City without cars in China. Building cities of the future: energy, recycling, waste-free environment. Wind-driven towers in Dubai, UAE
According to statistics, 54% of people on our planet live in cities, and according to scientists, by the middle of the 21st century there will already be 66% of urban residents ... What can they be - the cities of the future, in which most of the world's population will live.
The first thoughts that come to mind are flying cars, hoverboards from "Back to the Future" and tall skyscrapers ... But still, the main problem today is to develop various projects of cities of the future, in which all resources will be spent as efficiently as possible, since the population of our planet is growing every year.
1. Masdar, UAE
Masdar is a project of a future eco-city located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, is being built 17 kilometers southeast of the country's capital, near the Abu Dhabi International Airport.
The ecological situation in the United Arab Emirates is far from ideal. This is due to the fact that hundreds of oil production plants have been opened in the country. At the same time, the presence of large reserves of "black gold" makes the UAE also one of the richest states. Here are the most fashionable hotels, the highest skyscraper in the world, artificial archipelagos. And recently, local sheikhs decided to create the first city on the planet without harmful waste and carbon dioxide emissions - Masdar.
Masdar will be powered by 88,000 solar panels located on the outskirts of the city. This decision is due to the fact that clear weather in the region is 355-360 days a year. All light switches in Masdar are equipped with motion sensors - this will help minimize electricity consumption. The city will be surrounded by walls, and its foundation will be raised by 7.5 meters.
The architects designed Masdar so that the buildings would be heated as little as possible, and the pavement would be constantly in the shade. The streets will be laid taking into account the prevailing wind direction and the position of the sun in the sky. This will reduce the temperature near the ground by about 20 degrees. Cars will be prohibited within the city, and all tourists will have to park outside Masdar. Local residents will move using an underground transport network powered by electricity. The first phase of the construction of Masdar will be completed in 2018, 7,000 people will be able to live in new houses. Engineers plan to complete the project completely by 2030, after which the population of Masdar and the nearest suburbs will reach 100,000.
2 King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia
The economic city of King Abdullah is located 100 kilometers north of Jeddah (the second city in Saudi Arabia in terms of population). Its construction will cost $ 100 billion, the size of the city is comparable to Washington. It will connect Mecca and Medina through a high-tech rail network. Another important stage in the implementation of the project is the construction of a large petrochemical plant near the metropolis of the Industrial Valley, its center.
The largest educational institution of the city, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, began to be built back in 2009, Abdullah himself donated $ 20 billion for its construction. After the completion of construction, the university will be inferior in size only to Harvard and Yale. This city is the legacy that the king of Saudi Arabia will leave to the people. After construction is completed, 2 million residents will receive modern housing, and 900,000 new jobs will also be created.
3. Songdo International Business District, South Korea
Korean engineers are developing a project for the Songdo International Business District. It will cover an area of 607 hectares and will be located near Incheon Airport (65 kilometers from the capital, Seoul). Songdo will consist of 40% park areas, some of which will become smaller copies of New York's Central Park, Venice canals and so on.
The garbage system that will be implemented in Songdo deserves special mention. Waste will be sucked directly from the baskets and delivered directly to the place of processing through underground pipes. Another interesting idea is the use of a powerful information network that will unite all household devices and service systems using wireless technology. This will allow engineers to perfectly coordinate and "synchronize" life in the city.
By the end of 2016, 60,000 Koreans will be able to live in Songdo, and 300,000 new jobs will also be created. Of the estimated $30 billion project cost, one-third has already been spent on 120 buildings. The South Korean authorities expect that after the completion of construction, Songdo will become the main business center of the northeastern region of Asia.
4. Skyscraper cities, UAE, Kuwait, Azerbaijan
Skyscrapers such as the 828-meter Burj Khalifa (Dubai) are an example of the efficient use of space in cities lacking free space for expansion. They are where most of the high-rise buildings are built. The main advantage of this approach is the rational use of limited resources (fuel, water, electricity, and so on). Therefore, in some countries, projects for the construction of futuristic skyscrapers are being seriously discussed, which to some extent will become full-fledged cities. They will house parks, shops, offices, entertainment areas, restaurants, and so on, that is, people will be able to lead a full life without leaving the high-rise city.
In Kuwait, the construction of the Mubarak al-Kabir building (its height will reach 1000 meters) is underway, and in Azerbaijan - the Azerbaijan skyscraper (1049 meters). The first project will be completed in 2016, the second in 2019. Such buildings are, of course, not full-fledged high-rise cities, but simply the right step in this direction. But all conceivable records in the near future will be broken by the Dubai City Tower skyscraper, its height will exceed 2400 meters, construction will be completed in 2025.
