What do you find in the "Perfect City", aka "A Realistic Utopia"?

[internet_exploder 2]

Hello everyone, I created this topic to see what other peoples' point of views are about what should exist in a "perfect city". When I say perfect, I mean kind of like a utopia #a realistic utopia#, that something that you would want to live in. You can comment on all types of city-related subjects, like transit, location of residents, shops, offices, etc., indoor/outdoor civic activities, and other things such as eco-friendlines.

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Some of my suggestions to a "Perfect City" are:

TRANSIT:

Eco-friendly vehicle fleet

Efficient and frequent service #i.e. 5 minutes or so#

Less dependant on automobiles

Cost-effective

GREENERY:

Lots of trees and careful landscaping

Lots of parks that are placed close together

DEVELOPMENT:

Prevention of "dark chasm of towers" effect

Have a set length between tall buildings

Reasonably spaced civic amenities and educational facilities

Not too compact, yet not too laid out

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Of course, these are just some suggestions to a somewhat perfect utopia. If you're reading this, please share your comments and/or suggestions about this topic.

[zane900 1]

Certainly the a well-maintained tennis court or two that doesn't charge every player a hundred smackeroos. 

*coughnyccough*  Sorry, I think I'm coming down with a cold.

Ping Pong tables in parks would also be a pleasant addition.  Say, something like this

Or how about a pointless, mediocre elevated park in the middle of a bustling city?  We could build up all the hype in the world so it would draw in tourists from around the globe only to disappoint.  Oh, wait - I think NYC beat us to it.

www.thehighline.org

On a more serious note, I would strongly advocate the complete annihilation of roads.  I'm serious.  Replace roads with maglev tracks, and initiate an automated maglev bus service to get everybody wherever whenever.

Just my two cents.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: zane900

On a more serious note, I would strongly advocate the complete annihilation of roads.  I'm serious.  Replace roads with maglev tracks, and initiate an automated maglev bus service to get everybody wherever whenever.quote>

Uh huh. And when the people from outside the city who live nowhere near any mass transit need to get into town, they do what? And what do you do when the computer server goes glitchy and the buses don't do what they're supposed to? Or when the power goes out and the maglev can't function?

Besides, maglev is ridiculously expensive to construct and operate. You wouldn't believe how much juice that stuff sucks up. So it's anything but "green". You'd be better off with nothing but cars and no mass transit.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: zane900

On a more serious note, I would strongly advocate the complete annihilation of roads.  I'm serious.  Replace roads with maglev tracks, and initiate an automated maglev bus service to get everybody wherever whenever.quote>

Uh huh. And when the people from outside the city who live nowhere near any mass transit need to get into town, they do what? And what do you do when the computer server goes glitchy and the buses don't do what they're supposed to? Or when the power goes out and the maglev can't function?

Besides, maglev is ridiculously expensive to construct and operate. You wouldn't believe how much juice that stuff sucks up. So it's anything but "green". You'd be better off with nothing but cars and no mass transit.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: zane900

On a more serious note, I would strongly advocate the complete annihilation of roads.  I'm serious.  Replace roads with maglev tracks, and initiate an automated maglev bus service to get everybody wherever whenever.quote>

Uh huh. And when the people from outside the city who live nowhere near any mass transit need to get into town, they do what? And what do you do when the computer server goes glitchy and the buses don't do what they're supposed to? Or when the power goes out and the maglev can't function?

Besides, maglev is ridiculously expensive to construct and operate. You wouldn't believe how much juice that stuff sucks up. So it's anything but "green". You'd be better off with nothing but cars and no mass transit.

[MTA3479 0]

He's right, he's absolutely right. Would a 500 person town have mass transit anyway? Only if it's beside a really big city. Connect 'em by highways.

[MTA3479 0]

He's right, he's absolutely right. Would a 500 person town have mass transit anyway? Only if it's beside a really big city. Connect 'em by highways.

[MTA3479 0]

He's right, he's absolutely right. Would a 500 person town have mass transit anyway? Only if it's beside a really big city. Connect 'em by highways.

[internet_exploder 2]

Perhaps, yes, but having a speedy transportation system which combines automobiles and mass transit together can also be an option. Relying on an automobile-free society isn't the most cost-effective, or efficient.

[internet_exploder 2]

Perhaps, yes, but having a speedy transportation system which combines automobiles and mass transit together can also be an option. Relying on an automobile-free society isn't the most cost-effective, or efficient.

[internet_exploder 2]

Perhaps, yes, but having a speedy transportation system which combines automobiles and mass transit together can also be an option. Relying on an automobile-free society isn't the most cost-effective, or efficient.

[hologram 0]

I bet most people familiar with the term "arcology" know Arcosanti. Personally I think the Arcosanti project is kinda getting to what human cities should be on a larger scale. Basically it's self-sufficient, eco-friendly habit for scientific study, arts etc. 

If you don't know already, check it out, it's fascinating.

www.arcosanti.org/project/main.html

Here's also a compilation of Mr. Paolo Salieris plans for Arcologies,  and  they seem to be pretty viable choice for future societies to habit. Thinking of small footprint gigantic structures which produce everything from energy to food completely 'off the grid'. 

www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/08/gigantic-city-structures-of-paolo.html

[hologram 0]

I bet most people familiar with the term "arcology" know Arcosanti. Personally I think the Arcosanti project is kinda getting to what human cities should be on a larger scale. Basically it's self-sufficient, eco-friendly habit for scientific study, arts etc. 

