ENBE: Final Project - Better Cities of the Future (Report)

ENBE | Final Project | Part A – Report | The Future City Representation

Bridget Tan Su Ting | 0318370 | Group H| FNBE Feb 2014 | Taylor‘s University

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Better Cities of the Future

Name : Bridget Tan Su Ting

ID : 0318370

Intake : FNBE Feb 2014



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Contents

3 Introduction 4 A City 11 Investigation and Data Collection Ancient Cities 18 Investigation and Data Collection Present Cities 24 Investigation and Data Collection Future Cities 29 Case Study on Floating Cities 39 1 SEA TY Malaysia’s Sustainable Floating City 64 Conclusion 65 References

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1 Introduction

―A great city is not to be confounded with a populous one.‖

- Aristotle

For our final project for the Elements of Natural and Built Environment (ENBE) module,

we (the students) are given an assignment entitled ―Better Cities of the Future‖. In this

final project, we investigate about a past, present and future city. With the

information collected, we are required to propose a future city which focuses on

various needs as well as its sustainability.

“X” city is no longer liveable. As a pretend mayor, each student needs to propose a

new layout for the new ―X‖ City very quickly. The proposed city should be either

underground, underwater, on water, in the air, or on land next to a river or sea.

This project introduces students to the built environment. The idea of this project is to

understand the component and elements of a city and what makes a better future

city. Through thorough research and investigation, students are required to propose

a future city that is both sustainable and liveable.



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2 A City

2.1 Definition

The definition of a city can be characterized into 2 types:

1. The Demographic Definition

The demographic definition is based on the idea that cities are big

places with lots of people.

A city is defined by the following characteristics:-

o Permanence

A permanent human active area that will only undergo

development and expansion, not relocation

o Large Population Size

The number of citizens inhabiting the area

o High Population Density

The number of people per unit area

o Social Heterogeneity

The accommodation of an area for socialisation

2. The Functional Definition

The functional definition flows from the notion that cities have an

impact on their surroundings.

Focuses on regional context, including the hinterland and other nearby

settlements.

In the study of the ancient world a city is generally defined as a large populated

urban centre of commerce and administration with a system of laws and, usually,

regulated means of sanitation. This is only one definition, however, and the

designation `City' can be based on such factors as the:

population of the settlement

height of buildings

density of buildings/population

presence of some kind of sewer system

level of administrative government

presence of walls and/or fortifications

geographical area of the settlement

or whether a `settlement' was called a `city' in antiquity and fits at least

one of the above qualifications.



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In the ancient world, very often a `city' describes an urban centre of dense

population and a certain pattern of buildings spreading out from a central religious

complex such as a temple (though, frustratingly, this could sometimes apply equally

well to a `village' or `settlement').

2.2 Brief History

The first cities which fit both Chandler‘s and Wirth‘s definitions of a `city‘ (and, also

the early work of the archaeologist Childe) developed in the region known

as Mesopotamia between 4500 and 3100 BCE. The city of Uruk, today considered

the oldest in the world, was first settled in c. 4500 BCE and walled cities, for defence,

were common by 2900 BCE throughout the region. The city of Eridu, close to Uruk,

was considered the first city in the world by the Sumerians while other cities which lay

claim to the title of `first city' are Byblos, Jericho, Damascus, Aleppo, Jerusalem,

Sidon, Luoyang, Athens, Argos, and Varasani. All of these cities are certainly ancient

and are located in regions which have been populated from a very early date.

Uruk, however, is the only contender for the title of `oldest city‘ which has physical

evidence and written documentation, in the form of cuneiform texts, dating the

activities of the community from the earliest period. Sites such as Jericho, Sidon, and

even Eridu, which were no doubt settled before Uruk, lack the same sort of

documentation. Their age and continuity of habitation has been gauged based

upon the foundations of buildings unearthed in archaeological excavations rather

than primary documents found on site.

In the Neolithic period, agriculture and other techniques facilitated larger

populations than the very small communities of the Paleolithic, which probably led

to the stronger, more coercive governments emerging at that time. The pre-Classical

and Classical periods saw a number of cities laid out according to fixed plans,

though many tended to develop organically. Designed cities were characteristic of

the Minoan, Mesopotamian, Harrapan, and Egyptian civilizations of the third

millennium BC (see Urban planning in ancient Egypt). The first recorded description

of urban planning is described in the Epic of Gilgamesh for the city of Uruk.

Distinct characteristics of urban planning from remains of the cities of Harappa,

Lothal, and Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley Civilization (in modern-day

northwestern India and Pakistan) lead archeologists to conclude that they are the

earliest examples of deliberately planned and managed cities. The streets of many

of these early cities were paved and laid out at right angles in a grid pattern, with a

hierarchy of streets from major boulevards to residential alleys. Archaeological

evidence suggests that many Harrapan houses were laid out to protect from noise

and enhance residential privacy; many also had their own water wells, probably for

both sanitary and ritual purposes. These ancient cities were unique in that they often

had drainage systems, seemingly tied to a well-developed ideal of urban sanitation.

Many Central American civilizations also planned their cities, including sewage

systems and running water. In Mexico, Tenochtitlán was the capital of the Aztec

empire, built on an island in Lake Texcoco in what is now the Federal District in

central Mexico. At its height, Tenochtitlán was one of the largest cities in the world,

with over 200,000 inhabitants.

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Mesopotamia/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/uruk/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/eridu/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Sumerians/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Byblos/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/aleppo/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/jerusalem/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/sidon/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Athens/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/argos/

http://www.ancient.eu.com/cuneiform/



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2.2 What Makes A City



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2.3 What Makes A Good City?



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2.4 What Is The Future City?

Information-centered city

Dispersion and compression of population, transport and business

Self-sufficient eco-friendly city

Seamless access to information, cashless

Efficient urban management

Creation of user-oriented business



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3 Investigation & Data Collection

Ancient Cities

3.1 History

―History begins at Sumer‖ was the tile of a popular account by S.N. Kramer

that applies equally well to the emergence of the first city system, in Southern

Mesopotamia in the fourth millennium BCE, in what Gordon Childe dubbed

the ―Urban Revolution‖. The reference here is to a group of urban

settlements centered on Uruk, clearly a major cult center but also a focus

possibly of political activities but certainly also of regional exchanges whose

reach has been shown to have extended from Iran in the east, to the upper

Euphrates in the north, and evidently also to Egypt in the west. By 3000 BCE

we find here (and nowhere else) some half-dozen units that satisfy our criteria,

hence an incipient world city system. Uruk is at that time obviously the largest

among them, with a population possibly reaching 40,000, without doubt the

largest city in the world at this time, and that is just one reason for calling it the

first world city. For we also know, from archaeological and literary evidence,

that that was also the likely locus of the invention of writing, and of calendars,

innovations that proved to be of epochal significance.

