The accounts of Marco Polo narrate his journeys to unbelievable cities, yet in the 21st century our lives depend on technology that began as the fantasy of yesteryear. The idea behind Arcology (the word is a fusion of architecture and ecology) is to create self-sustaining hyperstructures that are capable of housing entire societies - cities in a single building. Architect Paolo Soleri came up with the concept in the 1970s, so how is Arcology relevant today?
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Urban Utopias
The aim of Arcology is to minimise waste and ensure maximum efficiency with renewable resources. The arcologies would provide all the economic, environmental and socio-cultural requirements of the population. Private transportation would be replaced with shared facilities, and despite using two percent less space than traditional cities, the hyperstructures could maintain large populations.
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Brave New Worlds
If the human race wishes to survive, there is little doubt that at some point we will have to colonise space. Population growth, climate change and nuclear warfare are all potential candidates for making life uncomfortable (not to mention the death of our sun in 5 billion years!). As no other planet in our solar system has an environment hospitable to life, the construction of self-sustaining structures would be essential.
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Pre Factum, Post Factum
From H.G. Wells to J.G. Ballard, science fiction writers have constantly explored the possibilities of future accommodation for the human species. The notion of multi-purpose man-made habitats has likewise infused the plotlines of futuristic movies and video games. However, as life imitates art as art imitates life, several real-world arcologies have been proposed and constructed (though often abandoned). The rest of this gallery shows some notable examples.
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Multifunction Polis
Adelaide, Australia: Billed as "a city for the 21st century," this planned urban living space was a joint venture between Australia and Japan aimed at strengthening business alliances in the Asia-Pacific, while developing innovative strategies dealing with social and environmental planning procedures locally. Set to house a population of 100,000, the plans were discussed for 10 years (1987-97) before being shelved due to ill-founded concern, sparked by a rumour that 200,000 Japanese immigrants would inhabit the city, if bui
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Arcosanti
Arizona, USA: Under construction since 1970, this city was started by the godfather of arcology, Paolo Soleri. In an attempt to make arcology cross over from the drawing board to reality, Arcosanti has sought new paths in architecture and is the quintessential prototype for the concept. Powered solely by natural resources, the experimental metropolis has had a troubled existence and suffered multiple setbacks - both financial and, ironically, environmental. Intended for 5000 citizens, fewer than 100 live there permanently.<
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Crystal Island
Moscow, Russia: championed rather short-sightedly as what would have been ‘the world’s biggest building,’ development of Moscow’s Crystal Island has ceased as of 2009; brought to a halt by the global financial crisis. Aesthetically volcanic, the structure was/is planned to be 450 metres tall and contain 900 apartments, 3000 hotel rooms, and quarters for 500 international students replete with leisurely facilities such as sporting complexes, movie cinemas and theatres. The total cost is estimated at
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Masdar City
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Unquestionably the most successful project so far, and already using less energy than it produces, Masdar City is well underway to becoming the first fully functioning solar city - situated in the Middle East, of all places. With a zero-carbon, zero-waste philosophy - and a transport system operating solely on magnetism - Masdar City is due for completion in 2025 (the date was initially 2016, however the GFC hindered development).
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Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid
Tokyo Bay, Japan: this hypothetical hyperstructure, described effectively as a ‘city in a pyramid,’ also boasts that, if built, it will be the largest man-made object on Earth (and presumably elsewhere). Unfortunately, due to the scope of the proposals, the materials required to actually construct the structure (carbon nanotubes) are not readily available. However, if quantum chemistry and nanotechnology progress at the current rate we should see the completion of this edifice by the year 2110.