For many, Zlin in the Czech Republic is a model for the corporate city; an example of planning and architecture aimed predominantly at the commercial profitability of the Bata shoe company. International debate explored the degree to which Zlin - the first city in Europe based entirely on functionalistic principles - should be regarded by planners and architects as a guide to future planning and construction. This collection of writings reflect on Corbusier's assessment that 'Zlin is a shiny phenomenon' and the enormous interwar construction activities of Toma! Bata, who hired renowned architects and changed a town of three thousand inhabitants into an agglomeration with 43,500 residents.