Megastructure Visions and Urban Futures from the Past Part 1 Dissertation 2022 Elena Alexandra Gruber University for the Creative Arts | UK In the present moment, where drastic changes to our lifestyles are needed, this thesis turns to architectural history to explore Urban Visions for the Future from the Past. Looking at the mid to late 20th century visions of the future, which were unafraid to propose large-scale interventions, the work questions what lessons can be learnt from what has already been tested. In the wake of the global pandemic, our feeling of security on this planet has been questioned, and yet we have come to appreciate the connectivity that modern technology can offer us, proving that the theory used in such megastructures is still relevant today.The thesis begins by defining ‘megastructure’ and establishing the scope of this research. I then investigate twenty case studies, leading me to formulate three fundamental criteria for megastructures. The use of scale, and inherently the program and adaptability associated within that, the infrastructure and connectivity, as well as the politics and user context. In three chapters and with graphic representation of the case studies, we come to understand how successful or not these megastructures have been, specifically how the different components of them, which are exemplified stronger in some more than others, have led to success, and how others led to failure, providing precedent for the future. Tutor(s) Lucy Jones