The Future. This is the topic that worries us the most currently. There is no way to determine what the future holds for each and every one of us. However, what is certain is the plans of the future. There are multiple plans for the future, such as ‘The Line’, by Saudi Arabia, ‘Telosa’ by the USA, and more (Barker, 2022). These cities are designed to run on electricity, hold more people, and display convenience on a whole new level.
First off, the Line, created by Saudi Arabia, is one of the newer and most updated city plans in the entire world. Partnering with NEOM, a company/city in the Middle East that has plans for many futuristic cities, Saudi Arabia has decided to create a civilization that can host up to 9 million people (NEOM, n.d.). This project is named ‘the Line’ for a reason. With its physical structure just 200 meters wide, but 170 kilometers long and 500 meters above sea level, the end product would resemble a line, thus the given name. The location of the Line would be next to the Red Sea. This project is extremely environmentally friendly, as the plan is to create a non-car transportation system with more usage of high speed rails. The close proximity of buildings are also considered; therefore, it will be more environmentally friendly and faster to walk than drive cars. The Line will also consist of 95% nature since large buildings with many floors will be built. More nature would be exposed to the residents. Another positive aspect of this project is the renewable energy it will use. This includes using water, wind and solar energy. In conclusion, the Line, created by Saudi Arabia and NEOM will be very environmentally friendly. Furthermore, the Line is very accessible for everyday life.
Second, Telosa is introduced to the United States. ‘Telosa’ by US company BIG features Danish Architect Bjarke Ingles and billionaire entrepreneur Marc Lore. The location of Telosa will be situated in the desert between Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Telosa will run on autonomous cars and renewable energy. This new city will host up to 5 million people by 2050 and covers up to 150,000 hectares of land (Telosa, 2023). Again, like all the other new cities, Telosa is extremely environmentally friendly. Designers have mentioned that every place can be accessible with a maximum 15 minutes walk. Every building will have its own solar panels and there will also be reservoirs in certain parks. Telosa is very nature incorporated as pictures show plants growing on the side of buildings and luscious parks filled with people. This city also plans to store, clean and reuse water, since it is situated in the middle of the desert. Marc Lore has said that this city has prioritized equality, sustainability and education. Marc Lore most likely got the idea of convenience from Carlos Menroe’s “15-minute city”. The key word to this specific city is “Equitism”, which means, in Marc Lore’s terms, the city will be owned by a foundation run by citizens. When the land owned increases in value, the foundation can sell these land to fund for the city. Telosa claims that by doing this, “as the city does better, the residents do better.” In conclusion, Telosa is an extremely advanced city that has considered all aspects of citizen’s worries, including equality.
Last up is the Oceanix Busan by South Korea. Oceanix will be a floating city just off the coast of Busan, South Korea. There are 3 main platforms to this city. First, the Lodging Platform. The lodging platform is kind of like a make-shift mall. With its guestrooms, dining options and amazing oceanic view, the Lodging platform will be a great place for people to relax and hang out. Second is the Research Platform. As the name suggests, this is a place for work. However, in the middle is a garden for workers to relax during their lunch breaks. Lastly is the Living Platform. The name is pretty straightforward as this is the place people will live in. The shape of these buildings are a little like hexagons, with multiple of them on this platform. There are also many parks alongside the buildings to encourage neighbor gatherings. Oceanix has considered the climate it resides in as every platform is temperature controlled so people don’t freeze to death. Nature, once again, is involved in this city’s construction. In conclusion, Oceanix will be the first ever floating city in history with every platform accessible for a 15-20 minute walk.
Generally speaking, all of these cities have common aspects. For example, all of these cities’ planners have incorporated nature and environment into their designs. All of these cities will use renewable energy. However, there are also some differences. Some cities value the citizen’s voice more and others simply try to make people’s lives as convenient as they can without listening to the general public. Nonetheless, if built, these cities will definitely be a major step into the future and create an impact on people’s lives.
References:
Barker, N. (2022, August 1). Ten futuristic cities are set to be built around the world. Dezeen. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.dezeen.com/2022/08/01/futuristic-cities-planned-architecture-masterplanning-urban-design/
Ikiz, S. (2023, January 5). 8 Key Facts You Should Know About Saudi Arabia’s The Line. Parametric Architecture. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://parametric-architecture.com/8-key-facts-you-should-know-about-saudi-arabias-the-line/
NEOM. (n.d.). The LINE. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/theline
Oceanix. (n.d.). Explore OCEANIX Busan. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://oceanix.com/busan/
Puttkamer, L. (2023, February 22). Telosa: City of the future? Topos Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://toposmagazine.com/telosa-city/
Telosa. (2023). Telosa. City of Telosa. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://cityoftelosa.com/
Worrell, T. (2023, March 30). A TECH BILLIONAIRE IS BUILDING A GIANT, 150-ACRE CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT: ‘THE BEST, MOST SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS.’ The Cool Down. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/telosa-desert-city-utah-marc-lore/
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