comprehensive academic book on the architectural planning of utopian rural settlements in Israel during the last century. The authors, well-known architects, brilliantly analyze the layouts of the settlements in relation to the different prevalent social ideologies and the impact of changes on their development in time. Most interesting are the observations made in the broader context of the history of utopian and ideal settlements design and modern city planning.’ Adam A. Mazor, Israel Institute of Technology, Israel