Cool cities
11/14/2007 @ 6:00 pm
Here is a website with startling images of what life might look like in the future, say year 2500 or so. The artist is a Taiwanese illustrator who was commissioned to do the artwork.
Would love to hear reactions from readers regarding the artwork. Do the images seem like science fiction? Could this be Tokyo in 3007?
First thing that came to mind when looking at that site was “Vault Tec Presentations: When Leaving the Vault…”
With regards to the illustrations as how we might be living in some five centuries, I personally believe that it’s futile to try and conceptualize that. The advances in technology that will occur in the interim will make sure of that. Also I do not believe that there will be ’sleep zones’, ‘recreational zones’ and ‘work zones’ or at least I would hope a future designer of such a place would take into consideration that the perfect urban space includes a mix of all three. We have to envision here that you have to live most of your life in these cities, so having the different zones seperated as envisioned in the caption text to the pictures seems more like a 1984 dystopic vision. I can already envision the long lines of indentured servants… I mean inhabitants standing in line while they are efficiently transported from the dorm to the various workplaces, well, actually I cheat a bit and just recall some of the scenes from Equilibrium =P
Do you envisage Mad Max or Fallout style chaos and anarchy, seeing the need for tight security?
But Polar cities in 500 years - I’m thinking Mars colonies myself (you also won’t have the problem of having to keep those out who can’t afford to live there on Mars, as they won’t be able to afford getting there in the first place).
Thanks for sharing
November 14th, 2007 at 11:13 pmEcchi-niichan,
Thanks for your thoughtful comments. The artwork and images are part of work in progress. You asked if I envision a kind of Mad Max or Fallout style of chaos and anarchy, with a need for tight security? It’s a good question. I still don’t have the answer. But one person, who does research into climate change, made these points to me today:
”Thank you for informing me of your “Polar Cities”. Blog and images. Here’s my response:
It is not unusual for science fiction notions to substitute for reality. A few questions:
1. Where will the inhabitants of “polar cities” obtain food from? The
agricultural systems which support 6 billion people will be severely eroded,
if not completely destroyed, by climate change.
2. More likely, such polar refuges will host members of the privileged powerful
elite, which got the world into the mess it is in.
3. Its all too reminiscent of the “survivalist movement”, based on the belief a
few can survive the rest. Others believe the survivors will envy the dead.
4. Wouldn’t it be better direct energy to attempt to mitigate the ongoing
November 14th, 2007 at 11:41 pmclimate crisis, rather than give people false hopes?
I must say that I concur wholeheartedly with said gentlepersons points. But that should not make you stop designing these Polar Cities, it’s as good a hobby as any =)
November 15th, 2007 at 12:02 amOh, silly thinking of this after hitting the submit button, but have you looked into some of the ‘archology’ projects that were being planned around the turn of the century? I remember that one project for Tokyo was on the drawingboard. I haven’t heard anything about those kind of things recently, so either they are still at the drawingboard or the whole concept was a millenium fad. Anyways just thought I’d mention it, seeing that going through the effort of putting up the thing on your blog shows you have some interest in this kind of thing.
November 15th, 2007 at 12:07 amArchology. Never heard of that term. Thanks. Googling it now. Some of the images are startling!
“An Arcology is based on Paolo Soleri’s concept of the development of compact 3-D alternatives to existing urban sprawls, combining more efficient use of land and resources. In the future, mankind will be pressed closer and closer together in a vast urban sprawl. As society is deals with a rise in population and population density, while having to deliver a much more efficient use of resources, use of the arcology will become commonplace.”
November 15th, 2007 at 12:14 amI too have never heard of the term. I also agree that the images (and concepts) are fascinating.
Some Japan-related arcology proposals:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Seed_4000
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimizu_Mega-City_Pyramid
Unfortunately, if these were actually built, you can bet that Al-Qaeda would be salivating at the chance to tear them down. Which reminds me of this exchange: http://www.theonion.com/content/video/al_qaeda_also_fed_up_with_ground
November 15th, 2007 at 12:49 amShimizu Mega-City Pyramid…seen it on Discovery, I think it would be possible to expect such buildings in the future in japan. Especially with the Arabians building the palmtree and world islands, its just a race against the clock if the earth will be there that long heh
November 15th, 2007 at 2:14 amthe artwork liiks like something that I could create given the inclination and twenty minutes in microsoft paint. did someone actually get paid for this?
my thoughts on future cities (if we make it to the future) are as follows
1. the age of giganticism will be continued and most likely accelerated as the increase in population causes property values to increase
2. the increasing use of fractals in building patterns will create awesome new forms of architecture which take on the appearance of natural formations.
3. work and family structures will likely become the same with recreation taking place via some electronic cyber interface.
4. gay deconstructionist crap like this will have probably fallen apart
http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/071114gehry.asp
http://philip.greenspun.com/images/20061003-boston-aerials-r44/stata-center-5.3.jpg
5. if an orwellian future does await us some more advanced control architecture might be called for
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PBZ/is_5_83/ai_111573647
porbably more to come later…
November 15th, 2007 at 10:20 am…and we’re back
6. in the post-post-post-post-post-modern world all buildings will be assembled via nano-enhanced glass and synthetic spiderweb fibers
7. in a throwback to older times the dome makes a comeback and is quickly followed by the spire
8. all new architecture will be virtual as all human beings will live in a virtual environment
im out of good ideas so…
9. in 2400 all major architectural marvels are stolen by the supervillian mayor of New York
10. the giant mushroom will be built in Tokyo
November 15th, 2007 at 2:15 pm