Italian architect proposes vertical cities built on water

According to a Nasa report, sea levels will rise by four feet by the year 2021, which means humankind needs to adapt and look for alternative ways of living. It has also been reported that 90 per cent of the world’s largest cities including Miami, Shanghai, and Alexandria, among others, are threatened by rising sea levels. These environment catastrophes are the premise for Luca Curci’s out-of-the-box proposal for a vertical city.

The Italian architect presented the concept of integrated, self-sustainable towers on water in the afternoon session on day one of the sixth Knowledge Summit, organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) held from Nov.19-20, 2019, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

“We are three times the sustainable number of people on earth and in about 12 years, there will be two billion more people, but our cities not ready for that. We propose a vertical city built on water, which can house 25,000 people. The city will have a zero-waste policy and use renewable resources such as solar panels, wind and water turbines to produce energy. The city also includes integrated food production and farming, thereby offering a healthier lifestyle connected with elements of nature,” Curci stated.

Curci’s vertical cities are a modular interpretation of the idea of contemporary cities that have no suburbs. He aims to make them affordable where farming is integrated with social space, enabling communities to produce their own food. He also proposes such living will alleviate poverty and create smart and efficient living spaces.

“Unlike modern-day skyscrapers, these towers will be completely ventilated by integrating a lot of natural elements such as wind, light and water. These are not like apartments or duplexes but more like villas at different levels. The vertical city will be connected with other cities by water, land and air,” he added.

He emphasised making cities more suitable for human interactions, which is a key element of the vertical city design.

“The urban sprawl has created many problems; traffic and pollution are some of the issues city-dwellers face on a daily basis. Vertical cities eliminate such issues and create solutions that help us thrive,” he concluded.

Organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) under directives from MBRF Chairman Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the 2019 Knowledge Summit bears the theme ‘Knowledge for Sustainable Development’, and is set to showcase relevant experiences and best practices that have helped countries on their development journey in various sectors.

HAPPY SOCIETY

Building good health is everyone’s responsibility, said Humaid Al Qutami, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on day one of the 2019 Knowledge Summit in Dubai World Trade Centre.

Delivering a keynote speech at a panel titled ‘Building Good Health and Prosperous Societies through Knowledge’, Al Qutami stated that the DHA’s approach to building a healthy, happy society is based on technology and partnership.

“It is your constitutional right to have good health, and the UAE makes sure that everyone has access to healthcare,” said Al Qutami. “The DHA is committed to a healthy, prosperous society, which we are working towards through a combination of investment in technology and partnerships with leading universities around the world. Continuous education provides us with the knowledge needed to further enhance the services we provide, while also empowering society with the understanding they need to take preventative measures.”

He continued, explaining how technology has played a critical role in shaping Dubai’s healthcare system. “Technology is knowledge; one cannot work without the other. We are at the forefront of big data, which represents a key source of knowledge for our sector. Services such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence have enabled us to improve efficiency in hospitals across the emirate, in terms of both time and costs. We are leveraging technology and data to the benefit of patients, increasing safety, accuracy, and efficiency as we move towards a healthier, happier society.”

According to Dr Asma Al Mannaei, Director of Healthcare Quality Division at Abu Dhabi Department of Health (HAAD), innovation is a tool, not a goal, which will help tackle challenges differently. “With every new experience, there are challenges. The important part is the knowledge – and then the challenges can become the driver of your next step. Co-creation is the key to thinking differently,” she said, moving on to explain how HAAD works within an ecosystem that includes like-minded partners, such as start-ups, to create new solutions for healthcare in the UAE’s capital.