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The building that could change the world

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posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 09:23 AM
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Good day everyone, I'm here to talk about a engineering breakthrough that could change society forever.

There is a growing crisis that the world is facing that has taken a backseat to more pressing issues: expansion. As the population grows we are forced to spread out, and the land that could be cultivated to produce food or water are cleared to make way for housing and businesses and the situation is summed up by Carmella Sopranos cousin. “Buy land because God isn't making any more of it.”

Eventually the rate of expansion will have to be reigned in if we are to continue to live comfortably, but one day a man had a brilliant idea that could change that: if we can't grow out, how about we grow up? And so the Arcology was born.



The idea is simple but grand in it's vision. The late architect Paolo Soleri imagined a city that was explicitly designed to reduce waste and energy usage. The city would be also remove long commutes and could integrate agriculture within it's boundaries. It was a great vision of an urban ecosystem and the term 'arcology' is directly attributed to Soleri himself. In fact there are a few arcologies in construction as we speak.




In Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is a planned city, designed by Foster + Partners. It's called Masdar City, and will rely solely on solar and other renewable energy sources, with a principle of zero-carbon, zero-waste.

Six square kilometres have been set aside for the development, which will provide homes to 45,000 to 50,000 people and 1,500 businesses, including the International Renewable Energy Agency and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. Cars will be banned, with transport instead provided by mass transit and personal rapid transit systems.

Power will be provided by a solar plant, wind farms, and geothermal energy, and the community also will house what's planned to be the world's largest power plant. A solar-powered desalination plant will provide water, and 80 percent of the water used will be recycled, with wastewater reused "as many times as possible" for the purposes of crop irrigation. Biological waste will be turned into fertiliser and used as a power source, and industrial waste will be recycled or repurposed.


Wired

Since Soleri's light bulb moment, the idea has evolved even further. Science Fiction writers has envisioned towering spires that compresses Soleri's vision into one building. These buildings are even more ambitious than the original arcology; They could house, feed and provide employment for tens of thousands of inhabitants.



How would that work? The key could be in the design itself. Crops could be positioned on certain levels, and the excess water from irrigation could funnel down and irrigate crops on a lower level, and the excess waste water from sinks and toilets could be recycled on site to be used again. Fresh water could be extracted from the higher levels in the form of condensation or rainfall which could provide drinking water. But What about employment? Well a job could be a elevator away, Tending a crop could earn a wage, the grocers who sell the produce could earn a wage, not to mention the other trades such as electricians, plumbers, or even nurses- specialized care could only be an elevator away as well. The Basic necessities of life could be under the one roof.

But what happens if you enjoy the finer things in life? Don't worry, the arcology across the road could be dedicated to producing electronics and electricity-a short commute if you happen to work there, and the Arcology next door might have a brewery that could provide your local bar with a beer or a scotch in the rocks after a hard days work.



(continued in the next post)
edit on 21-3-2015 by Thecakeisalie because: (no reason given)

edit on 21-3-2015 by Thecakeisalie because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 09:26 AM
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a reply to: Thecakeisalie

(continued from previous post)

So will these grand designs ever become a possibility? Not in our lifetime. There is no doubt that we can build them in time-Breakthroughs in supermaterials such as carbon fibre and carbotanium are stronger and more malleable than standard building materials, but the enormous financial burdens would be enough to make a Sheik shake his head, tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars would be needed to construct a single building. Not to mention the enormous infrastructure reconstruction that would be needed-These arcologies are not just buildings, they are cities and it would take decades to restructure the previous public works to accommodate them. Although these arcologies are ambitious and could change the way we live, and even if we started planning now we might not see the first super skyscapers until the 22nd century.



But are they too ambitious? History will show that nothing is too ambitious. Some of the most awe inspiring constructs such as Machu Picchu and the Parthenon shows us that if we have the drive and the ambition then we can achieve so much, and if the arcology is the way of the future then why don't we pursue that future? In the end the vision of one man could change how we live forever.

The only way is up.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 09:44 AM
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a reply to: Thecakeisalie

What if we used our technology to grow into the Earth at the same time? Things hit the Earth from time to time and being exposed to things falling out of the sky, be it tornado driven, hurricanes, meteors, or comets we are better off with an Earth berm between us and this trouble. In the end energy to heat and cool the underground is far more sustainable.


edit on 03am2015-03-21T09:46:15-05:0009463America/Chicago46331 by machineintelligence because: added a missing word



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 10:28 AM
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a reply to: machineintelligence

The problem is that geothermic power is like wind power or tidal power- it's all about location.

My understanding is that geothermic power would be best used near fault lines-many parts of the world might be thousands of miles away from the nearest fault line. The same could be said about wind farms-you wouldn't place one in an area that doesn't provide constant winds. Tidal power would be great for coastal communities but they would be the only ones who would benefit.

Solar power is the likely choice but it is not that effective at converting light to energy.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 11:30 AM
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a reply to: Thecakeisalie

If you want to see some genuinely helpful architecture, watch "The Garbage Warrior" on youtube.

Earthships really have the potential to save the world, if governments would relinquish their grips on personal choice.
It has begun in sparse areas throughout the world.

I'm helping my Dad do a guerrilla-hybrid version for his conventional home.