The Americans were thinking about such a project back in the early nineties. In San Francisco, it was planned to build a 500-story skyscraper Ultima Tower with a height of 3200 meters. It was supposed to be home to 1 million people. Japan a few years ago abandoned the construction of a two-kilometer Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid skyscraper.
5. "Earthscraper" in Mexico
The Mexicans surprised the whole world by announcing the construction of an underground skyscraper. It's funny that it will be called Earthscraper, which means "earth scraper". Architects and engineers expect to build a 65-story building in the form of an upside down pyramid with a base area of 7600 square meters in the center of Mexico City. The “roof” of the skyscraper going deep into the earth will be a solid glass panel measuring 240 by 240 meters. It will also serve as a public square, where concerts and solemn military parades are planned to be held.
2 years ago, American designer Matthew Fromboluti presented a project for a similar underground building. He proposes to build it near Bisbee, Arizona. The Earthscraper Above Below could be built inside the abandoned Lavender Pit Mine, which is 275 meters deep. Geothermal energy will be used in these "earthscrapers" to meet the domestic needs of people.
6. Polar Wonder City Umka, Russia
Meanwhile, in Russia, a project is being discussed for an autonomous city of Umka, named after the polar bear cub from the Soviet cartoon of the same name. It will be located on Kotelny Island, which belongs to the Novosibirsk archipelago. From here to the North Pole - only 1600 kilometers. Kotelny Island is an inhospitable place. The average air temperature in January here is -30°С, in July - about +1°С. Penetrating northern winds blow from the sea all year round.
The city of Umka will resemble the International Space Station, enlarged dozens of times. Up to 6 thousand people can live in it. The city will be self-sufficient and isolated from the outside world. Umka is a large-scale experiment that, among other things, will help scientists improve the designs of future space colonies.
7. Floating settlement, France
French architect Jacques Rougerie developed the concept of a huge floating city "City of Mériens", the outlines of which bear a striking resemblance to a giant Manta ray (sea devil). The scientist is known for his love for the sea and everything marine, cannot imagine his life without it and dreams of founding a city where, together with like-minded people, the same "belonging to the sea" people, he will study the unknown ocean.
The water metropolis will be about 900 meters long and about 500 meters wide, and will be inhabited by about 7,000 international researchers - students, professors and scientists of all stripes. The city will contain many auditoriums, lecture halls, laboratories, living rooms and special halls for sports and recreation. The floating settlement will be completely autonomous, self-sustaining and completely environmentally friendly. The City of Mériens is planned to be powered exclusively by renewable marine energy and will not produce any waste or emissions.
9. Floating cities, San Francisco
The Marine Settlement Institute, based in San Francisco, is preparing to build the world's first floating city. The authors of the project promise that "a new type of human habitat in the sea" may appear as early as 2020. The specialists of the scientific center have been developing the idea of a floating city since the mid-2000s. At the moment, a campaign is underway on the Web to raise funds for an innovative project. As conceived by the staff of the Institute of Marine Settlements, the future city will consist of square modules with an area of 50 square meters each.
The construction of one such "residential complex" will cost $15 million. Each residential building of the floating city will stand on a block of 11 platform modules. A square meter of housing in such a house will cost the buyer 5.4 thousand dollars. The number of residents in the block will be from 225 to 300 people, the construction of each block will have to spend 170 million dollars.
"The floating city will be an autonomous political and social entity, with its own economy and taxes," the employees of the Institute of Marine Settlements say. Now they are preparing an appropriate international agreement, which will determine the legal status of such urban entities.
It is possible that the first floating city will "drift" near the state, which will sign an agreement with its official representatives. At the moment, the authors of the project are negotiating with a number of island states of the Pacific Ocean.
The engineers of the Japanese company Shimizu are also dealing with the same issue. They plan to create a floating city with the interesting name "Floating Green". It will be covered with vegetation and occupy up to 10 artificial islands. A kilometer-long skyscraper, located in the central part of the city, will become both a vertical farm for growing plants and housing for tens of thousands of people.
No less interesting is the project of the underwater city Ocean Spiral. The huge spherical structure will accommodate 5,000 people and will be completed by 2030. Electricity will be generated from the energy of sea waves. Note that all of the above-mentioned cities will become self-sufficient in terms of energy, food production and waste disposal.
