Paradoxical Urbanism

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The book critiques modernist urbanism, revealing its inherent contradictions through two opposing currents: Arcadianism, which idealizes rural retreats from industrial change, and instrumentalism, which turns humane visions into prescriptive, anti-democratic frameworks. Malcolm Miles explores the foundations of modernist urbanism in Cartesian space, highlighting its reliance on depoliticized expertise. He argues for a shift towards a creatively democratic approach to urban design, emphasizing the need for cities to foster proximity, diversity, mobility, and agency.