This was the Uruk nucleus of an emerging system of world cities. The first basic

trend is the emergence, by mid-third millennium, of a viable and productive

center in Summer, the ―heartland of cities‖, then organized in the form of

some two dozen autonomous city-states. An increasingly costly competition

for regional leadership animated those states (by about 2300 that between

Umma and Lagash), such that Sargon of Akkad, from outside the Land of

Sumer was able step in and subdue it. The reign of Akkad and Sumer came



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and went, and was followed by a native dynasty based on Ur. As late as

about 2000 something of a numerical parity existed between Sumer, and

non-Summer cities, but not much later the former land of cities completely

dropped out of sight. By contrast important cities rise in Egypt (Memphis,

Thebes, Heliopolis), in north Mesopotamia (Mari), and in the Indus Valley

(Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa),

The second basic trend therefore was the experience of dispersal, or more

precisely the spread of urban practices throughout Eurasia that coincided

with what in several areas had been described as ―Dark Ages‖: in Sumer, in

the Harappan region, and in post-Mycenean Greece. By the end of the

ancient era (and the Bronze age) three of the four major regions of the ‗Old

World‘ had been fertilized by the Urban Revolution: West Asia (e.g. Babylon),

the Mediterranean (Mycenae), and East Asia (Yin, near Anyang, a major

Shang capital). The less than successful experiments in the Indus Valley, in the

Ukraine, and even Peru would ultimately bear fruit too. This dispersal was in

fact a form of redistribution because while Sumer lost cities and was virtually

de-urbanized, urbanism rose elsewhere and the number of world cities

remained about the same it was a millennium earlier (22 in 2000 became 23 in

1200). In other words, the story of the ancient era was rapid urban expansion

at the center in its first half, followed by deceleration and dispersal in the

second.

3.2 Chosen Ancient City

The Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán (at modern Mexico City), which was founded

in 1325 on a muddy island in the lake that at that time filled the Basin of

Mexico.

City of Tenochtitlán



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3.3 History of Tenochtitlán

According to legend, the Aztec people left their home city of Aztlan nearly

1,000 years ago. Scholars do not know where Aztlan was, but according to

ancient accounts one of these Aztec groups, known as the Mexica, founded

Tenochtitlán in 1325.

The legend continues that Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, the sun and human

sacrifice, is said to have directed the Mexica to settle on the island. He

―ordered his priests to look for the prickly pear cactus and build a temple in

his honor. They followed the order and found the place on an island in the

middle of the lake ...‖ writes University of Madrid anthropologist Jose Luis de

Rojas in his book "Tenochtitlán: Capital of the Aztec Empire" (University of

Florida Press, 2012).

De Rojas notes that the ―early years were difficult.‖ People lived in huts, and

the temple for Huitzilopochtli ―was made of perishable material.‖ Also in the

beginning, Tenochtitlán was under the sway of another city named

Azcapotzalco, to which they had to pay tribute.

Political instability at Azcapotzalco, combined with an alliance with the cities

of Texcoco and Tlacopan, allowed the Tenochtitlán ruler Itzcoatl (reign 1428-

1440) to break free from Azcapotzalco‘s control and assert the city‘s

independence.

Over the next 80 years, the territory controlled by Tenochtitlán and its allies

grew, and the city became the center of a new empire. The tribute that

flowed in made the inhabitants (at least the elite) wealthy. ―The Mexica

extracted tribute from the subjugated groups and distributed the conquered

lands among the victors, and wealth began to flow to Tenochtitlán,‖ writes de

Rojas, noting that this resulted in rapid immigration into the city.

The city itself would come to boast an aqueduct that brought in potable

water and a great temple dedicated to both Huitzilopochtli (the god who led

the Mexica to the island) and Tlaloc, a god of rain and fertility.

3.4 Social Organisation

The people of Tenochtitlán were divided into numerous clan groups called

calpulli (which means ―big house‖), and these in turn consisted of smaller

neighborhoods. ―Usually, the calpulli was made up of a group of macehaultin

(commoner) families led by pipiltin (nobles)‖ writes California State University

professor Manuel Aguilar-Moreno in his book "Handbook to Life in the Aztec

World" (Oxford University Press, 2006).



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Fray Diego Durán, a Spaniard who lived in Mexico a few decades after

Cortés‘ conquest, wrote that King Motecuhzoma (or Montezuma) I, who

reigned from 1440 to 1469, created an education system where every

neighborhood had to have a school or temple to educate youth.

In those places ―they will learn religion and correct comportment. They are to

do penance, lead hard lives, live with strict morality, practice for warfare, do

physical work, fast, endure disciplinary measures, draw blood from different

parts of the body, and keep watch at night...‖ (Translation by Doris Heyden)

Another feature of Tenochtitlán‘s society was that it had a strict class system,

one that affected the clothes people wore and even the size of the houses

they were allowed to build. ―Only the great noblemen and valiant warriors

are given license to build a house with a second story; for disobeying this law

a person receives the death penalty...‖ Fray Durán wrote.

Among the people considered to be in the lower classes were the porters the

city relied on. The lack of wheeled vehicles and pack animals meant that the

city‘s goods had to be brought in by canoe or human lifting. Surviving

depictions show porters carrying loads on their backs with a strap secured to

their forehead.

3.5 The Fall

Michael Smith, a professor at the State University of New York at Albany, notes

that when Cortés landed in Mexico in 1519 he was, initially, greeted with gifts

of gold from Tenochtitlán‘s ruler Motecuhzoma (or Montezuma) II. The king

may have been hoping that the gifts would appease the Spanish and make

them go away, but it had the opposite effect.

―The gold, of course, made the Spaniards more anxious than ever to see the

city. Gold was what they sought,‖ Smith writes in his book "The Aztecs"

(Blackwell Publishing, 2003).

Cortés pushed on to Tenochtitlán, where Motecuhzoma II again gave the

conquistador a warm welcome. Cortes then repaid the ruler by taking him

prisoner and trying to rule the city in his name. This arrangement quickly

soured with dissident groups naming Cuitlahuac, the king‘s brother, to take

over from the soon-to-be-killed Motecuhzoma.

Cortés fled the city on June 30, 1520, but within several months started

marching back with a great army to conquer it. Smith notes that this force

was made up of 700 Spaniards and 70,000 native troops who had allied

themselves with the Spanish.



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―Much of the Spanish success was owed to the political astuteness of

Hernando Cortés, who quickly divined the disaffection towards the Mexica

that prevailed in the eastern empire.‖

Ruins of Templo Mayor, part of the sacred complex of Tenochtitlán

This army laid siege to Tenochtitlán, destroying the aqueduct and trying to cut

off food supplies to the hundreds of thousands of people in the city. Making

matters worse is that the inhabitants of the city had recently been decimated

by a smallpox plague to which they had no immunity.

