Buildings of the Future (Lesson 5)

Buildings of the Future
Architecture that will take your breath away.

Underwater holiday resorts. Vertical farms in the middle of New York. Bionic buildings. These are just a few examples of the buildings of tomorrow. But what are they all about?
It isn’t easy being a hotelier these days. For a start, the 5-star hotel is no longer the height of luxury. Now there are plenty of (unofficial) 6-star hotels and, incredibly, three with 7 stars. So, what can you do if you want to go even further, and give your guests something completely different? Build the whole hotel on the bottom of the ocean, of course! The Crescent Hydropolis is currently under construction in Dubai (where else?); and when it opens, it’ll be the world’s first luxury underwater hotel.
The complex will be 20-metres underwater and will have 220 suites, plus restaurants, a shopping mall, cinemas and a missile-defence system – just in case. All in all, it’ll cover an area of 300,000 square metres. Of course, it goes without saying that all guests will have incredible views of the ocean floor. The owners are even in talks with Disney to bring a fully underwater production of The Little Mermaid to the hotel’s lobby.
Unfortunately, construction of the hotel hasn’t been going too well. The hotelwas due to open in 2006 but was delayed due to environmental concerns. Some experts have predicted that the resort will affect tides, which could lead to floods and the beaching of whales and other sea-mammals. Let’s hope not, because that might put a bit of a “dampener” on all the fun.
Talking about the environment, “green building” is a hot topic these days. So, how about an eco-friendly skyscraper that works like a tree? The “Treescraper Tower of Tomorrow”’ is the brainchild of leading green architect William McDonough. His idea is for a skyscraper that’s designed to mimic the way a tree grows and functions. The building would generate most of its own energy through 30,000 square metres of photovoltaic panels that would cover one façade. All of the water in the “Treescraper” would be recycled, with wastewater flowing into the gardens inside the tower. This water would then be re-used for the toilets and bathrooms. The whole structure would, of course, be made of recycled material. It sounds like a great idea, and, if it happens, it’ll certainly bring a whole new meaning to the idea of the tree-house.
But that’s nothing compared to Vincent Callebaut’s fully-functioning, 128-floor vertical farm in New York. The 700-metre structure would be spread across two towers which would be joined by a huge greenhouse built of glass and steel. The design is inspired by the exoskeleton of a dragonfly wing. Inside, there would be offices, houses, laboratories, farming space and even areas dedicated to rearing livestock. The building would be able to produce its own food, including vegetables, meat, poultry and dairy products. If it ever happens,“The Dragonfly”would be a unique addition to the New York skyline, and would take the concept of “bionic buildings” to a whole new level. Whatever next?
Now we haven’t even talked about the projects for whole cities in the sky, and skyscrapers that can change shape. Oh well, next time!