Utopian and Sacred Architecture Studies

For thousands of years human beings have dreamt of perfect worlds, worlds free of conflict, hunger and unhappiness. But can these worlds ever exist in reality? This conference aims to explore the theories and practices stimulated over the last five centuries in a wide range of areas of thought, historiography, political sciences, social sciences, literary and art studies, social activism and in the conception of possible worlds. The conference aims to address directly the controversy surrounding Utopia and its successors from its origin to our present. It is an appropriate moment for reflection on the notion of utopia in the past, today and the future. IEREK, in its second conference, aims to open up the dreams, ideas and energies behind a selection of historical utopias, architecture of cities, the utopian ideals, and the impact of religion and culture. It questions the ups and downs of a visionary approach to life, and considers the ways in which utopias from the past might hel... Read more

For thousands of years human beings have dreamt of perfect worlds, worlds free of conflict, hunger and unhappiness. But can these worlds ever exist in reality? This conference aims to explore the theories and practices stimulated over the last five centuries in a wide range of areas of thought, historiography, political sciences, social sciences, literary and art studies, social activism and in the conception of possible worlds. The conference aims to address directly the controversy surrounding Utopia and its successors from its origin to our present. It is an appropriate moment for reflection on the notion of utopia in the past, today and the future. IEREK, in its second conference, aims to open up the dreams, ideas and energies behind a selection of historical utopias, architecture of cities, the utopian ideals, and the impact of religion and culture. It questions the ups and downs of a visionary approach to life, and considers the ways in which utopias from the past might help us think freshly about the world today. Utopia offers a variety of approaches for countering the outcomes our world faces, by reaching out to the “Next-City”. The aims of this conference is to explore the impact on and by the utopian religious, and cultural ideals.