The idea of the present paper is derived from the questioning related to the contemporary city. More than ever, this era seems to dominate architectural thinking as a diversified type of modernism, in the way the contemporary critique realize it. Τhe multifarious critique in the work of Italo Calvino: Invisible Cities (1972), exudes issues which had been overlooked. The Italian influenced genre offer us a motive for consideration outside the binding limits imposed by the modern lifestyle (depicted on architecture) and the contemporary architectural jet set. Through the literary structure and style, is proffered a more intuitive perspective.
The project of Tendenza movement, Superstudio and Aldo Rossi (as the immediate Italian response to modernity) and the poetic issues emerged by Calvino are these elements which introduce our basic “thinking axis” (memory-desire-city life and death). It constitutes the common ground between architectural and literary critique. According to this basis are annotated issues such as: visual thinking, everyday life, the sacred and time, in order to comment on the ideal and contemporary city.
The whole structure is poetic, combining references throughout, creating a space which we hope to expand the critique according to architecture and the city. To make a step forward, to remember again that the idea of the city is in the vision of the ideal. It is the common being, giving hope to all of us, for the endless seeking of this vision.