CITIES OF THE FUTURE

THE PREMISE

AS THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD MIGRATES TO URBAN CENTERS, THIS PROJECT ATTEMPTS TO DEFINE, NOT A CITY, BUT A VERTICAL COMMUNITY. BY DEFINITION, A COMMUNITY IS COMPOSED OF PEOPLE LIVING NEAR ONE ANOTHER WITH VARIOUS SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SCHOOLS, OUTDOOR AREAS, RESIDENTIAL, ASSEMBLY AREAS, RECREATION ACTIVITIES, OFFICES, SHOPS, AND ALL THE ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES THAT COMPRISE URBAN LIFE.

 

THE SUBURBAN MODEL OF SPREADING OUT IN HORIZONTAL EXPANDED MULTIPLICATION WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THE FUTURE POPULATION NEEDS AS WELL AS THE NEED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER. WHAT MAKES UP A COMMUNITY IS ALL INTERTWINED INTO THIS PROTOTYPICAL MODEL.

 

ENERGY, WATER, AND EVACUATION OF WASTES THAT A HORIZONTAL NEIGHBORHOOD REQUIRES IS GATHERED INTO AN EFFICIENT SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS RECYCLING AND A CONSERVATION OF LINEAR DELIVERY SYSTEMS TO A MORE VERTICAL EFFICIENCY.

SMALL BALCONIES PROVIDE PRIVATE, SHELTERED AREAS AT THE EXTERIOR. VERTICAL GARDEN WALLS PROVIDE RESIDENCES, OFFICES AND OTHER SPACES PRIVACY FROM THE ADJACENT SPACE.

ABOVE THE SLOPING SKYLIGHT AND ALONG ALL THE VERTICAL COLUMNS AT THE CORNERS ARE SOLAR PANELS RUNNING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE STRUCTURE. THESE PANELS ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE MUCH OF THE ELECTRICAL NEEDS FOR THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. 

THE INTENTS TO ACCOMMODATE AND ENRICH A GROWING POPULATION INTO URBAN CENTERS WITH THE FABRIC OF A VERTICAL COMMUNITY THAT REFLECTS AFFORDABILITY, INTERACTION, STREET LIFE AND A MIXTURE OF NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITIES.

 

THE TOWER ASCENDS VERTICALLY WITH MULTIPLE LEVELS OF LIVING SPACE, RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND OFFICES. OBSERVATION DECKS POSITIONED AT EVERY FIFTH LEVEL COMBINED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTERS ALLOW USERS TO LEARN ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE ENERGIES ON SITE. TWO RESTAURANT LEVELS ARE PROVIDED AT THE BASE AND NEAR THE TOP OF THE TOWER FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE A COMPLETELY SUSTAINABLE MEAL WITH PRODUCTS GROWN ON SITE. THE MID LEVELS OF THE TOWER ARE COMPOSED OF RENEWABLE ENERGY HARVESTERS TO PROVIDE ENERGY TO ALL SITE RELATED ACTIVITIES AND CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS A NET ZERO ENERGY BUILDING AND PROJECT.

AGRICULTURAL HARVESTING

VERTICAL GARDENS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TH EOPEN SPACE BETWEEN LEVELS& USE RECIRCULATED GRAY WATER FOR IRRIGATION. 

BLACK WATER FROM TOILETS IS RECYCLED WITH AN AEROBIC TREATMENT AT MECHANICAL FLOORS EVERY 5TH LEVEL AND DIVERTED TO LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION. SUSTAINABLE WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPES ALSO REDUCE WATER DEMANDS WITH NATIVE AND ADAPTIVE PLANTS, DRIP IRRIGATION USING RECYCLED AND TREATED RAIN AND WASTEWATER, MOISTURE SENSORS, RAIN SHUT OFFS AND WEATHER BASED EVAPO-TRANSPIRATION CONTROLLERS. 

TO PROMOTE A RENEWABLE AGRICULTURAL CYCLE, SUSTAINABLE FOOD IS GROWN ON SITE AIDED BY SOIL ENRICHED COMPOST. EVERY ROOF TERRACE CONTAINS A LIVING GARDEN THAT ALLOWS USERS TO BE CONNECTED TO THE FOOD THEY CONSUME.

SOLAR HARVESTING

SOLAR ARRAYS TRACK THE SUN’S AZIMUTH AS IT CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND SEASONS FOR A RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE

THE TOWER’S SUSTAINABLE GOALS ARE TO BE A NET-ZERO ENERGY BUILDING. THIS IS ACHIEVABLE THROUGH MULTIPLE ON-SITE RENEWABLE ENERGY HARVESTERS, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND EFFICIENT USE OF WATER RESOURCES. RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES INCLUDE VERTICALLY HUNG WIND TURBINES THAT REDUCE THE TORQUE LOAD OF TRADITIONAL MEGA-TURBINES AND VERTICALLY HUNG PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS THAT TRACK THE SUN’S PATH AS IT REACHES OPTIMAL ANGLES ON EACH SIDE OF THE TOWER. OTHER ENERGY CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES PROVIDE FOR EFFICIENT USE AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATED ON SITE.

WIND HARVESTING

WIND TURBINES AT THE UPPER LEVELS CAPTURE STRONGER WINDS AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS FOR A RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE.

DC POWER IS DIRECTLY FED TO POWER ELEVATORS IN THE TOWER. SMART UTILITY CLOSETS IN EACH UNIT INVERT AND STORE AC POWER IN BATTERIES WHERE IT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO POWER, LIGHTING, AND HVAC REQUIREMENTS. EXCESS CAPACITY IS STORED AT MECHANICAL FLOORS FOR OTHER BUILDING USES AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE PUBLIC GRID THROUGH NET METERING. AN INTELLIGENT MONITORING SYSTEM ALLOWS THE BUILDING TO ADJUST AND CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF DAYLIGHT COMING INTO THE BUILDING BY USING ADJUSTABLE LOUVERS INSIDE SUPER WINDOWS. HEATING AND COOLING LOADS ARE FINELY CONTROLLED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

AS PART OF A RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE WATER CYCLE, WATER IS VIEWED AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE AND NOT WASTED. DIFFERENT BUILDING WATER USES ARE DETERMINED WITH POTABLE WATER LIMITED TO CONSUMPTION ONLY. WASTEWATER IS THEN TREATED IN A GREY WATER TREATMENT AT THE ROOF TERRACE ON EACH LEVEL, WHICH REMOVES IMPURITIES USING WETLAND PLANTS AND FILTRATION. FINALLY IT IS DISTRIBUTED TO SECONDARY USES SUCH AS IRRIGATION, FLUSHING, FIRE PROTECTION AND HVAC NEEDS. EFFICIENT INDOOR PLUMBING AND HVAC FIXTURES REDUCE THE NEED FOR POTABLE WATER INPUT AND WASTEWATER OUTPUT BY USING RECYCLED AND TREATED RAIN AND WASTEWATER.

THIS PROPOSAL UTILIZES A COMMUNITY ROOF GARDEN AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SPACE FOR STUDENTS AND GROUPS . THE ROOF AND CONNECTING BRIDGES GIVE VIEWS BACK ALONG ANY CITY CORRIDOR. THESE AREAS INCLUDE PRIVATE SEATING AREAS WITH INTEGRAL SHADING, SMALL AND LARGE GREEN AREAS OF PLANTINGS AND TREES, SEATING AND DOG RUNS.  VERTICAL GARDENS ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPEN SPACE BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS BELOW THE BRIDGE AND ALLOW FOR ONSITE AGRICULTURAL HARVESTING.