Still, the structures you posted are beautiful. I simply do not see the appeal in living within one.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 02:58 PM
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Every now and then some "revolutionary " architect comes up with a "not new" revolutionary design.
The solution this guys pushing is not new. Some Japanese architect came up with something similar 30 years ago.
If any architect is serious about relieving the population covering areas and not the food bearing areas then the answer, which has already been talked about, is under the oceans.
Just simple mathematics. Earth area 1 third land, 2 thirds water. That 2 thirds water can also be interpreted as 2 thirds sea floor area to exploit for habitation.
The constraints are that building up on land (as any competent builder will tell you) as you build up higher the construction HAS to narrow. Look at all sky scrapers. Under water this constraint is negated because the water can be made to carry a greater proportion of the buildings weight. Therefore larger and safer structures.
As I've been a builder all my life I can sincerely tell you architects are full of crap. They draw things on paper, great, but putting them into reality is totally another matter. A lot of their ideas are sheer logistical nightmares and can only be achieved by radical building materials and techniques (which takes far more money than the constructions worth) or they are just purely impossible to build.
THAT'S why, when talking about innovative designs that cost fortunes to complete, the building nearly always happens in Abu Dhabi or the Gulf states because they are the only countries in the world with such silly amounts of money to prove a point.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 03:08 PM
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a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Its not entirely smart to build so high. What in 100s or so years when the tall buildings built 100 years ago from now, start to have structural problems? Its sort of creating a nightmare for the future. Or is it thought that the materials and architecture and engineering are designed to withstand 1000s of years no problem?



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 04:35 PM
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a reply to: ImaFungi

The ancient peoples built structures like puzzle pieces, every stone a different shape & size. This unique interlocking of building blocks has kept them standing for thousands of years of EQ activity. Machu Picchu is a good example, but one of many.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 04:54 PM
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I don't know about you all, but I don't want my poop anywhere near my food.... Human feces is not the same as animal. Unless the people living in this new city plan only to eat vegetation, I'm not setting foot in there.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 05:04 PM
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There possibility may come sooner.

The new materials coupled with the keaps and bounds of 3d printing could bring there alot sooner.
edit on 21-3-2015 by crazyewok because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 05:51 PM
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Sure, it's entertaining to entertain the idea, but it a still entertainment. And to propose it as otherwise is a bit distracting.

It's art for sure but even in America we have tons and tons of open space. Making it more efficient we'd have a lot of steps to do before even getting around this, if it ever did make it. And probably wouldn't.

Flying cars by 2000 for every household, sounds nifty though.
edit on 21-3-2015 by ghaleon12 because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 06:04 PM
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"A building that could change the world", then a picture of a shack would be more appropriate...homelessness across the world and even tons in the US, too practical and actually would change the world. But let's focus on green energy and reusing waste to grow hydroponic food...



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 07:56 PM
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a reply to: Thecakeisalie

You do know this is an old idea and a favorite of Sci-Fi authors:

There is a list in the Wiki article here:

en.wikipedia.org...

Not a bad idea, but the resources required for building and maintaining such structures could be more environmentally harder on the planet then urban sprawl. Kind of like hrybide cars - building them require much more resources then a regular car and the fuel effeciency is not adequate to balance the scale, I understand all electric cars are even worse. I drive a hyrbid and like it but realize it's not the greenist choice out their or the most economically sound. Now that could change with improvements in battery technology and more green electric generation but it's decades away yet.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 08:28 PM
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How would it fare after several planes flew into it?

I think building down would be better, and not destroy ecosystems on the surface.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 09:11 PM
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Looks good on paper, as do most innovative ideas before the fine detail is worked out. What stands out to me is there is no actual catchment for precipitation so, to support a self-contained civilization, water will need to be piped in and pumped up to the highest levels which is a energy drain that could exceed the maximum solar energy potential of the structure. That's not even addressing the weight of an adequate reservoir close to the top.



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 09:42 PM
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Check out Tokyos' Sky City: m.youtube.com...

I hope this works

edit on 21-3-2015 by buckwhizzle because: Not very bright

edit on 21-3-2015 by buckwhizzle because: Man,I suck



posted on Mar, 21 2015 @ 10:09 PM
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a reply to: buckwhizzle

It worked



posted on Mar, 22 2015 @ 12:27 AM
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originally posted by: ghaleon12
"A building that could change the world", then a picture of a shack would be more appropriate...homelessness across the world and even tons in the US, too practical and actually would change the world. But let's focus on green energy and reusing waste to grow hydroponic food...

Too true. US taxpayers pay more in a decade to the prison industrial complex than it would cost to end world hunger. & all that government money is based on # of inmates, which is why weed is still illegal, & people who back up into mail trucks are serving multi year sentences.

edit on 22-3-2015 by Eunuchorn because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 22 2015 @ 12:31 AM
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originally posted by: crazyewok
There possibility may come sooner.

The new materials coupled with the keaps and bounds of 3d printing could bring there alot sooner.


Maybe the powers that be aren't as crazy as we think? Best case scenario, technology blows economy out of the water. I mentioned protein printers in the 3D printing thread, this sort of invention would solve world hunger by default. It may take some time for the Corporotacracy to crumble, but only technology will make it happen.

3D Printing + this technology could be another nail in the coffin.



Original article:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

It discusses using this technology for constructing pre-programmed building layouts. Very interesting prospects if we can overcome the failings of humanity.
edit on 22-3-2015 by Eunuchorn because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 22 2015 @ 01:20 AM
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a reply to: Thecakeisalie



So will these grand designs ever become a possibility? Not in our lifetime.


Rubbish.

Soleri's own Arcosanti in Arizona has been under construction since 1970, is thriving and still growing towards its goal of housing and supporting 5000 residents.



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