We can't build to amny or they'll all take off.
If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.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
"We learn from history that we do not learn from history."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.
Still Sheepin'
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: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d98u3jr47Fc&feature=related
2. Self-sustaining city-states that produce most food and power locally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmRoc7_jVdo&feature=related