Engleski A - 2019. ljeto, reading 2.

Going up?

It is estimated that in 40 years 75 per cent of the whole population will live in cities, making urban areas even more densely populated: densely in terms of 9 billion people in search of a roof over their heads. Modern architects all agree that meeting standards of urban planning is getting more and more complex. Planners need to take into account climate changes and resource scarcity and predict future natural or man-made disasters. But it is the novel concept of vertical layered structures that will revolutionize the contours of future cities, changing not only the appearance, but also the purpose, of tall skyscrapers completely.

An engineering giant proposed an urban ecosystem as a response to the pressure of urban demands. Their buildings will no longer be passive shells but connected “living” buildings that will create living space and craft the environment. These modern skyscrapers will not only produce energy and food, but will also provide their occupants with clean water. No matter how outlandish this all may seem, the idea is in development. Even the financing scheme has been worked out – both future owners and local authorities bear the costs of construction and point out that the price for a square metre will not exceed current market prices.

Josef Hargrave, a consultant at Arup, a company that has worked on similar projects, explains his vision: “Modern housing has reached the peak in its development and has taken construction materials to their limits. However, we tend to apply a new principle within existing boundaries and to focus on the dwellers. People are ignorant of the fact that numerous modern ailments are seriously aggravated by inappropriate housing conditions. Living so high up surely affects the fragile human modus operandi. Our buildings will have a so-called nervous system, which will be sensitive to all the conditions around us and create comfortable homes. The skyscraper will use the surroundings to create sustainable living. Green spaces inside the tower will turn the dense concrete jungle into real jungles.

Building facades will become super-complex by using cement that can absorb carbon dioxide, and paint that can harness solar energy to power the whole system. Many of the building’s energy needs will be met by bio fuel created by algae grown in water tanks on the roof, while wind turbines could manufacture drinking water from humid air.”

Another superb idea is the choice of construction material. “We kept the jungle image in our minds. The majority of constructors will, logically, continue using long steel beams and construct a solid frame with stone-like supports. This, as well as bricklaying techniques, undermined our efforts to build not only respecting the laws of nature but also in tune with nature. Enough trees to build a 20-story skyscraper grow every 13 minutes. We are going to use super-compressed mass timber panels in giant blocks. These are very fire resistant and are also safe for earthquake zones,” explains Mr Hargrave.

Even though this whole idea seems like science fiction, we need to know that changes are inevitable. However, our future need not be an exaggerated version of current concerns. Few would dare to even propose such a brave idea, yet the bottom line here is not to change the engineering, but the concepts in our heads. And that is the most demanding task of all!