―The illness was so dreadful that no one could walk or move. The sick were so

utterly helpless that they could only lie on the beds like corpses...‖ wrote Friar

Bernardino de Sahagún (from "The Aztecs" book).

The sheer size of Cortés force, their firepower and the plague ravaging

Tenochtitlán made victory inevitable for the Spaniards. The city was theirs in

August 1521. Smith notes that the Tlaxcallan soldiers that were in Cortés force

―went on to massacre many of the remaining inhabitants of Tenochtitlán.‖

3.6 What Makes It A Significant City?

Surrounded by "floating gardens" - artificially created islands where produce

was grown - Tenochtitlán was joined to the mainland by three causeways. An

aqueduct supplied fresh water from Chapultepec.

Along with the many palaces and marketplaces of the city the Tecpan, a

central plaza contained the two principal temples, built on a huge terraced

pyramid.The famous Calendar Stone of the Aztecs was found in the Tecpan.

By 1519, the year the Spaniards arrived, Tenochtitlán - Tlatelolco had a

population of more than 200,000. It was laid out on a grid plan and covered



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more than 12 km2 (4.6 mi2), much of this consisting of reclaimed swampland

that formed a zone of fertile garden plots around the edge of the city.

At the center of Tenochtitlán was a large walled precinct, the focus of

religious activity, containing the m Just outside the precinct walls were the

palaces of Montezuma II and earlier rulers.

A 16-km (10-mi) dike sealed off part of the lake and controlled flooding, so

that Tenochtitlán, like a Mexican Venice, stood on an island in an artificial

lagoon.

Causeways linked the island to the lakeshore, and canals reached to all parts

of the city. ain temples (dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, Tlaloc the Rain God, and

Quetzalcóatl); also found there were schools and priests' quarters, a court for

the ritual ballgame, a wooden rack holding the skulls of sacrificial victims, and

many commemorative sculptures.

Just outside the precinct walls were the palaces of Montezuma II and earlier

rulers.

A 16-km (10-mi) dike sealed off part of the lake and controlled flooding, so

that Tenochtitlán, like a Mexican Venice, stood on an island in an artificial

lagoon.

Causeways linked the island to the lakeshore, and canals reached to all parts

of the city.

City of Tenochtitlán



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3.7 Conclusion

The city was well planned and laid out in a grid that made traveling around

the city easy. Tenochtitlán was to become the "Venice of the New World", a

series of canals, city and farmland, planned equal or better than any city in

the world. An extremely well designed altepetl or metropolis and quite likely

the largest and most efficiently run of its kind in the entire planet Tlalticpac

(Earth). The proper zoning of the city incorporates a good sense of planning

and acts as an example for the future cities.

3.8 Elements That Can Be Used In 1 SEA TY

Symmetrical city.

Its core, a large walled precinct, which consisted of the focus of

religious acitivity, schools, games court.

Efficient road system leading to a central public precinct – the city

landmark.



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Present Cities

4.1 History

Early Modern

While the city-states, or poleis, of the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea

languished from the 16th century, Europe's larger capitals benefited from the

growth of commerce following the emergence of an Atlantic trade. By the

early 19th century, London had become the largest city in the world with a

population of over a million, while Paris rivaled the well-developed regionally

traditional capital cities of Baghdad, Beijing, Istanbul and Kyoto. During the

Spanish colonization of the Americas the old Roman city concept was

extensively used. Cities were founded in the middle of the newly conquered

territories, and were bound to several laws about administration, finances and

urbanism.

Most towns remained far smaller, so that in 1500 only some two dozen places

in the world contained more than 100,000 inhabitants. As late as 1700, there

were fewer than forty, a figure that rose to 300 in 1900. A small city of the early

modern period might contain as few as 10,000 inhabitants, a town far fewer.

Industrial Age

The growth of modern industry from the late 18th century onward led to

massive urbanization and the rise of new great cities, first in Europe and then

in other regions, as new opportunities brought huge numbers of migrants from

rural communities into urban areas. In the United States from 1860 to 1910, the

invention of railroads reduced transportation costs, and large manufacturing

centers began to emerge, thus allowing migration from rural to city areas.

However, cities during those periods of time were deadly places to live in, due

to health problems resulting from contaminated water and air, and

communicable diseases. In the Great Depression of the 1930s cities were hard

hit by unemployment, especially those with a base in heavy industry. In the

U.S. urbanization rate increased forty to eighty percent during 1900–1990.

Today the world's population is slightly over half urban, with millions still

streaming annually into the growing cities of Asia, Africa and Latin America.



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Modern Cities Of The 20th Century

In the 20th century cities grew more than ever before. Architects discovered

a new way to get more space in the city. They built skyscrapers.

As time went on more and more people moved away from the inner parts of

the city and settled down in the suburbs, which were places where it was

quieter and where the quality of life was better. These suburbs became small

towns with their own office buildings and shopping centres. Residents can

work and live there without having to travel long distances to the centre.

Today‘s cities are much larger than cities in previous times. With the help of

cars and public transport people can get to all parts of a city very quickly.

4.2 Chosen Present City

Venice, a city in northeastern Italy, best known for the many waterways, sited

on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges.



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4.3 History

According to tradition Venice was founded in 421 AD. At that time a Celtic

people called the Veneti lived along the coast of what is now Northeast Italy.

Since 49 BC they had been Roman citizens. However in 453 Attila the Hun

invaded Italy. In terror some Veneti fled to islands in the lagoon and built

village there. They soon formed a loose federation. Then in 568 a people

called the Lombards invaded the mainland and many Veneti fled to the

islands swelling the population.

At first Venice was controlled by the Byzantine Empire (the Eastern half of the

Roman Empire, which survived the fall of Rome). However in 726 the

Venetians partly gained their independence and elected Orso Ipato as doge

(their word for duke).

In 810 the Franks tried but failed to conquer the Venetians. Meanwhile Venice

flourished as a trading center and ships sailed to and from its ports. Its

population grew steadily. In 828 the body of St Mark was smuggled from

Egypt to Venice. St Mark then became the patron saint of the city.

In the Middle Ages Venice continued to flourish as a port and trading center.

Meanwhile in 1199 a fourth crusade was proposed. The Venetians agreed to

build a fleet of ships to ferry the Crusaders. However when the Crusader army

assembled they were unable to pay for the ships. So the Venetians

persuaded them to join an expedition to raid Constantinople. Venetians and

Crusaders captured the city in 1204 and they looted it. Venice was also

involved in other wars at that time. The Italian city of Genoa was a powerful

rival to Venice and during the 13th and 14th centuries the Genoese and

Venetians fought 5 wars.

Furthermore in 1348 the Black Death devastated the population of Venice.

Therefore in 1403 Venice introduced quarantine. Ships arriving from infected

areas had to stop at an island called Lazaretto and the passengers had to

wait for 40 days before they were permitted to enter the city.