10. Project "Venus"
98-year-old Jacque Fresco has developed an ideal plan for all the cities of the future. According to his plan, all structures must first be made in the form of composite modules, and then delivered to the right place and assembled. This will significantly reduce costs. True, for this you will have to create a mega-factory capable of mass-producing individual apartments or even entire houses for several cities at the same time. It is planned that they will be made of light grades of reinforced concrete with a ceramic coating. This material is durable, fireproof, resistant to all climatic conditions and virtually maintenance free.
Thin-walled structures from it can be mass-produced, the production of each batch will take a few hours. At the same time, they are not afraid of either storms or earthquakes. It is planned to make each house autonomous, equipping it with its own electric power generator and heat storage. Jean Fresco offers solar panels to be built directly into windows and walls. A tinted thermal glass will protect people from bright sunlight on a hot day.
The main feature of the city, built according to the plan of the Venus project, will be its shape. The streets will be arranged in concentric circles, so that residents can get to the right place in the shortest possible time.
11. Monolithic cube E-QBO
Some of the futuristic projects we talked about above are already underway. Interestingly, they all involve building from scratch. The fact is that building a new city is cheaper and easier than improving an existing one, bringing it to the same standards. Let's mention a promising development that can simplify the production of electricity in urban areas - the e-QBO cube. The monolithic cube generates energy thanks to photovoltaic panels integrated into its surface.
E-QBO is such an architectural "chameleon" that can harmoniously fit into the urban landscape. At the international conference Milan Innovation Cloud, dedicated to new technologies in the field of energy, the black cube served as an exhibition pavilion. And for the duration of the exhibition-fair MADE 2013, it became the living room that hosted the participants of the event. The dimensions of e-QBO can vary from a few centimeters to tens of meters. A residential building can easily fit into a large cube, and a small one can easily serve, for example, as a bench in a city park.
There is no doubt that many futuristic projects of the cities of the future will become a reality in the coming decades. But people should also take care of the development of technologies that can make modern megacities self-sufficient, environmentally friendly and more energy efficient. Behind them is the future.
Oct 14, 2016 Galinka
Architects around the world are increasingly beginning to realize that city streets should be created primarily for people, and not pieces of metal.
After more than a century of coexistence between man and car, some cities around the world are finally realizing that owning a car doesn't make much sense in an urban environment. And the point here is not only and not so much in the high death rate in road accidents, but in the fact that the car becomes too inconvenient means of transportation around cities. There were simply too many of them.
Car traffic in London today moves slower than the average cyclist. Los Angeles drivers spend 90 hours a year in traffic. And a British study showed that the average motorist spends more than 100 days in a lifetime looking for a parking space.
Now more and more cities are thinking about how to get rid of cars. In some, fines are introduced, and in others, tempting offers. Like, for example, in Milan, where car enthusiasts are paid for leaving the car in the parking lot and using public transport.
Not surprisingly, such changes are occurring most rapidly in European capitals, which were built hundreds and even thousands of years before the invention of the automobile. Their streets simply cannot accommodate the amount of private transport that exists today. So, let's name the cities that most successfully and consistently refuse the domination of machines in favor of people.
Leading cities in car-free
Madrid
It has already banned the movement of private cars on some streets of the city, and this year this zone will be further expanded. It is planned to convert 24 city streets into pedestrian ones over the next five years. The fine for driving in unauthorized places has been increased to one hundred euros. In addition, it is planned to significantly increase the cost of parking in central areas.
Paris
When smog reached critical levels in the French capital last year, the city authorities decided to ban the movement of cars with even or odd numbers on certain days. Air pollution in some neighborhoods immediately dropped by 30%. And since then, the municipality has continued to support restrictive measures against motorists. So, for example, people living in the center of Paris now do not have the right to use cars on weekends.
In addition, by 2020, the French capital plans to double the number of bike lanes, completely ban diesel cars, and dedicate some streets only to low-emission vehicles (electric vehicles). The measures of the Paris authorities are already beginning to bear fruit: if in 2001 40% of Parisians did not have a personal car, today this figure is 60%.
Chengdu
This city in the southwest of China can serve as a model for everyone else. Its streets are designed so thoughtfully that you can reach any point on foot in no more than 15 minutes. The master plan of the city does not completely prohibit cars, but only half of all roads are reserved for them, and cyclists move along the other.
