Phalanstère

Phalanstère

A Phalanstère was a type of building designed for a self contained utopian community, it ideally consisted of 500-1200 people working for a mutual benefit, and was developed in the early nineteenth century by a man named Charles Fourier. Fourier was a French socialist who wanted to develop an architectural system based off of principles of sexual liberation, co-operative organization, women’s liberation, and human interaction. He envisioned a U-shaped building with wings on either side of the structure, large meeting rooms, private rooms and gardens. Fourier was not a fan of industrialization and free market, he felt that it developed workers exploration. Fourier wanted “to return to the land and agriculture and he proposed the creation of an ideal community called phalanstère.” The idea behind his proposal was that members would receive shares in relation with the production they provided to the community, and it would be ruler in a democratic way. More activity would focused on the agricultural aspect of the “perfect utopian” society rather than the manufacturing component. He believed the workers should get to choose what they wanted to do  and to avoid monotony, Fourier proposed that workers would change their activity at least 8 times a day. Fourier organizes his program in a way to keep the society flowing and ideal. He designated the central part of the layout to quieter activities which included meeting rooms, dining rooms, and libraries. One of the wings were designated to noisy work and activities (this is also where children activities were hosted). The last wing would be designated to “external visits” Visitors would pay an entrance fee which would be used to finance the community and its members. Fourier put his theory into action in 1832, Condé-sur-Vesgre was 75 kilometers west of  Paris. However, his project failed just 2 years later due to lack of capital and inexperience of community members. This was his only attempt to fulfill his theory in Europe because he was unable to get funding to try again. There were projects based on his idea throughout places like the United States, that ultimately failed because the workers were not willing to commit. I believe something like this would be able to work if it was put into action before the industrial revolution. Having a society solely dependent on the agricultural aspect of a community is not going to work in present day in countries with major cities, who have made major developments industrially. This theory or idea was not successful because it failed to accept the industrialization aspect that most societies thrive on. 

Fons, Paqui Pérez. “Charles Fourier´s Phalanstère.” 2010-2012 SCHOOL YEARS, 1 Jan. 1970, todayinsocialsciences.blogspot.com/2012/01/charles-fouriers-phalanstere.html.

“180Spatial Agency.” Spatial Agency: Fourierist Communities, www.spatialagency.net/database/how/empowerment/fourierist.community.