Archinect - CityX

The year is 3098..

2014-04-25T19:40:38-04:00

[1]

The year is 3098; humans and robots are engaged in a fierce war for survival, control, territory and scarce resources.

They have been locked in combat for close to half a century now.

The Humynx (human alliance) comprising the minority groups of apes, humairds (flying humans), humans and the majority advanced Humanoids are led by the Humenes the last-stage-humans with superior psychic capabilities. They have taken residence in the belly of Everest herself, to be close to the last remaining source of natural heat on earth.

The machine alliance comprising the 10th generation robots has superior intelligence only matched by the Humenes. They populate the southern hemisphere in mega machine cities with their capital, Atlantyx, the pearl of the South.

The internet has long crashed, a 5 string code that had bound the world wide web together, known only to its maker the immortal brain, Sir Tim Berners Lee was stolen from his secret safe in the vaults beneath the Fort Knox.

It fell into ...

Emerging Urbanisms – Localised sustainability in cities of the global south.

2014-04-25T19:39:44-04:00

Part 2 – Environmental Sustainability in Asia

[1] Tianjin eco-city

Asia today is known as the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. From the sweatshops in China, India or Bangladesh many a fancy gadget has seen the light of day after hours under extreme working conditions.

Anyway, another issue of this powerhouse is the enormous contribution these cities have made to the current environmental crisis and our march on the path of climate change.

Originally, the East-Asia 7 economies of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand led the pile of Asian countries in this sector. We have seen the rise of industrial clusters that speared this engine in cases like the Electronics industry in Malaysia and the Software clusters in Bangalore.

Without doubt the rise of China’s own manufacturing engine over the last couple of decades sparked off competition and changed socio-economic and political dynamics. China’s rise as phenomenal as it is has resulted in ...

Emerging Urbanisms – Localised sustainability in cities of the global south.

2014-03-11T11:48:47-04:00

Part 1 - Social Sustainability in Latin America.

Most Latin American cities witnessed rapid urbanisation in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s as a result of high rates of urban growth by increasing populations and rural – urban migration. Between 1920 and 1970, the region had the second highest rates of population growth, Africa claiming the top position. For instance by 1990, the population doubled to 440 million from 1960(UN-HABITAT, 1996). Economically, the region experienced sustained growth rates. This resulted in the massive drifts to urban areas. Cities were concentrations of industrial activity providing employment opportunities. Curitiba, in southern Brazil experienced a strong wave of rural migrants from Brazil and the whole continent during the 1940’s as a result of its thriving agro-industry. Medellin, a city in Columbia also experienced an increased urban growth from migrants who were attracted to its industrial activity and others who were fleeing violence in the countryside....

Urban Planning in Africa – Could we leapfrog?

2014-01-08T15:06:32-05:00

The world as we know it is undergoing fundamental change in spatial patterns. Indeed it has been so for a while. Settlement patterns are one of the most dynamic facets of the human experience; in fact they are, as we know it, a reflection of any civilization in space as history is with respect to time.
In 2007,we passed a landmark in history, where more than half of the world’s population officially lived in urban areas.
According to projections from the United Nations, a dip is nowhere near; urbanisation is set to reach about 85% and 65% by 2050 in developed and developing countries respectively. By figures that will mean that, population gain in urban areas is projected at 2.6 billion, absorbing all population growth expected by 2050 whiles drawing in more people from rural areas.
Now considering the developing world, Africa is set to see an increase by 0.9 billion. This will mean increased pressure on urban areas with its attendant effects, high demand in services and facili...

Urban Africa - The Informal as our Passport to Development

2014-01-08T15:03:00-05:00

In 2007, the world chalked a feat, which perhaps went unnoticed in media circles. That year it was recorded that more than half of the world’s population lived in cities according to the UN.
According to projections from the United Nations, a dip is nowhere near; urbanisation is set to reach about 85% and 65% by 2050 in developed and developing countries respectively. By figures that will mean that, population gain in urban areas is projected at 2.6 billion, absorbing all population growth expected by 2050 whiles drawing in more people from rural areas.
With such rapid unprecedented urbanisation, cities will be at the centre of the environmental future (Sassen, 2009).
In developing countries, cities are mostly divided along informal and formal sectors in almost everything. My major concern is with the spatial translation of this phenomenon. In Accra, close to 43% of the urban dwellers live in the informal, considering the projections I wonder the future of the African city.
Sp...

The Apocalyptic Informal - The big screen and glimpses of the future city?

2014-01-08T14:54:03-05:00

The big screen as we know it, is popular at predicting the future. Whiles the predictions in certain films just re-echo a scientific industry craving, others are straight out of the blue prying into the very recesses of our craving minds. Some are said to be prototypes put on display in the movies for advertisements and others are plain creativity and curiosity unleashed by producers.
Interestingly, most of these predictions fall within the realm of high-tech gadgetry and advanced science. I can picture some science researcher shaking her/his head in disbelieve, well that’s if he has the time to go to the movies!
Numerous sci-fi movies have aroused the imagination of many a movie-enthusiasts. The Star Trek series abounds with such gadgets. The communicators are more or less present day cell phones likewise the universal translator is present in small gadgets like sigmo.
According to a BBC article by Finnerty (2012), predictions from the popular Blade Runner film are popping up ...