Utopian Vision...

I was reading Alasdair McGregor's piece this morning in The Weekend Australian about the problems the Griffins faced with the design of Canberra.

I decided to have a look around to see if I could find a better copy of the rather beautiful image that's used on the cover of Grand Obsessions... and through that discovered the Ideal City website. This includes all of the shortlisted entries as interactive maps! Some of which prove equally interesting.

Also 'found' was the Griffin Society website which has great photographic material on it as well.

There is a second portrait that was shot the same day (!) by the same photographer which, when compared to the cover, is an interested study in how images can be used to manipulate experience.




Both originals can be found at NLA here and here.

Credit for both portraits: Dr Jorma Pohjanpalo, Helsinki, Finland