So, what will the future of cities look like? I think that with metamaterials becoming cheaper we will start to see some truly huge structures, perhaps even arcologies. I also see future designs incorporating more living things and locally-grown food (vertical farming).

Here's some cool ideas in the works:

1. Floating arcologies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d98u3jr47Fc&feature=related

2. Self-sustaining city-states that produce most food and power locally: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmRoc7_jVdo&feature=related

We can't build to amny or they'll all take off.

Ah, Sim City 2000. I friend of mine totally punked me once by explaining that if you managed to get a population of 100 million, then you'd unlock the "Emerald Arcology" which looks like Emerald City from Oz. So I tried for weeks to get up to that level, but keeping count of how many launch arcologies I had built (my goal was to build right up to but not surpass the allowed number before they lift-off, then build nothing but Plymouth arcologies after that) was such a pain.

Then I bought a strategy guide out of frustration, and found that it had nothing about the Emerald Arcology. I suspect that it doesn't actually exist...

I remember reading a science fiction story about how the big cities of Earth were fitted with interstellar drives and flew away. I wish I could remember the name. It's part of a series, and it's a real classic too.

I believe you are remembering this

I remember I read something about vertical farms.

Instead of having 100 m² of farmland spread over ... 100 m²... of the planet, we could have four little 25 m² patches, but stacked vertically. It's feasible, as long as you have a good water supply, good structure for the land, etc., etc.

edited 9th Dec '11 7:43:45 PM by Inhopelessguy

I doubt it. I figure we see underwater colonies before true arcologies, and with our population cap an estimated maximum of 40 billion, I don't think we could get a high enough population that it would be more economically feasible to build an underwater colony, much less an arcology, instead of just another suburb. I mean, I live in the Midwest, there are literally miles of completely unused land (not even farms) stretching out in every direction. It would be way cheaper to build a new city there instead of on top of a preexisting one.