If you don't know already, check it out, it's fascinating.

www.arcosanti.org/project/main.html

Here's also a compilation of Mr. Paolo Salieris plans for Arcologies,  and  they seem to be pretty viable choice for future societies to habit. Thinking of small footprint gigantic structures which produce everything from energy to food completely 'off the grid'. 

www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/08/gigantic-city-structures-of-paolo.html

[hologram 0]

I bet most people familiar with the term "arcology" know Arcosanti. Personally I think the Arcosanti project is kinda getting to what human cities should be on a larger scale. Basically it's self-sufficient, eco-friendly habit for scientific study, arts etc. 

If you don't know already, check it out, it's fascinating.

www.arcosanti.org/project/main.html

Here's also a compilation of Mr. Paolo Salieris plans for Arcologies,  and  they seem to be pretty viable choice for future societies to habit. Thinking of small footprint gigantic structures which produce everything from energy to food completely 'off the grid'. 

www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/08/gigantic-city-structures-of-paolo.html

[068664663 2]

Hologram: Are you saying that your idea of a utopia is one huge building that houses residents, shops and offices, and doesn't rely on anything (utilities, resources) beause they just produce it within? I guess that could work, it would be a perfect remedy for overpopulation anyway...

[Mackheath1 0]

Let's take the Swine Flue pandemic and use their rhetoric: Since personal motorized vehicles kill hundreds of thousands of people every year around the world, I think we need to ban all motorized vehicles and make sure there are secure checkpoints at our country's border to keep any personal, motorized vehicles from entering. Leaving only the trucks and freight traffic. It would save money, increase health, and prevent thousands of deaths.

[hologram 0]

Originally posted by: 068664663

Hologram: Are you saying that your idea of a utopia is one huge building that houses residents, shops and offices, and doesn't rely on anything (utilities, resources) beause they just produce it within? I guess that could work, it would be a perfect remedy for overpopulation anyway... quote>

Well heck I'd move into one 

Thinking of possible space colonies etc, they will work on same principles. Getting a bit scifi here but don't mind

[Z77 3]

hmm..in a perfect utopia....id say not better planning or 'greener' cars, but a well funded education system, calm traffic (ok i lied...some better planning), city wide bike trails, lots of parks, and for mass transit, a trolley like system through out the city

[Shlarin 0]

I'll only list the features I really need since extra "features" will end up eating away at my tax dollars:

- 24 hour subway, light rail, or rapid transit system.

- All locations within the city proper are 1km or less from the nearest rapid transit stop and 50m or less from the nearest bus or light rail stop.

- Rail link to a nearby airport with a 30 minute or less transit time from the city center.

- Maximum wait time of 5 minutes for all public transit during business hours, 10 minutes off hours or weekends, and 20 minutes in the middle of the night.

- Intercity train service to all nearby cities on a 30 minute interval during waking hours.

- Citywide WiFi service (like Google Wifi in Mountain View, CA)

- Several colleges or universities

- A multi-story Main Library

- Sufficient park-and-ride lots in the outskirts or suburbs

- No suburban sprawl or oversized single-floored malls

[Dewm 177]

Originally posted by: hologram

Originally posted by: 068664663

Hologram: Are you saying that your idea of a utopia is one huge building that houses residents, shops and offices, and doesn't rely on anything (utilities, resources) beause they just produce it within? I guess that could work, it would be a perfect remedy for overpopulation anyway... quote>

Well heck I'd move into one 

Thinking of possible space colonies etc, they will work on same principles. Getting a bit scifi here but don't mind

quote>

I'm sorry I don't mean to make fun, but I did "Lol" at that first link. They are bragging about getting 5000 people to live 'eco" friendly lives in a 25 square mile area. Well I live up here in Alaska, in a town that houses around 10,000 people in a 25 square mile area, the town is just 5 miles from a national park that is around 30,000 miles. We hunt fish and all of the eviroment around here hasn't change a bit in the 21 years i've been here. BUT there deffinitly isn't anything very "eco" about this area. I drive a SUV with gets around 11 miles to a gallon......we heat with natural gas, coal, electric or wood.

So honestly that whole project sounds like a wast of time. Now if you can get 5000 people to live in maybe 2 square miles and be eco friendly AND every happy with there space....that might be somthing.

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As far as a advanced utopia to live in. I think we need to do more research twards fusion enegies, and take a good hard look at Tesla's work....he was drawing concepts 100 years ago that would be considered revolutionary by todays standards.

[tarrina 2]

Zane900: Are you kidding me? I LOVE the highline!

Shlarin: I second all those ideas!

I vote for:

- lots of green spaces (elevated and otherwise)

- fewer Starbucks (or any chain restaurant or store) and no malls or sprawling suburbs

- no highways inside the city and less road traffic

- a variety of 24-hour public transit options (with access to the airport)

- really well stocked libraries and museums easily accessible to all

For me, utopia is kind of like Paris... tightly concentrated, culturally rich, and beautiful architecturally... but preferably with dog poop scoop laws and more affordable housing right in the center of the city.

[montrouge 2]

But  Paris has malls and sprawling suburbs.  

[tarrina 2]

Yes, Paris does have suburbs (which I could do without) and a few malls within the city center, but they are not the sprawling kind I relate to negatively. What I don't like are what I see in Long Island--lots of back-to-back, massive parking lots dotted with strip malls and chain restaurants with no pedestrian or discernible downtown areas. Blech!