Creating the Unreal:
Speculative Visions for Future Living Structures
Since more than half a century ago, architects and theorists such as Yona Friedman have proposed ideas for mobile architecture such that the inhabitant should be the sole conceiver of his own living premises within a structure that would allow individual variations [Friedman 2016]. He sketched floating space-frame-like superstructures over existing cities that provide flexibility for inhabitants to construct their dwelling units freely while maintaining the physical integrity of the community. His vision appeared to be unrealistic, as there were no technological means for the suspension of such structures or transportation of the units. However, anticipated new technologies for the 21st century—hyper-strength materials such as carbon nanotubes, space elevators, wireless communications and energy transfer, autonomous drones, and artificial intelligence—could realize a transformative vision for a new kind of living for future generations. Some theoretical physicists foresee that the invention and realization of a space elevator could provide gravity-free spatial structures supported by the balance between the centrifugal force and gravity of the earth and connected through space elevators. In theory, such a gravity-free structure, with auxiliary uplift support from helium-based high-altitude solar platforms, would establish a second “ground” for future residents of Earth without harming natural and artificial resources on the existing ground.
Related Publications:
Narahara, T., "Creating the Unreal: Speculative Visions for Future Living Structures," SIGGRAPH 2018 Talks (The 45th International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques) Vancouver, Canada, August 12-16, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1145/3214745.3214799