Hamburg
Although Hamburg has not introduced a direct ban on the use of motor vehicles in the city center, the authorities are doing everything to make it easier and more pleasant for residents not to drive cars, but to walk or use public transport. The city has a Green Network program, which is planned to be implemented over the next 15-20 years. It includes a number of measures to develop a convenient infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Parks will be created throughout the city, interconnected by convenient pedestrian and bicycle paths. The "Green Network" will cover about 40% of the entire urban space and will motivate more people to give up cars.
Helsinki
The Finnish capital is expecting rapid population growth in the coming decades. But the more people will appear in the city, the less cars will remain in it. In the new plan for the development of the city, car traffic will be mainly transferred to the suburbs. The good environmental news is that the center of the capital of Finland is planned to be served only by public transport.
Today, Helsinki is also rolling out a number of innovative ideas to increase the number of people moving away from private cars. For example, a special mobile application has been created that allows you to find a bike for rent in a short time, call a taxi, find a tram or bus stop. In the next decade, the Helsinki authorities intend to make a personal car simply an unnecessary thing.
Milan
As we have already mentioned, the authorities of Milan went the farthest. They financially encourage those who leave the car in the parking lot and move on foot or by public transport. Such people receive free transport vouchers with which they can pay for their travel on municipal buses. It will not work to deceive the system - all cars of participants in such a program are tracked. When information appears in the system that the car has remained in the parking lot, bonuses are automatically credited to the road map.
Copenhagen
40 years ago traffic in Copenhagen was as bad as in any other major city in the world. However, now exactly half of its residents ride bicycles to work every day.
It all started in the 60s, when the municipal authorities began to purposefully introduce more and more pedestrian zones in the city center and gradually narrow the spaces for car traffic. There are currently over 320 kilometers of cycle paths in Copenhagen. An entire highway for cyclists is also under development, which will connect the suburbs with the center.
Copenhagen today has the lowest percentage of car owners in all of Europe.
To date, none of the above cities plans to completely abandon road transport. It is quite possible that this will never happen. Or maybe in the future, someone will be able to create a successful and comprehensive electric car rental system that will forever solve the problem of personal vehicles and harmful emissions. However, these are perspectives. Now one thing is clear: all the largest cities in the world have realized that their streets must first of all be created in such a way that they are convenient for people, and not for soulless iron boxes.
Photo: dapperguide.com, 999images.com, 4onatrip.com, 1.bp.blogspot.com, traveljapanblog.com, static.panoramio.com, ricknunn.com. Source: fastcoexist.com
According to the UN, by 2050, two-thirds of the world's population will be concentrated in large cities. It's time to think about moving to one of the economic and cultural centers of the world! Portal "ZagraNitsa" names 25 most livable, promising and open to innovation cities of the Earth
Whatever one may say, sooner or later globalization will take its toll, United Nations analysts say. Very soon, large metropolitan areas will become home to two-thirds of the world's population. Recently, the international consulting company AT Kearney presented the TOP-25 most promising cities in the world. The experts took into account economic indicators, openness to innovation, the quality of city management and the comfort of residents.
Vancouver
The capital of the province of British Columbia in Canada is experiencing a boom in foreign investment. Foreigners are investing in real estate, as well as the infrastructure of the city, which cannot but affect the prospects of Vancouver.
Photo: Shutterstock 24 Copenhagen
One of the most innovative cities in Europe in terms of quality of life (but also real estate prices!) is ahead of many competitors.
Photo: Shutterstock 23 Taipei
In recent years, Taiwan's capital has greatly improved its business climate, making it a great option for investors.
Photo: Shutterstock 22 Brussels
One of the centers of world diplomacy, politics, business negotiations. It is difficult to overestimate the prospects of such a platform.
Photo: Shutterstock 21 Los Angeles
Not the best environmental situation and crime rates explain the relatively low rating of the largest city in California.
Photo: Shutterstock 20 Dallas
A clear city development plan, innovation and collaboration with Google make Dallas one of the cities of the future.
Photo: Shutterstock Tokyo
The capital of Japan has one of the highest percentages of education of the population - and this is the best indicator of prospects.
Photo: Shutterstock 18 Toronto
Experts predict the city's status as one of the largest IT hubs in the region. In addition, local authorities pay great attention to environmental protection.
Photo: Shutterstock 17 Singapore
One of the financial centers of the world is inferior to many competitors in terms of environmental friendliness, as well as the comfort of life.
Photo: Shutterstock 16 Geneva
Perhaps the best city for a calm and measured life. Among the minuses are high prices for everything, including housing.
