Students Researching Future Cities

Students in the class researched precedents concerning cities and the future. These included The Venus Project, Arcosanti, and Beddington Net Zero Housing. Each student went on to examine at least two to three more examples and describe the concepts behind each development and if they felt they could live in that type of community.

Dakota:

The Venus Project:

This project is designed to transcend past values and life into a working society of both technology and values.  The foundation is based on a society with no money, where necessary resources keep the society functioning. The idea behind this monetary system is the idea of equality, the idea being that as long as money is capable of being spent, no one can be equal for one might have more purchasing power than the other. Thus, the society will still be at an imbalance and levels can still be formed. However, with an exchange of goods being the norm, where as long as there were enough resources to meet the needs of people, no service would be needed, no debts owed, and everyone could live in a society of capability and ability to get the items they need. The old cities would be mined for resources as they are seen incapable of surviving by the founders, some left as museums, and society would continue without monetary issues.

However, I see this as a form of socialism which has been seen not to work. Without money, how would anyone own anything? Cars, houses, land… Everything would have to be monitored and rationalized as no one could purchase seven acres in the country as compared to half an acre in the suburbs. Another issue I see would be the effectiveness of living in a society of money and values. People might get along well, but without money, how would goods be imported? Other countries are not going to respect this lack of money. China, for example, is a major shareholder for America in a way. Our debts to them are tremendous, not to mention how much we buy from them to meet the needs of America. They aren’t just going to drop the debts because we remove money. America needs a monitored monetary system, not a lack of one. I could not see myself living in any society similar to this one, and I don’t support it in the least bit.

Arcosanti:

Arcosanti is an idea based on arcology. This would combine eco-friendly ways with a society built to be complex and sustainable for life, becoming an eco-friendly lifestyle. Apartments would be the living standards, with greenhouses for gardening and heat collectors for the winter. Aside from apartments, all of the options for education, recreation, etc., would be made readily available in a bite sized living space.

This is a better idea than The Venus Project, but is still not an idea which I would be comfortable with. I prefer to have my space, and land to roam, not being cramped into an apartment with limited room to travel to where I needed to go. The idea of “going green” on a minimal living space scale may seem like a wise idea, but for people who prefer to have their own large space, it’s not practical.

Hanham Hall:

Hanham Hall is a living space on the outskirts of Bristol that takes up 12 acres of eco-friendly homes. Houses range from 1-5 bedrooms, and are made to reduce the carbon footprint that people leave on the Earth. A nature play trail is planned to run through the society, where children can go outside and be active while still in sight of their parents.

I think this idea is a pretty good one, as it imposes eco-friendly ideals as well as giving some freedom to the people who live in this society.

Drake Landing Solar Community:

The Drake Landing Solar Community in Canada became the first community to be solar powered in North America. Solar panels are installed on all roofs and garages of the houses in the community, and heat a glycol solution which in turn heats up water. The stored water is used to provide heated water and heat to the community throughout the winter, alongside the mandatory water conservation that is in place. The homes are average sized with low energy demands, built with recycled materials, and the whole community is within walking distance. 

This is a really good idea for a community. I wouldn’t mind living here, aside from the lack of land, since it’s eco-friendly and not fully cramped like apartments. The ability to walk through communities is beneficial, and provides the ability for healthy citizens. Solar powered homes are the best way I can think of the way to provide for a healthy and less polluted future.