The Interpretative Genre Of Cities. A Futuristic Outlook

In the mid-70’s American author Ursula Le Guin wrote a short piece of fiction entitled, “ The one who walks away from Omelas.” A rather celebratory creative piece with a dark unconventional twist. The story went on to describe a utopian city full of happiness and beauty only to conclude that the true fate of city rested on the agony of one child. The inhabitants were then left to decide whether they chose to stay on after the accumulation of that knowledge. A thought provoking piece of fiction questioning ethics, morality, fairness and the very notion of true utopia.

So, how did cities eventually come about? The very first city was noted in Mesopotamia approximately 6000 BCE. Ancient cities were then influenced by Indus Valley civilization in South Asia. The Indus cities during bronze age civilization 3300-1300 BCE were a collaboration of well planned intricate infrastructure using effective drainage systems and water supply provisions, with baked brick houses and large scale civic buildings. Rome and Greece also became a precedents for city development. Fast forwarding over the centuries, technology through the development of motor cars, evolution of transport systems, phones and the industrial revolution largely impacted the development cities. Famous contributors to urbanism include Ebenezer Howard, who influenced the garden city movement and building of self sufficient cities/ townships by private corporations. Le Corbusier’s notion of organization in the built environment arose from the influence of geometry and mathematical order. According to him factors such as zoning and building design will eventually shape human development, behavior and social improvement. Lewis Mumford's stressed on the necessity of urban gathering places. Clarence Perry elaborated on the need for an urban center. Ray Oldenburg shaped the implementation of diversity and mixed uses in cities. Jane Jacobs contributed to a mixed array of housing and building types. Recently, the U.S. Green Building Council has put together (Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design) LEED for Cities and Communities to measure and influence the design of cities based on a given set of indicators and criteria.

What does all this have to do with the current genre of cities? Technology is evolving at an ever rapid pace and with that the emergence of the smart city concept. These high tech smart cities rely heavily on technological connectivity. The internet of things will soon be a connected technological hub for data communication. Blockchain technology will soon be the next best thing adopted by smart governments to increase data transparency especially in transactional activity. A network of data sensor will be embedded into the system these will be integrated into the cities infrastructure, government and health care systems to enhance future efficiency and encourage transparency in the system. Human beings entering into these cities then become part of the smart network and identifiable by a network through smart card. Data learning through smart technology and sensors will help shape behavioural patterns, how people use electricity, water, roads, where people park, etc. Corbusier spoke of social systems being influenced by cities and was criticised by many skeptics, although this is a topic governed by many variables, he did see ahead of his of time.

Looking forwards, globalization is occurring at a rapid pace, and many cities seem to be integrating and becoming innately connected, communication is a global game and we see this through the same restaurants, the same brands, the same shopping stores in mall, educational systems converging, sophisticated information technology systems, transportation networks, similar building systems with the exception of cultural and regional governance. Urbanization is occurring in several centers that will soon encourage the rise more mega-cities. Climate change and sustainability is an ever critical issue. Not all cities are growing rapidly, in fact the opposite, shrinking. Shrinking cities once grew to a certain point and then lost population. So how will world leaders balance out the global migration shifts and manage the shifting census? How do cities learn to maintain appropriate populations levels, keep people, move people and manage with the infrastructure provisions? This is not an easy conundrum. Demographics, motivational factors, spheres of influence, basic needs and behavioral patterns will be closely monitored.

Walkable cities, happy cities, zero net carbon cities are on the agenda. Then there is the Mars mission, can people inhabit Mars and move people there? The skyscraper changed the way urbanization was perceived when it first came about, zoning, land cost and other factors, influenced the way people inhabit space and encouraged people to build up. Vertical urbanism is a major trend in cities, the world tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in the UAE has residences, a hotel, offices, recreational facilities, social hubs and restaurants, a combination of diverse uses in one building. Developers are not only building up, but also building down, housing mechanical systems, parking spaces, etc. Why isn’t there enough urban gardens? Health food trends encourage people to grow their own food. Farmers markets pose for a quick fix to these issues in some localities. To mars and back is not just a pipe dream anymore and fictional ships like the “Starship Enterprise” a gravity defying administrative building in space is not one either. With superior transportation networks moving people swiftly around can be done with much ease. Job creation in mixed localities, places of worship, entertainment and many other drivers involved in the movement of people. So where do people go?

The population is expected to increase by approximately 15 billion people in 2080. The population clock has estimated 7.6 billion people at present. Design involves creating and entertaining the human experience. Imagine a world with billions of connected people expecting immediate access to housing, healthcare, education, entertainment, banks, jobs, transportation, energy, water and food. Cities have evolved in the name of progress since Indus Valley. Boundaries have changed and will be changing. Walled cities no longer dominate landscapes. And with the evolution of technology the protective firewall is of biggest concern to the economy at present. With the advent of online monetary movement, a minor digital collapse can be highly disruptive. Once people enter these smart cities, integrating to the system is common. However, it up to designers to shape these new cities and revolutionize the old ones. Designers will have to create livable spaces and experiences that evoke the human emotion and senses. Referring back to Ursula Le Guin’s fictional notion of utopia, largely important is the responsibility of designers to create schemes that promote values such as, fairness, morality and equality. Ultimately, socially responsible governments and citizens will complete the basis for a true utopian scheme.

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