Photo: Shutterstock 15 Melbourne
The city leads in terms of the number of foreign investments in the economy, and local authorities do not skimp on investing this money in innovative projects.
Photo: Shutterstock 14 Berlin
One of the cultural and economic centers of Europe with excellent ecology.
Photo: Shutterstock 13 Paris
Its advantages are a high percentage of educated young people, the development of scientific developments and technologies, compactness and high comfort of life.
Photo: Shutterstock 12 Sydney
In recent years, Sydney has become a magnet for foreign investors. Foreigners are not deterred even by an additional property tax for non-residents.
Photo: Shutterstock 11 Chicago
Along with Boston, San Francisco and New York, Chicago is part of the Global Elite - a group of the best cities in the world. There is an excellent business climate and an emphasis on infrastructure development.
Photo: Shutterstock 10 Zurich
Ease of doing business, an unbelievably high standard of living, wonderful ecology - all this is offered by Zurich.
Photo: Shutterstock Munich
In terms of the number of patents per capita, Munich is on a par with the world leaders - Houston and Shenzhen.
Photo: Shutterstock 8 Amsterdam
Friendly to innovations and start-ups, the city in recent years has significantly succeeded in solving its main problem - bad ecology.
Photo: Shutterstock 7 Stockholm
One of the most democratic and open to private entrepreneurship cities in the world.
Photo: Shutterstock 6 Atlanta
Now all key areas of the city's development have reached high levels: attracting investments, innovation, and the standard of living of the population.
Photo: Shutterstock 5 Houston
This is the world leader in terms of GDP per capita!
Photo: Shutterstock 4 London
One of the financial centers of the world did not get into the TOP-3 due to environmental problems and affordable real estate.
Photo: Shutterstock 3 Boston
Educational center of the United States, one of the cities that claim to be "smart".
Photo: Shutterstock 2 New York
New York's influence could rise sharply in the coming years in light of Brexit and a possible outflow of investment from London.
Photo: Shutterstock 1 San Francisco
The world capital of innovation and IT technologies with the headquarters of the largest corporations in the world.
Photo: Shutterstock 
We are used to living in a world of constantly changing technologies. Now you will not surprise anyone with glass skyscrapers and giant shopping centers. Some architectural styles are suddenly replaced by others. But let's look into the future for a second and imagine what the cities of the future might look like in a few decades? An underwater city, an underground metropolis or a city without a single car. Sounds like fantasy, doesn't it? But projects of such futuristic concepts already exist, and some of them have even begun to be translated into reality.
"Great City", China
A few years ago, the Chinese government approved the implementation of the ambitious project "The Great City" - a single-industry town in which there will be no land transport. The construction of the "Great City" has a very clear goal - to solve China's acute problems, such as infrastructure congestion and environmental pollution. "The Great City" is a 2,000 square kilometer green city project with a population of 80,000 built in the Chinese countryside. It is estimated that the city will consume 48% less electricity and emit 89% less waste into the atmosphere compared to cities of similar size.
Such impressive results can be achieved due to the unusual design of the city. Residential buildings will be located in the very center of the "Great City", and other buildings will be located around them. Thus, any resident will be able to reach any point of the city in less than 15 minutes on foot or by bike. More than half of the city's area will be occupied by special eco-parks that will process waste and generate electricity. However, there will still be transport in the city, though it will be underground. With it, residents will be able to move around the city itself, as well as travel to other settlements in China.
"Floating Greens", Japan
As we know, Asia is the most densely populated region in the world. Therefore, the standard solution in most Asian cities is to build tall skyscrapers that can accommodate a lot of people. However, for Japan, this option is not entirely suitable due to the frequent occurrence of earthquakes and tsunamis. The Japanese decided to get out of this situation in a very unusual way - to build a city in the open ocean, in which the influence of seismic phenomena would be minimal. This is how the project called "Floating Greens" was born - six islands, like water lilies, with central towers stretching up to 1000 meters. Each floating island will be rigidly anchored to the bottom of the ocean.
In total, 30 thousand people can live on the islands. Each of the floating oases is interconnected by a transport system, creating a full-fledged city, which has everything you need for a comfortable life. Each tower is divided into three main levels: the first will be residential premises, the second will be industrial premises, farms, etc., and the third will be offices, shops and other public commercial buildings. The main area of the islands will be occupied by forests, lakes and rural buildings.
