Mumford, The Culture of Cities, 1938

The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its Prospects, 1961

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_in_History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Mumford

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Mumford#Urban_civilization

In his influential book The City in History, which won the National Book Award, Mumford explores the development of urban civilizations. Harshly critical of urban sprawl, Mumford argues that the structure of modern cities is partially responsible for many social problems seen in western society. While pessimistic in tone, Mumford argues that urban planning should emphasize an organic relationship between people and their living spaces.

Mumford uses the example of the medieval city as the basis for the “ideal city,” and claims that the modern city is too close to the Roman city (the sprawling megalopolis) which ended in collapse; if the modern city carries on in the same vein, Mumford argues, then it will meet the same fate as the Roman city.

Mumford wrote critically of urban culture believing the city is “a product of earth … a fact of nature … man’s method of expression.”^[6] Further Mumford recognized the crises facing urban culture, distrusting of the growing finance industry, political structures, fearful that a local community culture was not being fostered by these institutions. Mumford feared “metropolitan finance,” urbanisation, politics, and alienation.

“The physical design of cities and their economic functions are secondary to their relationship to the natural environment and to the spiritual values of human community.”