In the 15th century Venice faced a new threat - the Turks. In 1453 they

captured Constantinople and afterwards they advanced into Southeast

Europe. In 1489 Venice came to rule Cyprus. However in 1571 the Turks

conquered the island.

Furthermore in 1508 several European countries formed the League of

Cambrai and went to war against Venice. However after 8 years of war the

map was largely unchanged.



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Modern Venice

More serious for Venice was the discovery of North and South America. The

result was that trade shifted away from the Mediterranean. Furthermore in

1630 Venice was struck by plague again.

During the 17th century Venice gradually lost power and influence. In the

18th century Venice was politically unimportant although the arts such as

opera flourished. Then in 1797 Napoleon dissolved the Republic of Venice.

However after his fall in 1815 Venice was handed to Austria.

The railway reached Venice in 1846. However Venice did not prosper under

Austrian rule. In 1848 revolutions swept Europe and Venice rose in rebellion

against the Austrians. For a short period Daniele Manin became president of

an independent Venice. However Austrian forces bombarded the city and

Venice was forced to surrender in August 1849. Yet in 1866 the Austrians were

defeated by the Prussians and Venice was allowed to join the new nation of

Italy.

In the late 19th century Venice flourished as a port and a manufacturing

center. Then in 1933 Mussolini built a road from the mainland to Venice.

During the Second World War Venice was undamaged by fighting but the

Jewish population was deported.

In 1966 Venice suffered a severe flood but the city soon recovered. Today

tourism is the mainstay of Venice. However the population of Venice has

fallen sharply since the mid 19th century. Today the population of Venice is

271,000.



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4.4 Venice As A Trading Empire

The twelfth century saw Venice and the remainder of the Byzantine Empire

engage in a series of trade wars, before the events of the early thirteenth

century gave Venice the chance to establish a physical trading empire:

Venice had agreed to transport a crusade to the ‗Holy Land‘, but this

became stuck when the crusaders couldn‘t pay. Then the heir of a deposed

Byzantine emperor promised to pay Venice and convert to Latin Christianity if

they put him on the throne. Venice supported this, but when he was returned

and unable to pay/unwilling to convert, relationships soured and the new

emperor was assassinated. The crusaders then sieged, captured and sacked

Constantinople. Many treasures were removed by Venice, who claimed a

part of the city, Crete and large areas including parts of Greece, all of which

became Venetian trading outposts in a large empire. Venice then warred

with Genoa, a powerful Italian trading rival, and the struggle reached a

turning point with the Battle of Chioggia in 1380, restricting Genoan trade.

Others attacked Venice too, and the empire had to be defended. eanwhile

the Doges‘ power was being eroded by the nobility. After heavy discussion, in

the fifteenth century Venetian expansion targeted the Italian mainland with

the capture of Vicenza, Verona, Padua and Udine. This era, 1420-50, was

arguably the high point of Venetian wealth and power. The population even

sprang back after the Black Death, which often travelled along trade routes.


The city of Venice is famous for its intricate transport system of interconnected

canals.

Venice captured the impression of a magical floating city by setting wood

pilings on the 118 submerged islands in the Northern end of the Adriatic Sea.

400 footbridges and 170 boat canals connect the city to make it easily

accessible to the local populace.

In the old centre, the canals serve the function of roads, and almost every

form of transport is on water or on foot. In the 19th century, a causeway to the

mainland brought the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station to Venice, and the

Ponte della Libertà road causeway and parking facilities (in Tronchetto island

and in piazzale Roma) were built during the 20th century. Beyond the road

and rail land entrances at the northern edge of the city, transportation within

the city remains (as it was in centuries past) entirely on water or on foot.

Venice is Europe's largest urban car-free area. Venice is unique in Europe, in

having remained a sizable functioning city in the 21st century entirely without

motorcars or trucks. The classical Venetian boat is the gondola.



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Today, its canals still provide the means for transport of goods and people

within the city. The maze of canals threaded through the city requires the use

of more than 400 bridges to permit the flow of foot traffic.

The main public transportation means are motorised waterbuses which ply

regular routes along the Grand Canal and between the city's islands.

The historical city is divided into six areas or "sestiere" (while the whole comune

(municipality) is divided into 6 boroughs of which one is composed of all 6

sestiere). Each sestiere has its own house numbering system. Each house has a

unique number in the district, from one to several thousand, generally

numbered from one corner of the area to another, but not usually in a readily

understandable manner.

4.6 Conclusion

Venice is a unique artistic achievement. It presents a complete typology

whose exemplary value goes hand-in-hand with the outstanding character of

an urban setting which had to adapt to the special requirements of the site.

There are no private cars, it is an entirely walkable city. With this, there is a

guaranteed complete pedestrian safety. Its water transportation by gondolas

and boats plays a great role in its well-known geographically-unique lagoon.

4.7 Element That Can Be Used In 1 SEA TY

No private cars, walkable city.

Complete pedestrian safety.

Water transportation by boats.

Hierarchy of walkways and urban spaces leading to a major central

plaza – St. Mark‘s Square comprising public landmark buildings.



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Future Cities

5.1 Why Future Cities?

Further to the anthropogenic activity, the climate warms up and the ocean

level increases. According to the principle of Archimedes and contrary to

preconceived notions, the melting of the arctic ice-floe will not change the

rising of the water exactly as an ice cube melting in a glass of water does not

make its level rise. However, there are two huge ice reservoirs that are not on

the water and whose melting will transfer their volume towards the oceans,

leading to their rising. It deals with the ice caps of Antarctic and Greenland

on the one hand, and the continental glaciers on the other hand. Another

reason of the ocean rising, that does not have anything to do with the ice

melting is the water dilatation under the effect of the temperature.

According to the less alarming forecasts of the GIEC (Intergovernmental

group on the evolution of the climate), the ocean level should rise from 20 to

90 cm during the 21st Century with a status quo by 50 cm (versus 10 cm in the

20th Century). The international scientific scene assets that a temperature

elevation of 1°C will lead to a water rising of 1 meter. This increase of 1 m

would bring ground losses emerged of approximately 0.05% in Uruguay, 1% in

Egypt, 6% in the Netherlands, 17.5% in Bangladesh and up to 80%

approximately in the atoll Majuro in Oceania (Marshall and Kiribati islands and

step by step the Maldives islands).



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If the first meter is not very funny with more than 50 million of people affected

in the developing countries, the situation is worse with the second one.

Countries like Vietnam, Egypt, Bangladesh, Guyana or Bahamas will see their

most inhabited places swamped at each flood and their most fertile fields

devastated by the invasion of salt water damaging the local ecosystems.

New York, Bombay, Calcutta, Hô Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Miami, Lagos,

Abidjan, Djakarta, Alexandria… not les that 250 million of climatic refugees

and 9% of the GDP threatened if we not build protections related to such a

threat. It is the demonstration inflicted to reluctant spirits by a climatological

study of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development) and that challenges our imagination of eco-conception!

The water rising being not written in the agenda of the Grenelle agreements

on environment in France, it is primordial in terms of environmental crisis and

climatic exodus to pass from now on from a strategy of reaction in

emergency to a strategy of an adaptation and long-lasting anticipation. It is

surprising, whereas some islands prepare their disappearing to see that the

management of the rising of the ocean level does not seem to worry the

governments beyond measure. More surprising to see that the populations of

the developed countries continue to rush on the littoral to build districts over

there; houses and buildings dedicated to a certain flood.

5.2 Chosen Future City

The Floating Ecopolis, otherwise known as the Lilypad, is a model designed by

Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut for future climatic refugees.



26

5.3 About Lilypad

With global sea levels predicted to rise significantly over the next century due

to climate change, a lot of people living in low lying areas are expected to

be displaced from their homes. Architect Vincent Callebaut has come up

with a possible relocation destination for these climate change refugees in

the form of the ―Lilypad‖ concept – a completely self-sufficient floating city

that would accommodate up to 50,000.

With a shape inspired by the highly ribbed leaf of Victoria water lilies, the

double skin of the floating ―ecopolis‖ would be made of polyester fibers

covered by a layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2), which would react with

ultraviolet rays and absorb atmospheric pollution via a photocatalytic effect

in the same way as the air-purifying concrete and paving stones we looked

at last year.

Three marinas and three mountains would surround a centrally located

artificial lagoon that is totally immersed below the water line to act as ballast

for the city. The three mountains and marinas would be dedicated to work,

shopping and entertainment, respectively, while suspended gardens and

aquaculture farms located below the water line would be used to grow food

and biomass.

The floating city would also include the full complement of renewable energy

technologies, including solar, thermal, wind, tidal, and biomass to produce

more energy than it consumes. The Lilypads could be located close to land or

set free to follow the ocean currents wherever they may lead.

While Callebaut‗s Lilypad concept is admirable in its aim of providing a home

for displaced climate change refugees, it seems that these same people



27

would be the last ones to be able to afford a place on what would likely be

an enormously expensive piece of real estate.

Callebaut‘s hope that the Lilypad becomes a reality by 2100 might also make

it too late to benefit those worst affected by any rise in sea levels. Still, like the

Green Float and Ark Hotel concepts, it‘s an eye-catching design that will

hopefully get people thinking about ways to tackle the looming problem of

climate change refugees.


It is a true amphibian half aquatic and half terrestrial city, able to

accommodate 50,000 inhabitants and inviting the biodiversity to develop its

fauna and flora around a central lagoon of soft water collecting and

purifying the rain waters.

The whole set is covered by a stratum of planted housing in suspended

gardens and crossed by a network of streets and alleyways with organic

outline. The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of the couple Human

/ Nature and to explore new modes of living the sea by building with fluidity

collective spaces in proximity, overwhelming spaces of social inclusion

suitable to the meeting of all the inhabitants – denizen or foreign-born, recent

or old, young or aged people.

Entirely autosufficient, Lilypad takes up the four main challenges launched by

the OECD in March 2008: climate, biodiversity, water and health. It reached a

positive energetic balance with zero carbone emission by the integration of

all the renewable energies (solar, thermal and photovoltaic energies, wind

energy, hydraulic, tidal power station, osmotic energies, phytopurification,

biomass) producing thus durably more energy that it consumes. True biotope

entirely recyclable, this floating Ecopolis tends thus towards the positive eco-

accountancy of the building in the oceanic ecosystems by producing and

softening itself the oxygen and the electricity, by recycling the CO2 and the

waste, by purifying and softening biologically the used waters and by

integrating ecological niches, aquaculture fields and biotic corridors on and

under its body to meet its own food needs.



28

5.5 Conclusion

A mixed terrain man-made landscape, provided by an artificial lagoon and

three ridges, create a diverse environment for the inhabitants. Each Lilypad is

intended to be either near a coast, or floating around in the ocean, traveling

from the equator to the northern seas, according to where the gulf stream

takes it.

The project isn‘t close to happening anytime soon, but there is value in future

forward designs like the Lilypad. They inspire creative solutions, which at some

point, may actually provide a real solution to the climate change problem.

5.6 Elements That Can Be Used In 1 SEA TY

Self-contained, sustainable city with central core activities.

Full complement of renewable energy technologies, including solar,

thermal, wind, tidal, and biomass to produce more energy than it

consumes.



29

6 Case Study on Floating Cities

6.1 Information Obtained

Noah's Ark

A Sustainable Floating City for a Post-Apocalyptic World

Inspired by Noah who saved all of the plants and animals from a global flood,

Aleksandar Joksimovic and Jelena Nikolic envisioned a modern and

sustainable ark capable of supporting all life in the event of a natural disaster.

Their innovative water world would support life on terraced fields, grow food,

collect rainwater, generate its own power and is engineered to withstand all

forms of water-based disasters.

Aleksandar Joksimovic and Jelena Nikolic are from Serbia and designed

Noah‘s Ark, a sustainable floating city, for the 2012 eVolo Skyscraper

Competition. Their hope was to design a safe and self-sustaining world that

could be used in the event that natural disasters or other global catastrophes

destroyed our homes. Moving to the ocean, the duo envisioned a post-

apocalyptic human race living off of the ocean. Noah‘s Ark is a series of

terraced rings with deep underwater towers that act as ballasts to increase

stability. Multiple arks could also be connected together in a network through

underwater cables.

Solar, wind and ocean energy are harvested to generate power for the

floating city, while rainwater is collected from all the surfaces for use within.

Underwater turbines could capture tidal energy and all of the surfaces would

be covered in artificial coral to encourage sea life. The sides of these artificial

islands are tall enough to protect the interiors from severe storms or tsunamis.

In the event of a major storm or impending disasters, the inhabitants can



30

retreat to air-filled bubbles inside the depths of the islands for protection. Each

ark features residences, offices, farmland, animal preserves, energy

generation capabilities, and recreational spaces.

Freedom Ship

The World’s First Floating City

The world‘s first floating city is soon to become a reality. The $10 billion

Freedom Ship will be big enough to fit 50,000 residents, 30,000 visitors, schools,

a hospital, parks and even an airport. Since the vessel will be too large to

enter any port, it will simply sail from country to country in two-year cycles.

The mile-long floating city is nearing start of construction, according to

Florida-based Freedom Ship International Inc. It will boast 25 floors of activities,

schools, hospitals, art galleries, shops, parks, casinos, an aquarium and a small

airport on the roof with a runway for smaller private and commercial aircrafts.

The company is currently trying to raise the $10 billion needed to make this

huge project a reality. The company‘s vice-president said that they are just $1

million short of the amount necessary for construction to start.

Once completed, the ship will be 4,500 feet long-four times longer than the

famous Queen Mary II. The large floating structure would be powered by solar

panels and aeolic energy while navigating international waters. The city

would spend most of the year-around 70 percent of the time-anchored off

major cities.



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Blueseed

A Visa-Free Floating City Off The California Coast

This environmentally-sensible ―Googleplex of the Sea‖ will provide living and

office space for exceptional entrepreneurs and techies who are unable to

work legally in the United States because of archaic immigration policies.

Who can apply? Basically anyone who has a passport and wishes to add to a

―culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and fruitful collaboration‖.

Blueseed‘s venture aims to incubate ideas generated by foreign nationals

who otherwise face mountains of legal battles to get a foot in Silicon Valley,

and they aim to do it in style. The vessel will be parked approximately 12

nautical miles off the California coast in the contiguous zone and will be

overseen by all the relevant border control authorities as necessary. Rooms

will accommodate 1-4 people, and residents will have unlimited access to

internet and gym services, food and medical facilities, and various kinds of

entertainment.

And here‘s the best part. The startup has committed to finding sustainable

solutions for waste disposal and water management, and is searching for

clean tech companies interested in floating alternative energy generation

projects so that this city will not have an undue impact on the marine

ecosystem in which it will be parked. At most, interested tenants will need to

secure a B1 business or B2 tourist visa, but other than that, they will be free to

work and play as though they were on home ground.



32

Harvest City

Floating Islands to Bring Agriculture and Industry to Haiti

It's been almost a year now since Haiti was ravaged by a horrific earthquake,

and while its citizens are still picking up the pieces, the good news is that there

is no shortage of creative ideas about how to rebuild an even better, more

sustainable infrastructure for the country. One of these ideas comes from

architect E. Kevin Schopfer and Tangram 3DS, who envision the new Haiti to

have a floating city on which people could produce food and promote

industry. Called Harvest City, the collection of islands would be a fully

functioning community of 30,000 residents based on the principle of Arcology

(a mix of architecture and ecology), and could be a key player in Haiti's

recovery.

Harvest City would be a place for Haitians to live and start their lives again,

but it would also be a place for agriculture and jobs to thrive. Two thirds of the

city would be dedicated to farming and one third to light industry. The city

would be composed of a collection of tethered, floating modules that span a

diameter of 2 miles. Divided into four zones interconnected by a linear canal

system, neighborhoods would be made up of four story housing complexes.

The outer perimeter of the city would be composed of crop circles with

secondary feeder canals, while the city center with schools, offices, and

public space would be located in the inner harbor area.

The floating islands of Harvest City will be secured to the sea bed by a cable

and were designed to weather hurricanes and typhoons. A low profile, low

draft dead weight capacity and perimeter wave attenuators are some

factors that Schopfer incorporated into the city to ensure it would be safe

from storms. A breakwater using the concrete rubble debris from the

earthquake would also be constructed to add to the city‘s stability.

In addition to being a new beginning for the people of Haiti, it is Schopfer‘s

hope that Harvest City will be established as a ―charter city‖ to be used as an



33

example of a new and advanced economic model specifically developed

for struggling nations.

Green Float

An Ecotopia at Sea

Designed for the equatorial pacific, presumably near Japan, Green Float is a

concept for a series of floating islands with eco skyscraper cities, where

people live, work and can easily get to gardens, open space, the beach and

even ―forests‖. Islands are connected together to form modules and a

number of modules grouped together form a ―country‖ of roughly 1 million

people.

A 1,000 m tower in the center of the island acts as both a vertical farm as well

as a skyscraper with residential, commercial and office space. The green

space, the beach, and the water terminal on the flat plane of the island are

all within walking distance. Energy for the islands would be generated from

renewable sources like solar, wind, and ocean thermal, and they also

propose to collect solar energy from space, presumably from their own crazy

idea to install a solar belt on the moon.



34

Sub Biosphere 2

A Self-Sustaining Underwater City

Made up of submersible spheres, Sub Biosphere 2 would maintain and

support life while acting as a secure underwater seed bank.

Pauley‘s unique underwater habitat is designed to sustain all of its life support

systems — air, water, food, electricity, and other resources — through an

―innovative control of variant atmospheric pressures that occur at depth.‖

Eight living biomes surround a larger central biome that contains all of the

control equipment, while the smaller biomes contain spaces where people

live, grow food and more.

The large self-sustaining system can float on top of the water or submerge

and travel along rails all the way to the ocean floor. Besides supporting and

growing life, the biosphere also serves as a seed bank.

Lilypad

Floating City for Climate Change Refugees



35

There are very few urban design solutions that address housing the inevitable

tide of displaced people that could arise as oceans swell under global

warming. Certainly none are as spectacular as this one. The Lilypad, by

Vincent Callebaut, is a concept for a completely self-sufficient floating city

intended to provide shelter for future climate change refugees. The intent of

the concept itself is laudable, but it is Callebaut‘s phenomenal design that

has captured our imagination.

Biomimicry was clearly the inspiration behind the design. The Lilypad, which

was designed to look like a waterlily, is intended to be a zero emission city

afloat in the ocean. Through a number of technologies (solar, wind, tidal,

biomass), it is envisioned that the project would be able to not only produce

its own energy, but be able to process CO2 in the atmosphere and absorb it

into its titanium dioxide skin.

Each of these floating cities are designed to hold approximately around

50,000 people. A mixed terrain man-made landscape, provided by an

artificial lagoon and three ridges, create a diverse environment for the

inhabitants. Each Lilypad is intended to be either near a coast, or floating

around in the ocean, traveling from the equator to the northern seas,

according to where the gulf stream takes it.

The project isn‘t even close to happening anytime soon, but there is value in

future forward designs like the Lilypad. They inspire creative solutions, which at

some point, may actually provide a real solution to the climate change

problem.

The Swimming City

A Water World for Future Generations



36

Much like a floating Club Med, ―The Swimming City‖ by Andras Gyorfi could

be the perfect solution for ocean-bound adventure seekers. As most of us

have daydreamed about abandoning our complex land-ridden existence for

the simple life at sea, Gyorfi – the winner of Seastead‘s first design contest –

has brought this idea to new heights. His design is playfully inviting, with many

recreational facilities including a large swimming pool, outdoor amphitheater,

helicopter landing pad, and shaded marina.

Featuring soft earth tones and rooftop gardens, ―The Swimming City‖ appeals

to our childhood fantasies as well our current need for living an eco-conscious

lifestyle. Around every corner, this fanciful city is chock full of surprising

architectural details. Each area of the floating wonderland is easily accessed

by beautifully landscaped walking paths, and the building‘s windows vary in

shape and size, adding to its unique character.