"Desert Rose", UAE
"Desert Rose" is a project of an environmentally friendly city located in the heart of the desert of the United Arab Emirates. "Desert Rose" is a small satellite city of 14,000 hectares, which is located ten kilometers from Dubai and is connected to it by the skytrain line. The city will use only environmentally friendly transport, and it is planned to generate electricity using solar panels with a total capacity of 200 megawatts, which will be located on the roof of buildings. Air-conditioned walkways will also be built in the city for walking in hot weather.
The project includes 550 residential villas, educational institutions, a hospital, shopping centers and organic farms. The construction of the city began in 2016 and will take place in four stages over 10 years. At first, about 160 thousand inhabitants will be able to live in the city.
"Cloud Resident", China
In the framework of the international architectural competition for the construction of the technological capital of China, the city of Shenzhen, the project of the Urban Future Organization, called "Cloud Resident", won. The presented project completely changes the view on the modern design of the city. "Cloud Citizen" is the world's first cloud city, located in the center of Shenzhen, which has already marked the future business center of the world.
The project consists of three interconnected towers 600 meters high. The buildings will be interconnected using a special technology, so that the impression will be created as if the towers are floating in the air. The buildings will contain residential premises, IT clusters, industrial and public areas, as well as green terraces. The city will be able to be completely independently provided with environmentally friendly electricity. The Cloud Resident windows are planned to be moved towards Hong Kong. This decision was not taken by chance. Thus, the local authorities want to demonstrate new technological capabilities to Hong Kong, which uses the old financial management model.
Earthscraper, Mexico
And if some countries plan to live in the clouds, the Mexicans decided to go underground. The new project, under the uncomplicated name "Earthscraper", is a concept of the city, consisting of only one building, which will go three hundred meters underground. The "Earthscraper" is shaped like a 65-story inverted pyramid with an area of 7618 square meters. Construction will take place in the heart of Mexico City. The roof of the building will be a glass transparent panel measuring 240 by 240 meters, which will also be a public square where local residents can walk. It will be possible to move around the building on special high-speed elevators. Due to geothermal energy sources, the city will be able to become completely independent in terms of energy.
"Ocean Spiral", Japan
The Japanese never cease to amaze mankind with unusual technological ideas. So, in 2014, Shimizu Corporation introduced the Ocean Spiral project, the world's first underwater city. However, as the company's president Hideo Imamura said, this is a very real goal, not an unrealizable dream. According to him, already in 2035, the first underwater inhabitants will be able to settle in the city. According to the project management, the concept will save people during earthquakes and tsunamis. The project budget will be more than $25 billion.
The structure will take the form of a giant spiral, going under water to a depth of 12 kilometers. At the top of the spiral, near the surface of the water, there will be a sphere 500 meters in diameter, in the center of which is a giant skyscraper. The building will house a research and development center, residential modules, a shopping and entertainment center, public buildings, offices, etc. In total, about 5,000 people will be able to live in the main area. From the main sphere, special mobile modules will move down the spiral structure. At the bottom of the ocean, at the base of the structure, there will be a mining factory. It is also planned to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen to maintain life, and to use the difference in pressure and temperature to generate electricity.
According to statistics, 54% of people on our planet live in cities. According to scientists, by the middle of the 21st century there will be 66% of them. Today, engineers and designers are developing projects for the city of the future, in which all resources will be spent as efficiently as possible. Let's find out about the most interesting of them.
Project of a futuristic city of the future - Masdara
The ecological situation in the United Arab Emirates is far from ideal. This is due to the fact that hundreds of oil production plants have been opened in the country. At the same time, the presence of large reserves of "black gold" makes the UAE also one of the richest states. Here are the most fashionable hotels, the highest skyscraper in the world, artificial archipelagos. And recently, local sheikhs decided to create the first city on the planet without harmful waste and carbon dioxide emissions - Masdar.
The city of the future Masdar will be powered by 88,000 solar panels located on the outskirts of the city. This decision is due to the fact that clear weather in the region is 355-360 days a year. All light switches in Masdar are equipped with motion sensors - this will help minimize electricity consumption. The city of the future will be surrounded by walls, and its foundation will be raised by 7.5 meters.
The architects designed Masdar so that the buildings would be heated as little as possible, and the pavement would be constantly in the shade. The streets will be laid taking into account the prevailing wind direction and the position of the sun in the sky. This will reduce the temperature near the ground by about 20 degrees.
Within the city of the future, cars will be banned, and all tourists will have to park outside Masdar. Local residents will move using an underground transport network powered by electricity.
