Sure why not? It would be cool to have “enclosed” cities (as in a big dome, only with multiple levels). Huge structures that are several miles across, but self-contained and multi-level. So you’d have houses and apartments on one level, and work spaces, offices, business, malls, etc on the lower levels. The temperature would be controlled at around 72 every day, and there’d be no need for a car, you simply hop in the elevator to go the floor you work on. And there could be ample rooms on other levels for farms and hydroponic gardens. There would be electric carts to drive you if you have to cover a long distance. You’d have everything you need and never have to leave “the dome” (except to go to the Las Vegas dome for recreation).
I went to CA for the holidays and was utterly dismayed by how unwalkable it was. It’s honestly tragic, I really took for granted being able to walk a few blocks for groceries.
It’s awful! I was staying in a hotel one mile from my job’s main office in Silicon Valley, so I figured I’d get some exercise and walk to the hotel instead of getting an Uber. And holy crap it was almost impossible. The sidewalk kept disappearing, especially at major roads and freeways, there were no crosswalks, I had to cut through multiple parking lots. I’ve never seen a place more actively hostile to pedestrians.
I tried walking from one house to another in a Texas suburb, near Houston. Similar experience. There were NO accommodations for pedestrians at all. Long stretches had no sidewalks, no crosswalks, and drivers seem to think anyone walking would be completely insane or dispensable, and aren’t looking for them at all. Truly ridiculous. Plus of course the town was insanely spread out and something that seemed like a reasonable walk, having driven many times, was actually 9-10 miles.
I was more thinking about not having to deal with six months of snow (like we do in Utah) - being able to actually get to work or to a store without having to plow through two feet of snow. Walkable cities are great, Seattle is kind of like that - Salt Lake, not so much, it’s more of a jungle of highways and not much room for pedestrians.
Ugh that walled city of Kowloon. I don’t know how people can stand to be so cramped together. But when I was in China, there were high rises everywhere with small apartments and laundry hanging out to dry, so maybe it’s just something you get used to (?) I dunno though, with my claustrophobia.
I dunno though, I’d rather be under the naked sun myself in all honesty. I’m just thinking about decades from now when “up” is the only way left to build, and the naked sun may be too hot to endure for long. Still, I’m much more into outdoorsy stuff myself, like kayaking and hiking, that I am into sitting inside on a nice day.
Well hopefully it would be designed to be comfortable and have lots of “outdoor like” spaces like parks and gardens. I’m not too fond of cities either, I’ve always lived in a part of the west where things are open and we have lots of “big sky,” so i totally get what you mean. You can’t really imitate that with artificial means.
I am Wyoming born and raised, cities drain me of my very will to live, I can’t see the sky, the air burns my lungs, there is nowhere that isn’t artificial and drained of its natural soul. I just can’t live there and it kills me when people are pushing to make urbanization even worse
I totally relate, I was born and raised in Salt Lake. It’s not the most urban of cities, but we have a lot of air pollution (and it gets trapped here in winter by the inversion). I really wasn’t intending to push for more urbanization - only for thinking about the far future when the planet may be so crowded and polluted and hot that we need to “dome in” our living spaces.
Trust me I’d rather have open air and open sky also. I’m not a city person at all. There is just no place as wide open and unspoiled as many of the lands we have here in the West, and I do cherish and appreciate them.
Sure why not? It would be cool to have “enclosed” cities (as in a big dome, only with multiple levels). Huge structures that are several miles across, but self-contained and multi-level. So you’d have houses and apartments on one level, and work spaces, offices, business, malls, etc on the lower levels. The temperature would be controlled at around 72 every day, and there’d be no need for a car, you simply hop in the elevator to go the floor you work on. And there could be ample rooms on other levels for farms and hydroponic gardens. There would be electric carts to drive you if you have to cover a long distance. You’d have everything you need and never have to leave “the dome” (except to go to the Las Vegas dome for recreation).
Or we could start by designing walkable cities
I went to CA for the holidays and was utterly dismayed by how unwalkable it was. It’s honestly tragic, I really took for granted being able to walk a few blocks for groceries.
It’s awful! I was staying in a hotel one mile from my job’s main office in Silicon Valley, so I figured I’d get some exercise and walk to the hotel instead of getting an Uber. And holy crap it was almost impossible. The sidewalk kept disappearing, especially at major roads and freeways, there were no crosswalks, I had to cut through multiple parking lots. I’ve never seen a place more actively hostile to pedestrians.
I tried walking from one house to another in a Texas suburb, near Houston. Similar experience. There were NO accommodations for pedestrians at all. Long stretches had no sidewalks, no crosswalks, and drivers seem to think anyone walking would be completely insane or dispensable, and aren’t looking for them at all. Truly ridiculous. Plus of course the town was insanely spread out and something that seemed like a reasonable walk, having driven many times, was actually 9-10 miles.
Wait till you visit Kathmandu
If only…
Wait, those actually exist, but do get hella expensive.
I was more thinking about not having to deal with six months of snow (like we do in Utah) - being able to actually get to work or to a store without having to plow through two feet of snow. Walkable cities are great, Seattle is kind of like that - Salt Lake, not so much, it’s more of a jungle of highways and not much room for pedestrians.
I live where there is snow. Walkable cities would work.
Yeah, that’s the problem.
Le Corbusier just came in his grave.
!! I’d like to think so.
Kowloon walled city 2: electric boogaloo
Ugh that walled city of Kowloon. I don’t know how people can stand to be so cramped together. But when I was in China, there were high rises everywhere with small apartments and laundry hanging out to dry, so maybe it’s just something you get used to (?) I dunno though, with my claustrophobia.
Caves of Steel
Yeah that - uh, that sounds terrible. If nothing else at least make the whole thing open and airy with lots of light.
Anything to not be under The Naked Sun.
I dunno though, I’d rather be under the naked sun myself in all honesty. I’m just thinking about decades from now when “up” is the only way left to build, and the naked sun may be too hot to endure for long. Still, I’m much more into outdoorsy stuff myself, like kayaking and hiking, that I am into sitting inside on a nice day.
That sounds absolutely hellish as someone that can’t stand cities
Well hopefully it would be designed to be comfortable and have lots of “outdoor like” spaces like parks and gardens. I’m not too fond of cities either, I’ve always lived in a part of the west where things are open and we have lots of “big sky,” so i totally get what you mean. You can’t really imitate that with artificial means.
I am Wyoming born and raised, cities drain me of my very will to live, I can’t see the sky, the air burns my lungs, there is nowhere that isn’t artificial and drained of its natural soul. I just can’t live there and it kills me when people are pushing to make urbanization even worse
I totally relate, I was born and raised in Salt Lake. It’s not the most urban of cities, but we have a lot of air pollution (and it gets trapped here in winter by the inversion). I really wasn’t intending to push for more urbanization - only for thinking about the far future when the planet may be so crowded and polluted and hot that we need to “dome in” our living spaces.
Trust me I’d rather have open air and open sky also. I’m not a city person at all. There is just no place as wide open and unspoiled as many of the lands we have here in the West, and I do cherish and appreciate them.