The Strip

Group Members: Asrın Onat Şengül, Begüm Şener, Safiye Bilge Doğan

We proposed a future city in 2080, Pyramiden/ Svalbard.

Pyramiden was a utopia in its time. It is an old Soviet city and there is a coal mine that was the only mainstay. Cultural activities were supported in the city, and citizens had a colorful life. Their life was over the standards. Also, the city plan was similar as Russian city plans. It based on linearity and equality. Also, in Svalbard, there is a seed vault.

We think that from 2020 to 2080 climate change affect the sea level and water will increase, and people will escape to northern places. Also, consumption will increase due to overpopulation and natural order will be diminished. Scientists will start to research agriculture, natural seeds, and foods. Because of the location and its feature, Pyramiden has the potential to research so that scientists will move to Pyramiden. They will organize the soil and use natural seeds in Svalbard. Because of the agricultural activities and climatic change, the city will be covered by a shelter. When it is ready to live, people will move to our city.

According to our group decisions, our city has a linear organization and covered by a domelike structure. This shelter will control the climate and enable agricultural activities. There are different districts and a main axis which is The Strip. The Strip acts as a datum. It collects all districts and creates social interaction.

Each group member proposes a different master plans for the project in consideration of these group decisions.

In my proposal, there are 6 districts* and The Strip. In each district, there are housing and working&study area. I placed the housing area in the center of the districts and working&study area in the periphery. All districts connect to The Strip and the connection area defines the workshop areas. Workshop areas are open to all district’s usage. Moreover, The Strip is the most social area in the city. All cultural and social activities take place in this area. Communal kitchens and old buildings some of the activity places in The Strip.

*6 districts: agriculture district, administrative district, production district, energy district, health district, and marine district.

In that time (2080), capitalism will increase, and people try to find different living conditions. Also, communism was the heritage of the Pyramiden so that I designed a city with equal living conditions. In my city, each person will have 1 housing and 1 working&study module. These modules can be enlarged when necessary via attaching other modules. On the other hand, modules will move from one place to another and connect different modules so that people can work, study or live together for a while. It will create diversity in social interaction.

Their movability will be supported by “Quantum Levitation”. This is a power created between magnets and superconductors. The specific area on the ground level and towers will be covered with magnets, and the structure of modules will be composed of the aluminum frame. Besides movability, modules on the tower will be carried by quantum levitation. Moreover, partitions, furniture, and infrastructure will be composed of 4d programmable materials. These materials can change their shape or size according to environmental conditions. A controlled system will also help to use this kind of material.

Dwellings will be the single people who completed academic study or continuing academic studies. Each district will be special for one occupation and people will live in districts where they work or study. However, they can move to different districts with their modules and have a chance to stay with their friends who met in The Strip.

All districts will have living towers in the center and working&study area on the periphery. Also, there are lab points where students and expertise come together and work collaboratively and workshop points where all different disciplines come together and share different ideas. These spaces also attached to the magnetic structure and carried by quantum levigation. So that they can move different points and expend the space if it is needed.

I think in 2080, the space that people use for living purposes will be very small so that I designed modules while considering the minimum area for living or studying, and I used enlargeable furniture, wet spaces, etc. inside the modules. Each piece of furniture will be open and closed according to needs so that there will be just one place different from today's interior design. Even WC will be closed and used as a kitchen. Also, the ceiling can be a climbing element (kind of a future staircase) when 2 modules attached vertically. Also, infrastructure will take place inside the titanium structure. Since I will use 4d materials for piping, there won't be any leakage problem.