This is interesting: The first phase of the construction of Masdar will be completed in 2018. After that, 7,000 people will be able to live in new houses. The engineers plan to complete the project by 2030. After that, the population of Masdar and the surrounding suburbs will reach 100,000.
The industrial corridor will stretch for almost 1.5 thousand kilometers!
Today, over 1.2 billion people live in India, a third of whom will move to the cities of the future over the next decade. Since the country is predominantly underdeveloped, and the average age of its inhabitants is 27 years, there is a huge need for jobs. Therefore, the Government of India decided to implement the largest infrastructure project in the history of the country.
The 1,480-kilometer Delhi-Mumbai "corridor" will allow the country to become the cheapest producer of goods on the planet. During the implementation of this project, engineers will build dozens of modern railway lines, through which these goods will be delivered directly from conveyors to ports and airports. Also, 24 environmentally friendly cities with developed infrastructure will be built along the corridor.
This large-scale project is financed not only by the Indian, but also by the Japanese government. The economy of this country is based on the high-tech industry, and the Japanese want to make India their main manufacturing "factory". According to calculations, 90 billion dollars will be spent on the project.
A gift from the King of Saudi Arabia to his people
The economic city of the future King Abdullah is located 100 kilometers north of Jeddah (the second city in Saudi Arabia in terms of population). Its construction will cost $100 billion. The city is about the size of Washington DC.
It will connect Mecca and Medina through a high-tech rail network. Another important stage in the implementation of the project is the construction near the Industrial Valley metropolis. Its center will be a large petrochemical plant.
The largest educational institution of the city of the future, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, began to be built back in 2009. Abdullah himself donated $20 billion for its construction. After the completion of construction, the university will be inferior in size only to Harvard and Yale.
This city of the future is the legacy that the king of Saudi Arabia will leave to the people. After construction is completed, 2 million residents will receive modern housing. It will also create 900,000 new jobs.
Koreans expect Songdo to become the business center of Northeast Asia
Korean engineers are developing a project for the Songdo International Business District. It will cover an area of 607 hectares and will be located near Incheon Airport (65 kilometers from the capital, Seoul).
Songdo will consist of 40% park areas, some of which will become smaller copies of New York's Central Park, Venice canals, etc.
This is interesting: The garbage system that will be implemented in Songdo deserves special mention. Waste will be sucked directly from the baskets and delivered directly to the place of processing through underground pipes.
Another interesting idea is the use of a powerful information network that will unite all household devices and service systems using wireless technology. This will allow engineers to perfectly coordinate and "synchronize" life in the city.
By the end of 2016, 60,000 Koreans will be able to live in Songdo, and 300,000 new jobs will also be created. Of the estimated $30 billion project cost, one-third has already been spent on 120 buildings. The South Korean authorities expect that after the completion of construction, Songdo will become the main business center of the northeastern region of Asia.
6. Skyscraper cities
Skyscraper Burj Khalifa in the UAE
Skyscrapers such as the 828-meter Burj Khalifa (Dubai) are an example of the efficient use of space in cities lacking free space for expansion. They are where most of the high-rise buildings are built. The main advantage of this approach is the rational use of limited resources (fuel, water, electricity, etc.).
Therefore, in some countries, projects for the construction of futuristic skyscrapers are being seriously discussed, which to some extent will become full-fledged cities of the future. They will house parks, shops, offices, entertainment areas, restaurants, etc. That is, people will be able to lead a full life without leaving the high-rise city.
In Kuwait, the construction of the Mubarak al-Kabir building (its height will reach 100 meters) is underway, and in Azerbaijan - the Azerbaijan skyscraper (1049 meters). The first project will be completed in 2016, the second in 2019. Such buildings are, of course, not full-fledged high-rise cities of the future, but simply the right step in this direction.
This is interesting: All conceivable records in the near future will be beaten by the skyscraper Dubai City Tower. Its height will exceed 2400 meters! Construction will be completed in 2025.
The Americans were thinking about such a project back in the early nineties. In San Francisco, it was planned to build a 500-story skyscraper Ultima Tower with a height of 3200 meters. It was supposed to be home to 1 million people. Japan a few years ago abandoned the construction of a two-kilometer Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid skyscraper.
This is what the Mexican city of the future will look like
The Mexicans surprised the whole world by announcing the construction of an underground skyscraper. It's funny that it will be called Earthscraper, which means "earth scraper". Architects and engineers expect to build a 65-story building in the form of an upside down pyramid with a base area of 7600 square meters in the center of Mexico City. The “roof” of the skyscraper going deep into the earth will be a solid glass panel measuring 240 by 240 meters. It will also serve as a public square, where concerts and solemn military parades are planned to be held.