As for now, we can only imagine the stress-free adventure and exploration

one would find aboard this island paradise, and we will be holding our breath

for the day when This ―Swimming City‖ blows the current luxury cruise ship out

of the water.

The Citadel

Europe's First Floating Apartment Complex

The Dutch have been fighting the rising and falling tides for centuries, building

dikes and pumping water out of areas that are below sea level. Now, rather

than fight the water infiltrating their land, the Dutch will use it as part of a new

development called ‗New Water‗, which will feature the world‘s first floating

apartment complex, The Citadel. This ―water-breaking‖ new project was

designed by Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio in the Netherlands, and will use 25%

less energy than a conventional building on land thanks to the use of water

cooling techniques.



37

Olthuis is responsible for a number of floating residences around the world

and he thinks that we should stop trying to contain water and learn to live

with it. The New Water and the Citadel projects are an attempt to embrace

water in the Netherlands, which is almost completely composed of wetlands.

The project will be built on a polder, a recessed area below sea level where

flood waters settle from heavy rains. There are almost 3500 polders in the

Netherlands, and almost all of them are continually pumped dry to keep

flood waters from destroying nearby homes and buildings. The New Water

Project will purposely allow the polder to flood with water and all the buildings

will be perfectly suited to float on top of the rising and falling water.

The Citadel will be the first floating apartment complex, although there are

plenty of floating homes out there. Built on top of of a floating foundation of

heavy concrete caisson, the Citadel will house 60 luxury apartments, a car

park, a floating road to access the complex as well as boat docks. With so

many units built into such a small area, the housing complex will achieve a

density of 30 units per acre of water, leaving more open water surrounding

the structure. Each unit will have its own garden terrace as well as a view of

the lake.

A high focus will be placed on energy efficiency inside the Citadel.

Greenhouses are placed around the complex, and the water will act as a

cooling source as it is pumped through submerged pipes. As the unit is

surrounded by water, corrosion and maintenance are important issues to

consider. As a result, aluminum will be used for the building facade, due to its

long lifespan and ease of maintenance. The individual apartments are built

from prefabricated modules. The Citadel will be situated on a shallow body of

water, and in the future numerous buildings, complexes and residences will

float on the water alongside it.

6.2 Interesting Parts and Important Considerations

Noah‘s Ark

A series of terraced rings with deep underwater towers that act as

ballasts to increase stability.

Multiple arks could also be connected together in a network through

underwater cables.

Solar, wind and ocean energy are harvested to generate power for

the floating city, while rainwater is collected from all the surfaces for

use within.

Underwater turbines could capture tidal energy and all of the surfaces

would be covered in artificial coral to encourage sea life. The sides of

these artificial islands are tall enough to protect the interiors from

severe storms or tsunamis.



38

Blueseed

The startup has committed to finding sustainable solutions for waste

disposal and water management, and is searching for clean tech

companies interested in floating alternative energy generation

projects so that this city will not have an undue impact on the marine

ecosystem in which it will be parked.

Harvest City

Two thirds of the city would be dedicated to farming

The city would be composed of a collection of tethered, floating

modules that span a diameter of 2 miles.

The floating islands of Harvest City will be secured to the sea bed by a

cable and were designed to weather hurricanes and typhoons.

Green Float

A completely self-sufficient floating ecotopia that is covered in

vegetation, generates its own power, grows food, manages waste,

and provides clean water.

Islands are connected together to form modules.

A 1,000 m tower in the center of the island acts as both a vertical farm

as well as a skyscraper with residential, commercial and office space.

Energy for the islands would be generated from renewable sources like

solar, wind, and ocean thermal, and they also propose to collect solar

energy from space.

The Swimming City

Appeals to our childhood fantasies as well our current need for living

an eco-conscious lifestyle.

Each area of the floating wonderland is easily accessed by beautifully

landscaped walking paths.

The Citadel

The project will be built on a polder, a recessed area below sea level

where flood waters settle from heavy rains.

Greenhouses are placed around the complex, and the water will act

as a cooling source as it is pumped through submerged pipes.

Aluminium will be used for the building facade, due to its long lifespan

and ease of maintenance.

The individual apartments are built from prefabricated modules.



39

7 1 SEA TY

7.1 History

It is the year 2114. Global warming has caused the sudden collapse of polar

caps resulting in tsunamis.

Malaysian cities are destroyed. The survivors have fled to the high mountains.

I am elected mayor by the survivors. I am entrusted to build a city to

accommodate the surviving population.

How do I go about it?

As the mayor, I will assemble a team of the surviving inhabitants who have

skills and knowledge in designing and building a city. I will gather these

people who know how to help formulate a good system of post-disaster

governance, construction, environmental planning, architecture etc. With the

research carried out and the multi-disciplinary team, the city will be designed

to meet the needs and aspirations of the surviving population.

7.2 The City Name

The city is to cater for the surviving Malaysians of all ages, races,

religions, income groups into one sustainable settlement – The 1 City.

The 1 City is to be planned on sea as land is scarce after the flood.

The city shall be named 1 SEA TY.



40

7.3 Why Floating City?

Only 5% of Malaysia‘s land mass is left after the flood.

Land is scarce and must be preserved for natural habitat and

agriculture.

Water level is flat. Easier to plan for efficient transport network.

The housing on modular floating platforms can be constructed on land

and towed to the location. The platforms can be enlarged for future

expansion. The floating platforms can be towed for future relocation.

7.4 Where To Plan The Future City?

Since only 5% of Malaysia‘s land mass is left after the flood and;

land is scarce and must be preserved for natural habitat and

agriculture,

A site has been located along a protected enclave.

BBeeffoorree tthhee fflloooodd…… ……aafftteerr



41

7.5 The Site Identified

1. Suitable terrain and soils for agriculture and food production.

2. Protected harbour, calm bay.

3. Solar path and wind direction for renewable energy production.

4. Nearby river for fresh water supply.

7.6 The Requirements

1. Planning parameters

2. A city for 150,000 Malaysians.

3. An area of 40km2.

4. To provide for the basic, social, cultural and economic needs of

Malaysians.

7.7 The City Vision

To Plan A Sustainable City for the Continuous Wellbeing and for a Growing

Population of 150,000 People.



42

7.8 The City Components

The city will provide the needs for every citizen.

The People’s Needs The Physical Components

Food Agriculture, Animal Husbandry

Shelter Housing

Water Water Storage and Distribution

Energy Power Plant

Health Care Hospital, Clinics

Waste Disposal Sewage and Waste Treatment

Education Schools, Universities

Recreation Parks, Playgrounds, Stadium

Culture and Entertainment Cinemas, Theatres

Security Police Station

Commerce Trading Area, Shops, Business Offices

Government Offices

Religious Religious Centres, Mosques, Churches,

Temples

Nature Forest and Green



43

7.9 Connecting The Components

7.10 The Overall Layout

8 km

5 km



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7.11 Building the City

As a platform for the floating city, it is proposed to use light aluminum hollow

tubing salvaged from abandoned cities and factories. The structure is made

stronger with the hexagon pattern (much like the bee hive).

