ABSTRACT

Citiesarenotisolatedphenomena,distinctfromandindependentof thelargersociety.Instead,theyarealwaysembeddedinspecificsocietal contexts.Thesesocietalcontextsdetermine,inlargepart,thenatureof citieswithinanygivensociety:theirorganization,functions,andform. ThisisastrueofcontemporaryLosAngelesasitwasofthecitiesof RenaissenceItalyorthoseoftheTigris-Euphratesin5000B.c.,despite thechangeincontexts.Justasweareunlikelytounderstandthenature ofthefuturecitywithoutknowledgeofitscontext,sotooweareunlikelytobeabletospeculateonthenatureofthefuturecityifwehave noknowledgeofthechangingtrendsandconstraintsoccurringwithin society.