Making Utopia

A study of the 1970s counterculture movement and urban planning proposal

Spring 2024 | ARC 498 Direct Research | Instructor: Christina Zhang

Making Utopia develops from looking back at how people built up utopia in the counterculture movement of the 1960s, learning from their successes and limitations. The aim is to activate and envision a new way of living, creating communities that embrace love and understanding between groups of people in American cities in our time.

“It all started last week when I found a box on the streets of San Francisco. It was filled with colorful artwork, seemingly created by several people. When I opened the box, I found an invitation, several posters, brochures, origami guides, and pine cones.

After reading about it, it felt like a whole new community had sprung up in every corner of the city. Intrigued, I contacted the creators using the contact information included in the box. They shared their ambitious plans with me and were happy for me to document them and share them with everyone.”