On 21st and 22nd May the Department of Art History and Department of Geography (Leon Wainwright and Clare Melhuish) hosted the international meeting ‘Caribbean Urban Aesthetics’, at The Open University’s Walton Hall campus in Milton Keynes. This was a preliminary workshop to bring together scholars and professionals from various disciplines and institutions, sharing a mutual interest in this field of studies both within and beyond the Caribbean itself, and to explore the possibilities for future collaborative research.

Discussions from session 3 and 4

There are 2 parts to this video: 1. A discussion lasting about 2 minutes chaired by Prof Tim Benton on "Re-appraising the Neo-Georgian 1880-1970 with Stephen Hague, Paul Ranogajec, Ian Lochhead, Gerry Adler and Harry Charrington. 2. A discussion lasting about 22 minutes chaired by Dr Elizabeth McKellar on "Mediating the Neo-Georgian 1920-1970" with Elizabeth Darling, Julia Scalzo and Susie West

Paul Ranogajec, Beaux-Arts Urbanism and the Neo-Georgian in New York City

Re-appraising the Neo-Georgian 1880-1970 An International Conference organised by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, English Heritage, The Open University and the Twentieth Century Society. From Day 2, Session 3

Sophie Howarth, Ian White and Claire Bishop, Discussion 2  The speakers consider how changing Utopian ideologies have motivated artists, architects, designers and filmmakers in Europe and America over the last hundred years. The topics covered include the pioneering first wave of abstract art in the early twentieth century, visions of Utopia in avant-garde film, and post-modern explorations of the concept of Utopia by contemporary artists

Tim Benton, Le Corbusier  There is a preconception, backed by a growing literature, that Modernist architects had trouble meeting the psychological and physical need for comfort and enclosure of ordinary people. Architects tend to perceive architectural value in visual terms whereas, for most people, the other senses are more important in producing a sense of well-being. Furthermore, Modernism imposed an attitude to the use of 'modern' materials which gave Modernist houses the appearance of being 'unnatural' and abstract.