What Will the Cities of the Future Look Like? 3 Most Promising Concepts

Sara Kulturhus, Skelleftea, Sweden. Used systems: MB-86, MB-SR50N OW, MB-SR50N

Architects and urban planners have long been creating concepts for the ideal city of the future, which will be able to meet the expectations and needs of people living in urban areas in a few or several decades. We present 3 interesting ideas that have already been implemented.

It is estimated that by the mid-21st century, 80% of the European population will live in cities. Metropolises will continue to grow dynamically to accommodate new residents. When we add the development of technology, the impacts of advancing climate change, and the necessity to achieve emission neutrality as soon as possible, it becomes clear that metropolises, as we know them now, will have to become a thing of the past. Let's familiarize ourselves with the key trends that will shape the cities of the future.

1. The 15-Minute City

The general uncontrolled suburbanization (or expansion) of European cities is causing increasingly problematic spatial chaos. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people face traffic problems associated with traveling from their homes in the suburbs to work in the city center and back. This also leads to increased emissions of exhaust gases and noise.

Oxygen Tower, Manchester, United Kingdom. Used systems: MB-SR50, MB-70 HI

The answer to these issues is the idea of 15-minute cities. It involves reorganizing urban space in such a way that residents have free access to all essential places for daily functioning within approximately fifteen minutes. Metropolises should consist of multifunctional neighborhoods where local businesses flourish and social ties are strengthened. Infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists can replace car and public transport, which will have a positive impact on the state of the environment. Plans to implement such an urban model are starting to be mentioned by the authorities of the largest European cities, such as Paris, Barcelona, or Rome.

In Prague and other Czech metropolises, the idea of the 15-minute city is also highly sought after and considered for implementation by architects, urban planners, and city authorities.
In April 2022, our capital city hosted Professor Carlos Moreno from Sorbonne University – the creator of the concept of the fifteen-minute city – for a lecture on the possibilities and challenges of transforming Prague into a city of short distances.
The lecture was delivered as part of Urban Talks at CAMP. The event was attended by Prague's mayor Zdeněk Hřib, who commented on the topic as follows: – The concept of the fifteen-minute city that Professor Moreno is dealing with can undoubtedly improve the quality of life not only for the residents of Prague. The data we have in the capital can be effectively used to enhance civic amenities in its densely populated areas. Ultimately, it could have a positive impact on the overall development of transport in the city and the need for residents to commute to the city center. Additionally, Professor Moreno is very interested in helping Prague with these matters in the future.

The event also included workshops for architects, urban planners, transportation planners, and officials, during which they discussed the changes, opportunities, and challenges that Prague and other cities will face in the coming years.

2. Smart City

The idea of smart cities relates to the use of technological solutions to improve the quality of life for people in urban areas. This concept has been evolving for several decades – initially focusing primarily on the accumulation of technologies in urban spaces. Today, many Asian metropolises are at the forefront in this regard. The idea of smart cities has evolved towards maximizing the study of residents' needs and adapting urban spaces to them using modern technologies.

Cavatina Hall, Bielsko-Biała, Poland. Used systems: MB-SR50N EFEKT

The Line City

An example of such a city is The Line City in Saudi Arabia. It is an ultramodern city without streets and cars, powered solely by green energy. The city is designed on a linear plan – approximately 170 km long and 200 m wide, where all essential points of daily life are accessible within a 5-minute walk. The use of artificial intelligence is intended to enable continuous adaptation of the infrastructure to human needs.

The theory of linear cities emerged as early as the late 19th century. The Spanish urban planner Arturo Soria y Mata, who dealt with the problems of Madrid, created a concept for expanding the suburban areas of the Spanish metropolis on a linear layout. The metropolis was to expand along a newly established railway line in strips of buildings 50 km long and only 500 m wide. The aim was to reduce social inequalities. Residents of distant city peripheries and those in the center were to have similar living and working conditions. The city authorities provisionally accepted this concept. Unfortunately, only about a 5-kilometer section was built. Thus, this plan remained only a futuristic utopia. Will The Line City be realized? The results will be evident in the not-so-distant future. Construction work is set to begin around 2030.

Písek is considered the first smart city in the Czech Republic. The goal of the Smart Písek project, which has been underway since 2015, is to create and develop smart concepts and stimulate investments in innovations in the city. It focuses on improving the quality of life of residents, increasing the efficiency of the local economy, and striving for the sustainability of the city by improving resource efficiency and reducing emissions.

Erskine House, Belfast, United Kingdom. Used systems: MB-SR50N

3. Self-Sufficient City

Both of the aforementioned concepts contain elements of the third trend that futuristic cities are heading towards. This is self-sufficiency.

Other crises affecting humanity: climate, food, depletion of non-renewable resources, or health issues, show that for future generations to have living conditions on Earth, it is necessary to change the urban model in such a way as to provide residents with as much autonomy as possible.

A pioneer in the realization of intelligent and self-sufficient urban complexes is, of course, the Italian architect Stefano Boeri. His project Smart City Forest Cancun in Mexico is a concept of a city-forest that is entirely self-sufficient in terms of energy production and food production. A realized example of green intelligent construction by this creator is the two skyscrapers Bosco Verticale in Milan.

The first entirely self-sufficient and eco-friendly city is already under construction. It is Masdar in the United Arab Emirates, with construction beginning in 2006. It is intended to be energy self-sufficient – all energy comes from renewable sources: photovoltaics and geothermal sources. Emission-free transportation will operate here. Water is to be treated for use as many times as possible. Up to 80% of water is to be recycled. Waste management, however, anticipates 100% recycling. The construction process itself is based on the exclusive use of renewable energy sources. The city is being built from low-emission cement using 90% recycled aluminum.

Let's Build a Better Future

— The idea of the cities of the future is inextricably linked to the need for sustainable construction. Building investments must be made in an environmentally friendly manner. Due to its durability, anti-corrosive properties, recyclability, and the ability to create non-obvious forms, aluminum is one of the most environmentally friendly raw materials in the world – states Aleksandra Baksik, Brand & Sustainable Development Manager at Aluprof SA.

The Aluprof brand is a global manufacturer of aluminum systems that includes products such as window and door systems (e.g., MB-79N or MB-104 PASSIVE). The company has been expanding its product offerings for years, aimed at eco-friendly construction. The systems offered by the brand are equipped with numerous environmental certificates, such as EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) or Cradle to Cradle. This ensures that buildings created using these systems receive the highest level of green building certifications like LEED and BREEAM.

st, Czech Republic. Used systems: MB-104 PASSIVE, MB-ST50N, MB-78EI

In response to the question about the role of aluminum as a raw material in the concept of building cities of the future, the expert, Aleksandra Baksik, Brand & Sustainable Development Manager at Aluprof SA answered:

— The prerequisites for sustainable construction and circularity are being used with increasing frequency. More and more construction projects are implementing the principles of circular economy, enabling the use of processed raw materials, such as green metals like recycled aluminum. Very high-quality solutions created from secondary aluminum allow, among other things, to reduce embedded carbon footprints, decrease energy, water, and natural resource consumption.

More and more concepts of innovative cities aim to enhance the safety and comfort of life for their residents. Achieving this goal can only be accomplished through joint measures at the level of artificial intelligence development, sustainable construction, energy self-sufficiency, environmental consideration, or building public awareness. We all participate in building the ideal cities of the future, where we can live happily along with future generations.

The Czech Republic

This article is sponsored by Aluprof