Utopia as a Method for the Critical Examination of Space

For centuries, utopias have proved themselves an effective and critical tool for addressing our socio-spatial context through offering innovative and creative ideas.Often triggering a holistic and integrated reflection and discussion about numerous aspects of our lives and environments, they allowed us to address a multitude of conditions we face on both the local and global scale.To truly employ utopia as a critical method in the contemporary context we must, however, acknowledge that the time of totalizing utopian narratives is behind us.Within the last century, utopia as a form has undergone significant changes, transitioning from a totalizing image of a complete and perfected world to an entire range of micro-utopias, each equipped with addressing a specific aspect of our socio-spatial environments.Reflecting on some of the critical, speculative, and narrative methods identified in utopias of the 20 th century, the paper explores the potential of employing utopia as a critical method for thinking about the space around us, and acting in it holistically and systemically.The paper situates utopia as a method not only within the context of contemporary architectural and urban practice, butmore importantly -in the context of spatial education, where it can encourage long-term spatial change.Addressing several contemporary examples of the use of utopia as a critical method and tool in spatial education, and through presenting two innovative approaches from my own educational practice, the paper identifies the importance of utopia as a method of creative and critical thinking in today's context of ongoing crises.