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Carbon-Neutral Ziggurat Could House 1.1 Million In Dubai

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the big-brother's-wet-dream dept.

Engadget is reporting that a new pyramid-shaped city of the future, dubbed a "Ziggurat," is being touted by Dubai-based environmental design company, Timelinks. Claiming that their design allows for an almost self-sufficient energy footprint and, obviously, economy of space, the real trick would be getting 1.1 million people to live in such close proximity. "Martijn Kramer, managing director of The International Institute for the Urban Environment told WAN: 'As a general reaction the Ziggurat Project is viable from a technical point of view. However reflecting from a more sustainable holistic approach we do wonder if the food supply and waste system are taken care for, as the concept seems rather based upon carbon neutrality and energy saving.' Kramer's initial reaction to 'Ziggurat' also raises a very important issue: are people willing to live in a mega building of 2.3 sq km? Will the thought of living in a machine comfort people?"

5 of 393 comments (clear)

  1. right up till... by LWATCDR · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Someone crashes a A340F full of explosives into it. Or sets fires in it, or...
    Well you get the idea. Good idea but a great target.

    --
    See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    1. Re:right up till... by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's pretty dangerous to exit a skyscraper from the side halfway up. A pyramid, however, can have dozens of exits all over it's surface. They may not be all that safe, depending on the slope, but better than straight down. After all, it's an emergency exit.

    2. Re:right up till... by WrongMonkey · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Great plan. Let's not build anything cool because it might get blown up by terrorists.

  2. Control of personal space by Stanistani · · Score: 5, Insightful

    People can live in very different conditions if their basic needs are met, if there is a cultural web to participate in, and if they have control over their personal space and possibility of advancement.

    I see challenges of propinquity here, but there are very crowded, thriving urban environments to use as examples.

    The key question to answer is: What is the reason for the people to live there, rather than somewhere else? That's the question that builds cities - or ghost towns.

    --
    You can't talk about Wikipedia's flaws on Wikipedia
  3. Beats mcmansions in Bakersfield by heroine · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For all the billions Calif* spends propping up worthless mortgages, it could build gigantic ziggurats & actually house people.