For anybody out there unfamiliar with the term, an arcology is a structure sheltering a self-supporting group of people that is isolated from the rest of the world. It contains commercial, residential and agricultural facilities that allow the residents to live comfortably and independently from the now traditional urban infrastructures. The word arcology actually is a portmanteau (parts of multiple words combined into a new word, altering the meaning) of “architecture” and “ecology”. The idea was that cities should fulfill human aspirations and needs as well as the need of the Earth’s environment. The arcologies are envisioned to be partially underground, or built into natural geographical features of the terrain.
The origin of arcology
When you think about it, arcology is basically a utopian concept, so it is no wonder that examples of it are found predominantly in works of fiction. Way back in 1899, H. G. Wells’s novel “When the Sleeper Wakes” depicts a rudimentary version of arcology. Various examples of arcologies can be found in the science fiction genre throughout the 20 Century, but the concept did not catch the attention of the general public until William Gibson’s 1984 cyberpunk classic “Neuromancer”.
An influential utopian architect Paolo Soleri (who passed away in April 2013) was actually the one who coined the phrase. He wanted to emphasize constructions and communities that lived in harmony with their environments, rather than exploiting and draining them. Back in 1960s, at his workshop in Cosanti, Arizona – Soleri sketched up the plans for Arcosanti. It was imagined as a self-sustained counterculture commune that offered an alternative to the dominant American suburban lifestyle. It was built in 1970, 110 kilometers north of Phoenix by student volunteers out of local materials, with 13 buildings completed to this day. However, of the expected population of 5.000, the place houses only around 150 people. While Arcosanti may have not lived up to Soleri’s expectations, its lessons on how to build a functioning, practical community that is nevertheless maintainable has stayed relevant throughout the decades.
The future of arcology
Even though arcology is still more of a concept than a reality, there are still architects around the world who are designing arcologies that could have a powerful impact on urban design. There are even some projects that made past the planning stages. Here are some city designs that were clearly inspired by the principles of arcology.
Masdar City
In 2008, Masdar City broke the ground in Abu Dhabi, striving to develop the world’s most viable eco-city. The city uses energy generated from the solar rooftops, and it has an integrated transport system that includes pod cars, light rail, etc. ironically, during the constructions, the workers are living in self-sufficient houses made from shipping containers which are also a great alternative for this life style. Currently, there a few thousand people living in the city at the moment, but when complete, the city aims to house over 40.000 individuals.
Endless City in Height
The Endless City in Height, designed by SURE Architecture would function like an upward eco-system, with ramps going inside and outside connecting various spaces within the tower. It would feature different ecological approaches to waste, water and energy management. It was designed for SkyScrapers & SuperSkyscraper Competition, where it won first prize.
Boston Arcology
Boston Arcology, also known as BoA, is a challenging project aimed at Boston residents. When completed, it will be able to house over 15.000 people, and it will contain hotels, offices, museums and even a new city hall. Every 30 floors, a sky garden will be inserted into the three main towers. The builders aim to eliminate the need for cars within the structure, to create a “carbon neutral entity”.
Until we don’t get a chance to actually build a habitat in this manner, we can turn to pop culture in search for great examples. Numerous video games, such as Mass Effect and Final Fantasies are depicting this concept perfectly. Not to mention legendary movie structures like Zion from Matrix and Libria from Equlibrium. Who knows, maybe we will witness a project of this magnitude rising in this century.
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