Height of buildings on the platform must not to be too high. Heights and plinth

areas of buildings must be proportioned to the base of the platform for

stability and balancing on sea.

Each hexagon platform can be combined for extra rigid strength (much like a

jigsaw). Nevertheless it can be an independent floating base receptacle

and the modular cluster homes can be constructed upon it.

http://www.i2clipart.com/svgedit/svg-editor.html?paramurl=/svgload.php?id=clipart-hexagon-pattern-56f0



45

7.12 Zoning

7.12.1 Residential Zone

Hierarchy of:-

Neighbourhoods

Neighbourhood Clusters

Precincts

Neighbourhood Cluster –

5000 people – Families

Workers Accommodation

and Dormitories



46

The neighbourhood and cluster sizes are to promote identity and social

interaction with the sharing of common amenities.

Houses with breathtaking sea views

Distance between neighbourhoods for sufficient privacy

Workers Accommodation At Port Area

Adult dormitories at nodes along main spine

Families are entitle to the more spacious homes at the neighbourhood

clusters



47

Family Housing

Dormitories



48

7.12.1.1 Family Housing Precinct – 30,000 Persons

Hierarchical symmetry housing layout to promote greater efficiency, identity,

integration, equality and communal living.

7.12.1.2 Connected Modular Neighbourhoods

• 1 family dwelling unit

(d.u.) = 4 persons

• 1 module = 50 d.u.

• 1 neighbourhood = 5

modules = 250 d.u. =

1,000 persons

• 1 neighbourhood cluster

= 5 neighbourhoods =

5,000 persons

• 1 precinct = 5

neighbourhood clusters =

30,000 persons

The housing types within

each neighbourhood:

• Low-Rise High

Density Family

Housing at the

Neighbourhoods

and Precincts.



49

7.12.2 Employment Centres

Fish farming and processing at the port area



50

Marketing of fish and farm products at the main core along the spine route

Workers at farms along the scarce land

Cottage vertical farming at the nodes of neighbourhood clusters

Dairy farming and food processing provides a major livelihood to the city

population



51

Engineers to maintain the various utilities for the city

Administration workers for the ruling government

7.12.3 Recreation, Leisure and Amenities Zones

City Recreation

Sub-Regional Centre

Neighbourhood Centre



52

7.12.3.1 Distribution of Amenities

7.13 The Facility Buildings at the Nodes

Clusters of neighbourhoods are linked to shared compact facility buildings

that accommodate kindergartens, playgrounds, police beat base and clinics.

Several clusters of neighbourhoods are again served by schools in flexible

buildings that can be modified for various uses according to needs of the

population. The facilities are shops, theatres, schools, admin buildings and

hospitals.



53

7.14 The Mainland Facilities

The stadium that caters for the entire city is located at the mainland as the

structure is heavy and best located on solid ground. Due to scarcity of land,

only such buildings are on land.

The other facilities on land are the farmland, reservoir at the river dam,

sewage treatment plant and power station. The utilities are connected

through durable pipes.



54

The stadium

Farmland

Solar panels



55

Reservoir at river dam

Durable pipe

Pipeline

7.15 Transportation



56

Hierarchy of public transport

Efficient primary route along main spine

Safe and private secondary routes to neighbourhood clusters

Alternate transport using shuttle ferries along perimeter of city

The neighbourhoods are served by a network of covered pedestrian walkways and

public transport consisting of electric vehicles and boats.

The neighbourhoods and public facilities are connected to the Main Spine Trestle via

floating pontoons.

Primary

Secondary

Collector

Regional sea route

City perimeter sea route

SEA THE HINTERLAND

To Forest

Reserve and Reservoir

To Farm Area



57

Regional transport via ships to other cities

By electric buses along main spine route

and pontoons from port to land terminals



58

Sail boats provide traffic dispersal route

Public shuttle along perimeter sea route

7.16 Sustainable Approaches



59

Modular solar energy panels for home use

and water harvesting at individual buildings

Individual water harvesting at the

neighbourhood homes



60

Solar lighting for all walkways and

public transport routes

Windmills placed at the high ground

to harness wind energy

Centralised PV cells for farm and

animal husbandry use

Strict conservation of precious remaining forest



61

Water reservoir from natural forest

reserve catchment

Waste water management and

recycling for farm use

Complete recycling system



62

7.17 Provision for Growth and Expansion

Possible Expansion Structures When The City Prospers

Future Expansion Areas

Future Expansion Areas

THE HINTERLAND

SEA



63

7.18 The Perspective



64

7.19 Conclusion

1. For its continuous survival, the city must be self-contained and sustainable in all

aspects of social, physical and environmental issues.

2. The plan reflects an efficient layout for community living and connectivity.

3. The modular plan is for flexibility and growth.

4. Green technology, renewable energy, water conservation and waste

management are essential to ensure the continuous survival of the inhabitants.

5. The hierarchical transportation network is to promote efficiency for commerce

and safety for living.

6. Diversity of housing types and amenities to cater for all family sizes and age

groups.

7. The neighbourhood and precinct hierarchy is to promote identity, social

integration and sense of community.

8. The city must cater for growth to its optimum size.

9. The construction is structurally safe and promotes flexibility for expansion.

7.20 Final Message

For the continuous survival of the people at 1 SEA TY, sustainable living is

essential. The plan promotes care for the community and environment. We

learn from the past to survive. We look forward to a brighter future.



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8 Conclusion

For its continuous survival, a city must be self-contained and sustainable in all

aspects of social, physical and environmental issues. The plan must reflect an

efficient layout for community living and connectivity. The modular plan is for

flexibility and growth. Green technology, renewable energy, water conservation

and waste management are essential to ensure the continuous survival of its

inhabitants. A hierarchical transportation network is needed to promote efficiency

for commerce and safety for living. Diversity of housing types and amenities is a must

to cater for all family sizes and age groups. A neighbourhood and precinct hierarchy

is to promote identity, social integration and sense of community. A city must also

cater for growth to its optimum size. The construction must be structurally safe and

promote flexibility for expansion.

From research, I‘ve learnt the different characteristics of the natural and built

environment by exploring the basic elements such as natural topography,

landscape, space, building and infrastructure. I‘ve also learnt how to analyse and

evaluate the different developments of the built environment. Lastly, I can now

understand how to communicate ideas through observation and using different

media/tools/techniques to present information of the study of natural and built

environment.



66

9 References

1. http://www.livescience.com/34660-tenochtitlan.html

2. https://faculty.washington.edu/modelski/WcitiesH.htm

3. http://www.tenochtitlanfacts.com/

4. http://www.ancient.eu.com/Tenochtitl%C3%A1n/

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