How will the cities look like in the future?
,,Right now us human beings are at a
crossroad where technological explosion
is met with the exciting (or upsetting?)
possibilities of FUTURE.'' M.Kaku,2005
There are many futurist theories and many
futurist urban designs that have been
proposed for the new face of the cities,over
the years. Le Corbusier's idea for ,,The
Radiant City'' in the 1920s places three
million people in skyscrapers,surrounded
by motorways. Frank Lloyd Wright
presents a new concept ,,The Broadacre
City'' in his book ,,The Disappearing City''
in 1932. Broadacre City was the antithesis
of a city and the apotheosis of the newly
born suburbia, shaped through Wright's
particular vision. There have been many other
discussions about new cities.
,,Right now us human beings are at a
crossroad where technological explosion
is met with the exciting (or upsetting?)
possibilities of FUTURE.'' M.Kaku,2005
There are many futurist theories and many
futurist urban designs that have been
proposed for the new face of the cities,over
the years. Le Corbusier's idea for ,,The
Radiant City'' in the 1920s places three
million people in skyscrapers,surrounded
by motorways. Frank Lloyd Wright
presents a new concept ,,The Broadacre
City'' in his book ,,The Disappearing City''
in 1932. Broadacre City was the antithesis
of a city and the apotheosis of the newly
born suburbia, shaped through Wright's
particular vision. There have been many other
discussions about new cities.
The first concept for Future Scenarios project
brings into attention the dystopian side of
,,Vertical city''.It presents an urban planning
which is based on building of high rise
buildings that would cover all the views and
would transform the city into a crowded and
airless space.The social division will stand
out more than before. Metropolis(1927),the
movie, presents a dystopian future where
The towering skyscrapers of Metropolis—
inspired by the architectural imagination
of Le Corbusier— are crowned by gorgeous
rooftop apartments for the ruling class. There,
they play tennis among the low clouds. But
down on the ground, an industrial working
class labors in horrific conditions to keep the
city’s gears turning. The same idea of social
division is implemented in the concept for
Future Scenarios.
brings into attention the dystopian side of
,,Vertical city''.It presents an urban planning
which is based on building of high rise
buildings that would cover all the views and
would transform the city into a crowded and
airless space.The social division will stand
out more than before. Metropolis(1927),the
movie, presents a dystopian future where
The towering skyscrapers of Metropolis—
inspired by the architectural imagination
of Le Corbusier— are crowned by gorgeous
rooftop apartments for the ruling class. There,
they play tennis among the low clouds. But
down on the ground, an industrial working
class labors in horrific conditions to keep the
city’s gears turning. The same idea of social
division is implemented in the concept for
Future Scenarios.
The floating city is the final concept which
presents a city which levitates in the air,on
a platform,helped by magnetic forces. After
a certain altitude,the air increasingly ''loses''
oxygen which may be very dangerous for
people's health. The solution for this is the
glazing dome which covers the city and helps
in creating necessary living conditions. This
concept develops the first one,regarding the
city planning, social and economic issues.
Living in the air may sound like a very
interesting and utopic lifestyle,but the truth
is that it takes people away from their normal
activities. The nature will be only in books
and stories,some of the children will never
experience climbing a mountain or swimming
in the sea. Even though the floating city
will have a small land that would resemble
a forest or a large swimming pool, they
would never be the same as the real nature
that lives on the earth. Regarding the social
stratification,there will be almost no middle
class. The upper class people will leave in
wealth in luxurious,but dark and gloomy
skyscrapers, while the lower class remain
closer to the ground in slums. For a proper
functionality of the city,the poor people will
have to work really hard. The people living
in luxury gain on the account of their work.
They will rule the city.
presents a city which levitates in the air,on
a platform,helped by magnetic forces. After
a certain altitude,the air increasingly ''loses''
oxygen which may be very dangerous for
people's health. The solution for this is the
glazing dome which covers the city and helps
in creating necessary living conditions. This
concept develops the first one,regarding the
city planning, social and economic issues.
Living in the air may sound like a very
interesting and utopic lifestyle,but the truth
is that it takes people away from their normal
activities. The nature will be only in books
and stories,some of the children will never
experience climbing a mountain or swimming
in the sea. Even though the floating city
will have a small land that would resemble
a forest or a large swimming pool, they
would never be the same as the real nature
that lives on the earth. Regarding the social
stratification,there will be almost no middle
class. The upper class people will leave in
wealth in luxurious,but dark and gloomy
skyscrapers, while the lower class remain
closer to the ground in slums. For a proper
functionality of the city,the poor people will
have to work really hard. The people living
in luxury gain on the account of their work.
They will rule the city.
Concerning the city planning, the building
regulations and zoning laws are completely
non-existent. The city skyline resembles a lot
with the fictional city of Gotham. The Future
Scenarios City will stand as an example of a
dystopian future.
regulations and zoning laws are completely
non-existent. The city skyline resembles a lot
with the fictional city of Gotham. The Future
Scenarios City will stand as an example of a
dystopian future.
The movie ‘‘Metropolis’’ (1927) was the main
source of inspiration for this last concept.
The main idea from the movie, which has
been used in creating the dystopian Future
Scenario of the floating city, is the social
stratification. It is very emphasized in the
movie by placing the people from the third
class, literally, on the lowest level, in a
subterranean ''city''. Skyscrapers came to
symbolize the great discrepancy of wealth
in American society. They were citadels
of the rich, unreachable by normal people.
The Future Scenarios city follows a similar
skyline as Metropolis: buildings for
the wealthy people. The slums will serve
as homes for the people from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds.
source of inspiration for this last concept.
The main idea from the movie, which has
been used in creating the dystopian Future
Scenario of the floating city, is the social
stratification. It is very emphasized in the
movie by placing the people from the third
class, literally, on the lowest level, in a
subterranean ''city''. Skyscrapers came to
symbolize the great discrepancy of wealth
in American society. They were citadels
of the rich, unreachable by normal people.
The Future Scenarios city follows a similar
skyline as Metropolis: buildings for
the wealthy people. The slums will serve
as homes for the people from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds.
The means of transport vary from a social class to another. The
lower class travel by bus, while the others will either own a car
or choose the high speed trains.They have their own ways on
suspended bridges. There are also bridges for walking, only for
the upper class,as the poor ones are not allowed to enter the skyscrapers,
which is the only way to reach the suspended bridges.
lower class travel by bus, while the others will either own a car
or choose the high speed trains.They have their own ways on
suspended bridges. There are also bridges for walking, only for
the upper class,as the poor ones are not allowed to enter the skyscrapers,
which is the only way to reach the suspended bridges.
