a+u Architecture and Urbanism 21:01_604

What should 21st century architecture do? The world’s population will rise to 9.3 billion by 2050. Most of them, if we can believe the prognoses, will live in big cities. Some will live in mega cities with up to 100 million inhabitants. At the same time, cities are responsible for 80% of carbon dioxide emissions. In the future, we will require an urban building culture that allows for incredibly dense living. Tokyo, Shanghai or New York are well-functioning contemporary examples. However, current events illustrate how vulnerable mega cities are. Do we require a new mode of thinking in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and the social distancing that ensued? These are the questions posed to the seventy-eight participants in this competition. I selected works, which address the important social…

What should 21st century architecture do? The world’s population will rise to 9.3 billion by 2050. Most of them, if we can believe the prognoses, will live in big cities. Some will live in mega cities with up to 100 million inhabitants. At the same time, cities are responsible for 80% of carbon dioxide emissions. In the future, we will require an urban building culture that allows for incredibly dense living. Tokyo, Shanghai or New York are well-functioning contemporary examples. However, current events illustrate how vulnerable mega cities are. Do we require a new mode of thinking in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and the social distancing that ensued? These are the questions posed to the seventy-eight participants in this competition. I selected works, which address the important social issues arising…

In 2050, with the emergence of mega-cities, the population up to 100 million. The population aggregation will provide more “petri dishes” for viruses to break species boundaries and rapidly mutate. The high population density make the vulnerability of large cities exposed evidently, public health incidents such as SARS and COVID-19 in Hong Kong also seem to validate this, This fragile situation is inseparable from the clear division of urban functional space, along with the high-intensity flow of urban internal transportation network. Thirty years later, epidemics may be more frequent in high-density cities around the world, and we are not supposed to ignore such crises. Therefore, we aim at Hong Kong, in an attempt to construct a new way of living + working + supply in densely populated cities, to cope…

In 2050, with the emergence of mega-cities, the population up to 100 million. The population aggregation will provide more “petri dishes” for viruses to break species boundaries and rapidly mutate. The high population density make the vulnerability of large cities exposed evidently, public health incidents such as SARS and COVID-19 in Hong Kong also seem to validate this, This fragile situation is inseparable from the clear division of urban functional space, along with the high-intensity flow of urban internal transportation network. Thirty years later, epidemics may be more frequent in high-density cities around the world, and we are not supposed to ignore such crises. Therefore, we aim at Hong Kong, in an attempt to construct a new way of living + working + supply in densely populated cities, to cope with potential…

Food security is a pressing issue in sub-Saharan Africa, where population growth is estimated to double by 2050, with more than half of the population living in urban areas. As cities grow, more extensive farmland is needed, However, further expansion into uncultivated areas is risky due to biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions. At present, one-sided urbanization including the destruction of farmland is forming a significant proportion of urban slums. Today, more refugees live in cities than in refugee camps in sub-Saharan Africa. The main objective of this project is to supplement the food demands of the city and respond to the rapidly changing urban population. This proposal consists of platformed farmland as a moving machine and self-growing housing modules using 3D printing of local soil (adobe and cob,…

Food security is a pressing issue in sub-Saharan Africa, where population growth is estimated to double by 2050, with more than half of the population living in urban areas. As cities grow, more extensive farmland is needed, However, further expansion into uncultivated areas is risky due to biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions. At present, one-sided urbanization including the destruction of farmland is forming a significant proportion of urban slums. Today, more refugees live in cities than in refugee camps in sub-Saharan Africa. The main objective of this project is to supplement the food demands of the city and respond to the rapidly changing urban population. This proposal consists of platformed farmland as a moving machine and self-growing housing modules using 3D printing of local soil (adobe and cob,…