The modern cities of the 21stcentury are a true testament to the progress of mankind – towering skyscrapers, enormous superstructures and gigantic movements from the cityscapes that we are all familiar with today. Our cities are built to be as space-conscious and efficient as possible, crowding millions of people into buildings and office towers to live, work and play. However, with the greater rate of rural-urban migration, as well as the huge influx of immigrants entering our countries, new cities will have to be built to accommodate all of their needs. Hence ,mankind should take this chance to build cities of the future: cities which are able to adapt and incorporate the technological advances of the present, be built in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner, as well as provide areas for greater inclusiveness for the elderly and those with disabilities. These will not have to involve radical and completely different design changes, but instead simple adaptations and adjustments, so that everyone will be able to lead the best life that they possibly can.
As a start, cities of the future have to incorporate the technological advances of the present innovations in farming which have led to greater advancements in vertical farming and hydroponics, hence removing the need for large acres of land to be used for farming and allowing for the efficient use of the limited land that we have. Vertical farming will allow for more people to be involved in the production of their own food, making them more conscious of the food that they are eating, hence transforming societies into healthier ones. Spaces for vertical farming incorporated into the design of buildings will make it much easier for families to get started. More importantly, the inclusion of vertical farms in modern buildings will not involve too much of a design or structural change, as it usually just requires racks and stands on existing balconies.
Moreover, technological advances in the designs of electric automobiles have made them comparable with, if not better than, current petrol and diesel powered options. It is also certain as the environment movement gains further traction, consumer preferences for electric vehicles will shift. However, a big deterrent that still remains is the lack of charging stations, especially for those living in high-rise apartment buildings. Hence, to encourage greater usage of such eco-friendly vehicles, more changing stations can be built at the carparks of apartment buildings, or even quick charge stations in replacement of petrol kiosks, akin to the trials that Tesla is currently conducting in the United States. Additionally, new buildings and shopping malls should be designed to allow for complete automation. Allowing robots and new technology to completely take over the role of humans in the service industry may be something completely different, but if buildings are to be designed for maximum efficiency, this will be the way forward. Incorporating current innovations with technology and designs of the future will allow for maximum efficiency and comfort in the cities of the future, something which will require new and different designs, compared to cities of today.
Next, as we progress further into the future, the impact of global warming will be much greater. We will hence have to move cities further inland, due to the rising sea levels and receding coastlines. With hurricanes and earthquakes happening more and more often in today’s world, buildings will need to be built and designed to withstand these disasters. This may lead to a change in many designs, building houses and commercial buildings shorter to prevent collapse, or using new, stronger materials in the building process.
Furthermore, buildings of the future should be built to be as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible. Incorporating solar panels into the roofs and sides of buildings and creating systems where water is reused for a variety of purposes are currently underway. However, more can be done to increase the effectiveness of these systems, such as designing buildings to capture maximum sunlight, or incorporating localised water purification and collection plants, so that water can constantly be reused and recycled. Designers may even consider incorporating ways of collecting wind energy, placing these turbines at higher floors to capture large amounts of wind. These efforts to encourage sustainable living will gradually help to reduce our carbon footprint, hence restricting our impact on the environment, and reducing the negative impact of global warming.
Finally, the rise of greying populations worldwide as well as growing urban populations means that cities of the future have to be built with greater inclusiveness for those with disabilities, as well as the elderly. The building of cities that incorporate the needs of the disabilities involve minor structural inclusions such as ramps and lifts to allow those in wheelchairs to move around easily, or even making doors slightly translucent, so that the deaf will be able to determine if someone is behind a door, before opening it. Although these are already present in some buildings, they need to be incorporated into all cities and spaces. Designers should be able to anticipate the needs of the people that will be living in the cities, and those with disabilities should not be overlooked. Cities of the future will need to have signs in Braille for the blind, larger walkways so that the deaf are able to walk side-by-side and sign to each other at the same time. Current cities are only being built to cater to 99% of the population, but we need to remember that the 1% is a crucial part of our communities and societies as well. Similarly, with our growing elderly population, urban designs should provide areas with high elderly populations, more hospitals and palliative care centres should be built, to cope with the greater demand for them. There have been trials in Europe merging childcare and eldercare centres, and this has been proven to be beneficial in the mental wellness of the elderly, as social interaction lowers the risk of dementia and depression. The merger and incorporation of these seemingly different facilities is indeed radical, but has proven to be beneficial to the most overlooked segments of urban cities today. Hence, designers of the future should consider similar ideas in order to cater for greater diversity in cities.
In essence, the cities of the future need not be designed completely differently. Instead, they should be designed with minor adjustments made to better suit the changing needs of the people in the time and age, incorporating new designs and innovations, while remaining inclusive and not neglecting any sector of society. In an age where the green agenda needs to take priority, cities need to be built in a way that they too can become carbon sinks for the world. With these adjustments and adaptations in place, each and every person will find themselves in a city which they can best live, work and play in – a city which they will be proud to call home.