Abstract
"We want not only England, but all parts of the world to be
covered with garden cities"
(E. Howard: Garden City, 2/15; 1917)
[Key Words]
space , neo liberal city; neo liberal planning methods; new urban
and social geography; "production of space"; new urban
typologies, transnational architecture
[Goals and Objectives]
This contribution seeks to characterise and evaluate certain kinds
of new urban spaces. Spaces which will be described as "parallel
cities", as they are planned by the abstract bodies of translantional
companies and national governments. It will ask, if and how some
recent urban extensions, particularly in the metropoles of "developing"
and "emerging" countries, are being developed in a neo
liberal manner and, in some cases, investigate how they relate to
socialist and communist environments is? In order to evaluate these
developments and to distil a relevant critique of "neo -liberal"
approach I will contextualize these urban projects within critical
theory. Hence what I want to test is the actuality of Marxist urban-,
critical- and geographical critique in the context of the informational
city (contemporary city which exists in a neo liberal context).
Eventually in evaluating new Parallel Cities I plan to conclude
by suggesting and re-calling into our minds some challenges to the
neo liberal context.
[Projects to be discussed]
Saigon South (Vietnam), JVC - City Guadalahara (Mexico), Alphaville,
Sao Paulo (Brazil), Cyberjaya (Malaysia)
[Personal Background]
The theoretical context of my proposal is my masters thesis "InFormation
of Space: The Spatiality of Technology and Power", which I
presented at Columbia University N.Y. in 1995 and the research I
am conducting in present for my PhD degree on Spatial Aspects of
Information Technology.
The practical context for my research can be found in my previous
work, particularly in my occupation with space as a spatial planner
and architect.
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