Arcology

New Orleans Arcology Habitat.

The arcology is a type of architecture based on large structures that allow a high-density, compact, integrated urban design, with low ecological impact and high efficiency in the use of resources, in opposition to the unlimited expansion of current cities over the territory. The term comes from the fusion of "architecture" and "ecology". It was introduced by Paolo Soleri.

Similar real projects

Arcosanti is an experimental town under construction in central Arizona. Designed by Paolo Soleri, its primary purpose is to demonstrate the principles of arcology.

Many cities around the world have proposed projects that adhere to the design principles of the arcology concept, such as Tokyo and Dongtan, near Shanghai. The first phase of Dongtan is scheduled to open in 2010.

Certain cities and urban projects exhibit some characteristics that reflect the design principles of arcology. Pedestrian connection systems, such as the +15 system in suburban Calgary, or the Minneapolis Skyway System are examples. They are self-contained devices, with interconnected supermarkets, retail and entertainment complexes. The +15 is the largest pedestrian skywalk system with a total length of 16 km, and Minneapolis has the longest continuous system at 13 km in length. Seward's Success in Alaska was planned but never built. It would have been a small town outside of Anchorage. Co-op City in New York's Bronx is another example, with many services provided on-site.

The Las Vegas Strip showcases arcology-inspired design features. Most major casino resorts are connected by tunnels, pedestrian bridges, and monorails. It is possible to travel from Mandalay Bay in the south to the Las Vegas Convention Center Strip, 5 km to the north, without using streets. In many cases, it is possible to move between quite a few different casinos without ever having to go outside.

The United States Antarctic Program's McMurdo Base and other scientific research stations on the continent of Antarctica may be closer to the conception of an arcology as a self-sufficient, technologically advanced human community. Although not entirely self-sufficient (the US Army's 'Operation Deep Freeze' resupply effort consumes 30'3 million liters of fuel and 5,000 tons of supplies and equipment annually), the base has a very insular character as a necessary protection against an extremely harsh environment, being geographically isolated from conventional support networks, and they must avoid damage to the surrounding Antarctic ecosystem due to the Environmental Protection Protocol of the Antarctic Treaty. The base generates electricity with its own generator, and grows fruits and vegetables in a hydroponic greenhouse, mainly for limited use in winter, when replenishment is non-existent. The base is also stocked with a full range of living and recreational items for the approximately 3,000 scientists and support staff who visit each year.

Crystal Island is a proposed arcology project in Moscow, Russia, although as of 2009 construction has been indefinitely postponed due to the global economic crisis.

In 2008, design firm Timelinks proposed a 2'3 km² carbon neutral superstructure accommodating 1 million people in Dubai with many arcology concepts (see Inhabitat » ZIGGURAT: Dubai Carbon Neutral Pyramid will House 1 Million (in) by Evelyn Lee).

Visionary projects

Over time, various architects and engineering firms have designed visionary (or hypothetical) projects that are not ready for final construction. Among this category are the tallest buildings ever designed before, such as Ultima Tower, or X-Seed 4000.

Arcology in Fictional Stories

However, it is in the field of science fiction, where the term has had more development. The concept is already intuited in Fritz Lang's Metropolis, the novel The Inner World by Robert Silverberg (1971), the novel by J.G. Ballard "Skyscraper" (1975). Appears in "To the Country of the Electric Angel" by William Rotsler, in the book "In the ocean of night" by Gregory Bendford (1976) or Oath of Allegiance by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven (1981). It is also described in The Projects of Count Zero, in the movie Logan's Run, Appleseed by Masamune Shirow, the Tyrell building in Blade Runner, in the first Star Trek movie by J. J. Abrams and in the latest Judge Dredd movie. Their imposing physical appearance is highlighted in these works of fiction as corporate boast, and their crowded population, rarely reaching ground level, over their ability to maintain their own ecology.

Arcology in video games

In the realm of video games, examples are found in SimCity and the city of Rapture, depicted in the 2007 video game BioShock. Rapture is a submerged city where savage capitalism and genetic experimentation have driven its inhabitants insane, plunging the city into chaos and leaving few survivors. A good example of an extended and detailed arcology that helps better understand the concept and to raise certain moral dilemmas to consider. Also in "Destiny 2" you can find the New Pacific Arcology, located on Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn.