Living City Automobile Sequence

The Automobile and the Living City

The automobile plays a central role in Frank Lloyd Wright’s project The Living City. His vision for the future predicted that the automobile and other machines would redefine the spatial, social and economic structure of America. Even though all of his ideas were not realized the impact that his projections have had on the American landscape are profound,.

In his text “The Living City”, FLW defines the motorcar as a social leveling device. He believed that the automobile would allow for both wealthy and underprivileged to have freedom of movement and their own land. The ability to move about the country unhindered spoke to the very core of democratic values for Mr. Wright. The freedom which the automobile allowed for would create a situation where the urban poor would no longer be confined to living in rental property and working a job that was unfulfilling. The beautiful vision of the Living City has influenced urban planners and architects for the last 70 years and it seems that today Frank Lloyd Wright’s ideas are more relevant than ever.