Credit of Image: Vertical City
With finite space and a growing human population, the natural direction of cities is ever upward. As architects, developers, and urban planners design and build higher urban environments, the current trend is to create large, multifunctional buildings (MFBs), most typically combining residential, hotel, and retail functions.
There are numerous benefits to building MFBs. By including a diversity of spaces and functions these buildings naturally appeal to a large number of people. These people are further attracted by the convenience of being able to live, work, eat and shop all in the same building. This convenience means that the need for transportation is reduced and in turn so is pollution.
In the media and throughout the blogosphere, many of these MFBs are being hailed as Vertical Cities. Considering this, there are two questions that often surface whenever Vertical Cities are discussed in any depth. What differentiates a Vertical City from a multifunctional building and what is the importance of that distinction?
There are numerous benefits to building MFBs. By including a diversity of spaces and functions these buildings naturally appeal to a large number of people. These people are further attracted by the convenience of being able to live, work, eat and shop all in the same building. This convenience means that the need for transportation is reduced and in turn so is pollution.
In the media and throughout the blogosphere, many of these MFBs are being hailed as Vertical Cities. Considering this, there are two questions that often surface whenever Vertical Cities are discussed in any depth. What differentiates a Vertical City from a multifunctional building and what is the importance of that distinction?
Antony Wood, the director of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat says that “The Shanghai Tower may be the closest architects have yet come to creating a ‘vertical city’,” yet this building does not include residential spaces, much less medical, educational or governmental facilities. Can you imagine a city without places to live, no doctors to visit, schools to attend, or social and governmental services? Probably not.
Clearly, the Shanghai Tower is a long way from an actual city. Other buildings such as the De Rotterdam Tower, the Vertical Village in Singapore, and the Burj Khalifa have also received the title. One might think, “So what, what’s in a name? A step in the right direction is a still a step.” The answer to that question comes down to what kind of a step will be sufficient.
While both MFB’s and VC’s are by nature multifunctional, a Vertical City is designed to provide all of the necessary functions that a city typically possesses, including recreational spaces, free public spaces, social and governmental services, education, energy, and food production. Existing MFBs, at the most, include residential, hotel, shopping, and office spaces. While this is certainly much more efficient and environmentally friendly than creating large collections of single use buildings, it does not fill as many needs as a Vertical City. Imagine a world in which almost everyone could live within a comfortable walking distance from their place of work. Think of the energy and toil saved by a series of interconnected buildings that create horizontal green spaces in the sky that mimic ground spaces.
The more that the functions of our civilization-food production, energy, manufacturing, housing, healthcare, recreation, commerce, and exposure to nature- can be seamlessly and comfortably clustered together, the more lightly, efficiently, and harmoniously will we tread upon our beautiful planet.
Multifunctional buildings are clearly a movement in the right direction, but that movement needed to come yesterday. With the world population set to hit somewhere between 9 billion and 10 billion by 2050 and global climate change having ever more tangible effects, we, as a species, have found ourselves living in the eleventh hour with our backs to the wall. There certainly will be other technological innovations that ease this transition. Advances in agricultural and food sciences, alternative energies, materials science, transportation, and computing may all have positive outcomes . Perhaps more food can be grown on less land? Perhaps more products can be produced using fewer natural resources? This may happen, but banking on the uncertain innovations of the future while ignoring the insightful solutions of the present is little different than hoping a term paper will “write itself” several hours before it’s due. The only difference is what’s at stake.
To date, no true vertical city exists. Our organization however, is dedicated to inspiring the construction of the world’s first vertical city. The collection of experts involved in this project believe that the technology exists to do so, and that the urgency to begin increases in every moment. The diverse theoretical and practical knowledge has been fleshed out in the book, Vertical City: A Solution for Sustainable Living. Written by Ken King and Kellogg Wong, it is the first and most comprehensive book written on vertical cities. The Vertical City concept has the potential to create a sustainable and dignified life for all.
Author:
Thomas Howell is a freelance writer for Vertical City. He lives in Portland, Oregon and is an experienced meditation instructor. He is also the founder of Awakened Living blog.
Visit his meditation practice: The Ishayas' Ascension
Visit his blog site: Awakened Living
Clearly, the Shanghai Tower is a long way from an actual city. Other buildings such as the De Rotterdam Tower, the Vertical Village in Singapore, and the Burj Khalifa have also received the title. One might think, “So what, what’s in a name? A step in the right direction is a still a step.” The answer to that question comes down to what kind of a step will be sufficient.
While both MFB’s and VC’s are by nature multifunctional, a Vertical City is designed to provide all of the necessary functions that a city typically possesses, including recreational spaces, free public spaces, social and governmental services, education, energy, and food production. Existing MFBs, at the most, include residential, hotel, shopping, and office spaces. While this is certainly much more efficient and environmentally friendly than creating large collections of single use buildings, it does not fill as many needs as a Vertical City. Imagine a world in which almost everyone could live within a comfortable walking distance from their place of work. Think of the energy and toil saved by a series of interconnected buildings that create horizontal green spaces in the sky that mimic ground spaces.
The more that the functions of our civilization-food production, energy, manufacturing, housing, healthcare, recreation, commerce, and exposure to nature- can be seamlessly and comfortably clustered together, the more lightly, efficiently, and harmoniously will we tread upon our beautiful planet.
Multifunctional buildings are clearly a movement in the right direction, but that movement needed to come yesterday. With the world population set to hit somewhere between 9 billion and 10 billion by 2050 and global climate change having ever more tangible effects, we, as a species, have found ourselves living in the eleventh hour with our backs to the wall. There certainly will be other technological innovations that ease this transition. Advances in agricultural and food sciences, alternative energies, materials science, transportation, and computing may all have positive outcomes . Perhaps more food can be grown on less land? Perhaps more products can be produced using fewer natural resources? This may happen, but banking on the uncertain innovations of the future while ignoring the insightful solutions of the present is little different than hoping a term paper will “write itself” several hours before it’s due. The only difference is what’s at stake.
To date, no true vertical city exists. Our organization however, is dedicated to inspiring the construction of the world’s first vertical city. The collection of experts involved in this project believe that the technology exists to do so, and that the urgency to begin increases in every moment. The diverse theoretical and practical knowledge has been fleshed out in the book, Vertical City: A Solution for Sustainable Living. Written by Ken King and Kellogg Wong, it is the first and most comprehensive book written on vertical cities. The Vertical City concept has the potential to create a sustainable and dignified life for all.
Author:
Thomas Howell is a freelance writer for Vertical City. He lives in Portland, Oregon and is an experienced meditation instructor. He is also the founder of Awakened Living blog.
Visit his meditation practice: The Ishayas' Ascension
Visit his blog site: Awakened Living
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