Coined by Thomas More in 1516, utopia holds a telling ambiguity: it means “no place” (ou-topos) but is sufficiently close to “good place” (eu-topos). Since then, the concept has oscillated between aspiration and critique—between imagining radical alternatives and exposing society’s deepest failures. Utopian thinking underwrote modern architecture’s confidence in masterplans, technological optimism, and universalising visions of social order. […] . In América, some of these utopias were projected onto real geographies, testing grounds for ideal societies, or escapist narratives from complex realities. In 1935, Joaquín Torres García offered a counter-image: a map of South America turned upside down, declaring “Our North is the South.” His was not just a gesture of inversion, but an invitation—to imagine utopia from América itself, not as a vision imported from elsewhere but as a projection rooted in the continent’s own spatial, cultural, and political horizons.
From early colonial fantasies of paradise and extractive plenitude to radical urban experiments, ecological design proposals, and speculative futures, utopian thinking has left a lasting imprint on América’s landscapes, cities, and imaginaries. This issue of ARQ seeks to explore how the idea of utopia has shaped—and continues to shape—the continent. How have ideals of transformation, refusal, and possibility informed our understanding of the built environment? How have they fuelled architectural and territorial interventions? And how do contemporary projects— amid climate collapse, political disillusionment, and deepening inequality—mobilise utopia as a form of critique, speculation, or repair?
About ARQ
ARQ, a peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design. Published three times a year by Ediciones ARQ of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC), ARQ is indexed in several academic databases including WoS, DOAJ, Scopus, Avery Index, SciELO, and Latindex. Articles are published in English and Spanish.
Submission formats
We encourage contributions from emerging and established scholars, practitioners, and researchers. Submissions are accepted in various formats, including interviews, academic papers (approximately 6,000 words), critiques (1,500 words), and projects—built or unbuilt, including a special section for master thesis or diploma projects. Material should be previously unpublished, or at least not have been published in Spanish. For detailed submission guidelines, please visit: https://edicionesarq.com/Open-Call.
Calendar
Submission Deadline: August 15, 2025
Publication Date: December 2025