Comments on: ZIGGURAT: Dubai Carbon Neutral Pyramid will House 1 Million

By: dakotamundi

dakotamundi — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:24:36 +0000

Shoe-String, Paolo Soleri is indeed a visionary, but Arcosanti is only scaled for 5,000 people. Its very labor intensive and after 30 years is only 3% complete. It is a community not a city and has the benefit of all its inhabitants subscribing to a common purpose and a master urban plan. Getting 1 million people on the same page, much less under the same roof is going to cause exacerbation of class struggles (who gets the best views, and who lives in the bowels over the garbage bins?) and will put a strangle hold on commodities as there only appears to be four roads going in and out (hopefully not toll roads :)
Dubai is indeed an intresting test in the question of capital driven growth vs. organic communal growth. I would recommend Jane Jacobs book Death and Life of Great American Cities as a possibility of what could happen if the economies of 1 million people are not planned before shoving them all in there. Communities grow organically through human connection over time, it is not a case of just add lime, water and greenwash.

By: Shoe_String

Shoe_String — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:40:29 +0000

Why does everyone refuse believe that large numbers of people can live on a small area of land together? With the collaboration of the some of the greatest architectural and engineering minds of the time, do you honestly think that an “arcology” such as this would even be seriously considered for construction if it did not take into consideration the fact that people don’t want to live like sardines in a can? The point of these types of structures is to build UP, thus reducing the amount or area of land used for housing, and increase the amount of land available for agriculture, forestry and the like, by allowing people to live comfortably ON TOP of each other, not crammed into the same space. For those who have the “I hate city living and need my space and peace and quiet” attitude, you need to realize that this little blue speck of a planet we live on just ain’t big enough for everyone to have their own “forty acres and a mule” and still survive with regards to food and water shortage, as well as pollution and waste.. I suggest to all of those who are still unconvinced, go do a bit of googling on Paolo Soleri and his ideal arcology concept. It IS!!! one of the best solutions (if not the best) to rapidly expanding global population and environment preservation out there. ‘nuf said.

By: mike

mike — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:53:36 +0000

I can’t see this working, everyone’s going to go nuts in there. !,000,000 over 2.3 miles, I’m sure there’s an up factor involved too but, your going to food and entertainment for 1,000,000? Lots of tractor trailers going back and forth all day. 4 roads in and out. lots of trash. No ocean front.
I’ll take where i live, 5 minutes from the beach, with out 1,000,000 neibours living on top of me.

By: inthetrees

inthetrees — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:10:58 +0000

This probably won’t get built. If it does, it probably won’t get finished.

By: cichco

cichco — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:26:55 +0000

I understand people that have concerns about the psychological effects of a building like this, but for the environment we are bit more on track. It is especially good in a poverty stricken region such as this. I think it’s time that more started thinking about living and culture in this sense. It would help not only the environment but financial structures of a state.
The pros here far outweigh the cons.

By: Inhabitat » The Superstar: Self-Sustaining City of the Future

Inhabitat » The Superstar: Self-Sustaining City of the Future — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:04:45 +0000

[...] a completely self-sustaining city, the Superstar will be capable of housing 15,000 people. It will grow its own food, recycle all of [...]

By: Godman

Godman — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:31:26 +0000

This so called ziggurat is just decadent housing for all the children and wives of the shieks.And of course the kitchen staff.Money for nothin get your chicks for free!

By: doug l

doug l — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:56:19 +0000

I love the concept but why is the structure’s surface so antithetical to natural beauty? Wouldn’t this be a better design if the exterior were to emulate a natural landscape, offer habitat for compatible wildlife like birds, bees and bats and recreation and stellar views for the inhabitants. Why do architects always seem to impose the flat inorganic surface of post industrial revolutionary industrial products on structures that could just as easily support a forest and waterfalls?

By: » Blog Archive » ZIGGURAT: Dubai Carbon Neutral Pyramid

» Blog Archive » ZIGGURAT: Dubai Carbon Neutral Pyramid — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:38:33 +0000

[...] Ziggurat will house 1 Million read more [...]

By: Toronto

Toronto — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:20:41 +0000

Interesting that it\\\’s impossible to discuss urban planning or architecture without acommpanying dialogue about $$$, race, human rights etc etc. This is completely reasonable. Ultimately any architectural model for urban growth can be horific or fantastic depending on how it is used and who is housed there. For example while we decry the large public housing projects of western cities, we are actually building on the same model for the middle class and marketing them as condos. So this argument can only ever go sideways.

However we can at least look closely at any effort to reduce our planetary footprint. My major beef with this type of visionary project is that it will never be built and the real challenge is how to deal with the mess we already have in front of us. How does Dubai (or anywhere else) deal with the current inefficient and wasteful land-use paradigms in an way that can be incrementally developed without wasting what we have already built.

By: badmoon

badmoon — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:27:29 +0000

dethmonk, are you talking about the same basic human rights afforded to Mexican immigrants. I know, you will tell me they are undocumented, so that justifies the treatment they get. But human rights knows no document. You need to get off your high horse and look inwards first before being so cynical and critical.

If you dont like the immigrant example, what of the 1,000’s of US citizens of Arab decent that have had their rights abused.

I guess when you talk of basic human rights, its only in your world. Wake up and smell the coffee.

By: dethmonk

dethmonk — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:15:53 +0000

This is going to be a great achievement! And all the while failing to abide by any basic human rights.

Where will they put the death ray?

By: Exploring the Globe » Blog Archive » PYRAMID CITY TO HOUSE 1 MILLION

Exploring the Globe » Blog Archive » PYRAMID CITY TO HOUSE 1 MILLION — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:09:49 +0000

[...] World Architecture News via inhabitat [...]

By: fruityice

fruityice — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:42:50 +0000

Wooow
badmoon thanks for you response.
Dubai has to be admired whether people like it or not
Thanks

By: josnoe

josnoe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:16:43 +0000

Where’s the virtual tour?