My name is Bob, its 2030 and this is my place,
that glowing pillar of light; a new skyscraper; the Phoenix. Brisbane is a modern city revolutionised; a
modern city with free energy. Due to the
proliferation of renewable energy, the lens in which we view the city has
changed. No longer worried about CO2 and
other green issues, we instead embrace the future without pollution due to
government run, free, clean and unlimited energy.
Building has exploded in the city, with developers
no longer bound by energy consumption and pollution worries, towers are
everywhere. Because energy is free,
building costs are reduced, manufacturing and even material gathering became
cheaper, and instead now the focus is on the finite resources that we have left
on earth.
As recycling is virtually free, and materials
are finite, buildings are now built with the focus on recyclable, reusable materials. This with a loose fit approach by making the
core, facade and structure of the building permanent and long lasting while the
module tenancy use kept loose to give the building a longer life without
demolition.
As energy is free, digital surfaces adorn most
of the cities buildings. The façade is
made up of digitally enhanced panels of glass in 4000mm by 1500mm
mullions. Each module fits within this
dimension to allow separate control for each user. This technology has replaced the need for
advertising on billboards as companies can how festoon their buildings or walls
with advertisement; depending on the contract you have on your space. With free energy, technology advancements
accelerate at a tremendous rate, although there is always the thought of
minimal material use in mind.
People purchase augmenters such as glasses, and
with these technologies their view of the world is changed. No-longer relying on the built environment,
we have new interfaces, and ultimately, a different augment of our fixed
reality. We add not just information but
even completely modify the view of our world.
Personalization becomes the focus, and an extension of this is making
our sub-conscious lens of the world a conscious decision. We see what we want when we want to. Some people wanting the immersion of the city
with their HUD showing the bargains and events, some focused on social aspects,
but some, like me, choosing to ignore the current and reinvent my reality.
Relationships are different to; with the idea of
Facebook of the naughty’s being taken to the next level. We rarely interact physically, choosing to
instead interface through our technology with each other. Online gaming that was once marginal becomes
the sport of the future; Koreans having already embraced this idea in the 90’s
are leading the world with the immersive gaming technology. We are all online.
But we still crave personal contact. Pop-up love hotels are becoming more and more
popular; the idea first blew me away, without the need for small talk though,
it caught on like wild fire. We no
longer feel the need for relationships that aren’t “fun” instead we rely on
technology to serve, and people to entertain.
Glory holes are the new clubs.
Shopping is dead to; people instead looking at
it as entertainment. We click, scan and
experience in the shop, but ultimately, everything is delivered and nothing is
in store. Apple starting this idea 20
years ago, but it’s taken to a new level.
We shop in passing; retail space is reduced to a mere façade of what it
used to be. But due to the cheaper
manufacturing and transport cost with a relatively stable average income, we
are all consumers devouring commercialism relentlessly.
Even the humble service providers of old are
mechanised and energised. What once had
staff is now reduced to a mechanical line without any human interaction. We purchase with a swipe of our wrists and
cash has become obsolete, instead an online, digital credit system is the new
way. In my pizza place, the pizza man is
no-longer there. Instead the only
employee is the delivery guy, which due to our lazy, online culture is working
harder than ever before. Delivery is the
biggest sector in the employment market. Although there is still a margin for proper dinning, and as the cost of food
production has become significantly cheaper, restaurants have become more
competitive against the fast food of old.
This has encouraged quality food across the board, and as a result,
obesity is almost a thing of the past.
The building management is no-longer an office
hidden far away; with the management being a more hands on component of this
future architecture, they act as care-takers and are found in the foyer. They help out with rental changes, fittings
and fixture rental and even to a small scale, hotel accommodation throughout
the building. This is to reduce the
wasted space throughout the building.
As most in the city are devoured by new
developments of towers reaching the sky, existing structures refitted and
refurbished, mine is one of the new breed.
A site in the city that opened up due to the cities virtual heritage
policy, it is new from the ground up.
No-longer held up by the requirement to keep facades of old regardless
of how significant, developments are left to grow unabated. The structure is built to last, with
sustainability still being a key focus due to the ever pressing reality that
materials are finite, however the dinosaur tower model of energy wasting towers
becomes the norm. The structure is
designed to last at least 100 years, with the fit out of each floor becoming
dependant on the inhabitants. No longer
is renting apartments normal, instead we rent tower amenity, and service and
rent out wall units and cabinet modules to fit out our spaces. These are kept in the basement and are
re-used over and over again indefinitely.
Unit spaces are tiny, with single apartments
becoming the standard. No longer caring
for energy wastage, we use glass everywhere.
Even internally with through the use of technologies, have a layer of
screen imprinted on the glass, so with the use of more energy they are
transformed into display screens used to show whatever our hearts desire. These are used for the module separation
walls, while there is another variety of wall for additional service walls or
sound mitigation. Both of these wall
systems are in modular panels that are either 1000mm or 1500mm depending on the
installation location. In each module
there is a service wall on the corridor side to allow service access for each
user, and also this hides the structure of the building and allows for easy
installation of plumbing, electrical and mechanical services in any module.
My unit is small, very small. At only 25m2 it is average, but on my salary,
it’s all I could afford to lease and fit out.
All the materials used are generally reused off previous fit outs and
tenancies due to the standardisation of wall panel sizing’s through the
building. But while small, it has
everything I need. A bathroom, a kitchen
and my living space; everything transforms into what I need when I need
it. The wall a screen for my TV, and
also my computer, my workspace and my view; with a very poor view of the street
not stopping me, the screens give me a view of Paris,
Or New York, whatever I want really. My transformable space is everything I need.
As most of the modules are leased; stage two
begun a few months ago. That is if we
need more space we have the option of add-on modules that hang off the outside
of the building. Marketed as the
strap-on for your living space; it increases my apartment by 50% and is simply
installed as an attachment to the façade and several façade panels are removed
for access.
Upstairs there are larger spaces; typically for
the wealthy, as a good old fashioned real view is still coveted and with this
tower; you can see almost all the way to the coast. Above the 35th floor the views are amazing
and this is where the building opens up into larger, more expensive modules of
4.
Further still up the top of the building the
modules are 2 per floor. This is where large
offices live. Although by large office I
mean 20 people or so. The large business
model of old is no-longer focused on personal contact and instead virtual
offices are the norm; as most can work from home. Restaurants and bars are also up on the top
floors; still around for people who crave the retro idea of physical
socializing. But as the experience is an
expensive one, it is only for people with decent jobs. Unlike me.
As an architect; I still don’t earn much, but as
I’m told, not much has changed. I work
in a small firm and our office is suitable and as most of the employees could
work virtually and connect with the team when they need guidance; but as the
studio thrives on collaboration, we all try to physically attend as much as
possible, after all, it’s only up 8 floors.
I can’t help but think that transport; while
reduce is almost no-longer needed in a city, and without the need for farms, the inland of
Australia has been all but abandoned, and at the moment, that is the norm, but
I do wonder how long this will be this way.
Although with the densification of the cities, all services have become
insignificantly cheap, and more than ever; with these hybrid, multi-use
buildings that were seen as the saviour of the 2020’s, you don’t have to travel
much more than a few minutes in a lift to have anything you need. This is the city of the future, one bred from
a limitless supply of energy, one that no-longer is limited by pollution,
instead a world without energy worries is a virtual and vertical one, and that
suits me fine. Welcome to the Phoenix.
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