Urban development solutions for the sustainable City of the Future
The impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic is drastically changing the livelihood making people embrace the so-called “Next Normal” lifestyle, which will remain for a long time. OPENBOX sheds light on how this Next normal will influence urban lifestyle and introduces the City of the Future Solutions.
The solutions provided by the City of the Future could be a recipe for the success of today’s urban planning and design of buildings, spaces, and urban areas to meet the universal needs with the Next Normal. The solutions will respond to the radical change in lifestyle the pandemic has brought about, changes that may become permanent. These solutions will also help to survive an inevitable upcoming digital disruption, and they will support environmental sustainability.
Stepping into the green solutions
Additionally, the City of the Future will focus on the environment and on green spaces, enabling effective energy sharing among the inhabitants. Last, but not least, the City of the Future cannot be realized without two significant factors: means of transportation and innovative housing technology.
Ratiwat Suwannatrai, Thai architect and OPENBOX group’s founder, identifies five urban development solutions for the sustainable City of the Future.
- S – Space Efficiency: Offering the design of a high-rise building or condominium that can resolve the challenges of limited livable space and resources, which can lead to efficient space management. By switching from horizontal houses to vertical buildings, people can preserve land for other needs, such as nature or commerce.
- E – Energy Sharing: OPENBOX Architects knows that residential condominiums and office buildings consume more energy at night and less during the day. The inspired energy of an “energy blockchain” or digital energy technology enables customers to concurrently consume energy and trade excess power with nearby buildings. Similarly “district cooling” centralizes the production of cooling and distributes it to communities.
- N – Nature & Green: Emphasizing the importance of nature and green spaces, this solution encourages the increase of pedestrian-friendly pocket parks in urban areas. Countries such as Japan, Singapore, and the USA are well known for their pocket parks, in addition to existing large public parks. The inspired “park network” idea provides public spaces linking to one another only through walking, jogging, or biking trails. No roads or streets are needed.
- S – Syncronization of Multi-Functions: Sync functions enable cities to switch to different modes suitable for specific needs. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, several condominiums have issued new guidelines restricting the use of their lifts or the number of people using the lifts. Future designs could accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic requirement for a private locker for contactless delivery.
- E – Explorations of Innovations: This concept refers to research, development, and innovation for better living. The design of homes, condominiums, and office buildings need this innovation to accommodate the New Normal lifestyle. Innovations like “private lift” for tenants to maintain physical distancing and a “double-layer door” for screening visitors and disinfecting them assure buyers that condominiums are the right choice and safe property for their investment.