2 years ago, American designer Matthew Fromboluti presented a project for a similar underground building. He proposes to build it near Bisbee, Arizona. The Earthscraper Above Below could be built inside the abandoned Lavender Pit Mine, which is 275 meters deep.
Geothermal energy will be used in these "earthscrapers" to meet the domestic needs of people.
Autonomous Arctic cities projects
Meanwhile, in Russia, the project of an autonomous city of the future Umka, named after the polar bear cub from the Soviet cartoon of the same name, is being discussed. It will be located on Kotelny Island, which belongs to the Novosibirsk archipelago. From here to the North Pole - only 1600 kilometers.
Kotelny Island is an inhospitable place. The average air temperature in January here is -30°С, in July - about +1°С. Penetrating northern winds blow from the sea all year round.
The city of the future Umka will resemble the International Space Station, enlarged dozens of times. Up to 6 thousand people can live in it. The city of the future will be self-sufficient and isolated from the outside world. Umka is a large-scale experiment that, among other things, will help scientists improve the designs of future space colonies.
This is interesting: French scientists went even further and proposed the creation of a floating settlement in the Arctic, designed for 800 people. According to their plans, the city should follow the icebergs, being fully provided with fresh water. And solar panels will generate all the energy necessary for the needs of the population.
The first floating cities will appear in the near future!
The problems of global warming, rising sea levels and a lack of useful resources have prompted Chinese engineers to think that the time has come to build the cities of the future on the water. They developed a project for a metropolis of 10 square kilometers, which will consist of hexagonal modules, united into one by a network of underwater streets and roads.
Engineers of the Japanese company Shimizu do not lag behind colleagues from the Celestial Empire. They plan to create a floating city with the interesting name "Floating Green". It will be covered with vegetation and occupy up to 10 artificial islands. A kilometer-long skyscraper, located in the central part of the city of the future, will become both a vertical farm for growing plants and housing for tens of thousands of people.
No less interesting is the project of the underwater city of the future Ocean Spiral. The huge spherical structure will accommodate 5,000 people and will be completed by 2030. Electricity will be generated from the energy of sea waves.
Note that all the above-mentioned cities of the future will become self-sufficient in terms of energy, food production and waste disposal.
The layout of the ideal city of the future, designed by Jacque Fresco
98-year-old Jacque Fresco has developed an ideal plan for all the cities of the future. According to his plan, all structures must first be made in the form of composite modules, and then delivered to the right place and assembled. This will significantly reduce costs. True, for this you will have to create a mega-factory capable of mass-producing individual apartments or even entire houses for several cities at the same time. It is planned that they will be made of light grades of reinforced concrete with a ceramic coating. This material is durable, fireproof, resistant to all climatic conditions and virtually maintenance free. Thin-walled structures from it can be mass-produced, the production of each batch will take a few hours. At the same time, they are not afraid of either storms or earthquakes.
It is planned to make each house autonomous, equipping it with its own electric power generator and heat storage. Jean Fresco offers solar panels to be built directly into windows and walls. A tinted thermal glass will protect people from bright sunlight on a hot day.
This is interesting: The main feature of the city of the future, built according to the plan of the Venus project, will be its shape. The streets will be arranged in concentric circles, so that residents can get to the right place in the shortest possible time.
The e-QBO cube is able to solve the energy problems of modern cities
Some of the futuristic projects we talked about above are already underway. Interestingly, they all involve building from scratch. The fact is that it is cheaper and easier to build a new city of the future than to improve an existing one, bringing it to the same standards.
Let's mention a promising development that can simplify the production of electricity in urban areas - the e-QBO cube. The monolithic cube generates energy thanks to photovoltaic panels integrated into its surface.
E-QBO is such an architectural "chameleon" that can harmoniously fit into the urban landscape. At the international conference Milan Innovation Cloud, dedicated to new technologies in the field of energy, the black cube served as an exhibition pavilion. And for the duration of the exhibition-fair MADE 2013, it became the living room that hosted the participants of the event.
The dimensions of e-QBO can vary from a few centimeters to tens of meters. A residential building can easily fit into a large cube, and a small one can easily serve, for example, as a bench in a city park.
There is no doubt that many futuristic projects of the cities of the future will become a reality in the coming decades. But people should also take care of the development of technologies that can make modern megacities self-sufficient, environmentally friendly and more energy efficient. Behind them is the future.