Pointless gesture, or step in the right direction?

[woodsman]

Architect Foster sees future in green desert city | UK | Reuters

This was featured in the Guardian last week and founfd this online article.

Basically, the UAE has set out to spend billions of its oil dollars creating the worlds first 'Zero-carbon' city from scratch. With solar power generation as the driving force behind the project. I like to think it's a great idea, and geeez would I love to design a brand new city, yet the cynic within takes over and I wonder if this is really just another pitiful gesture? Or too little, too late?

Thoughts, ideas anyone?

 

[Overread]

its an interesting idea - though one wonders how they are going to build the city? With green cranes and trucks? A green eutopia built on the foundation of oil and grim.

Also, what use is one new green city when there are so many non-green ones. This funding should not go to an experiment, but to developing and impoving what we already have. Granted some may say that this could be used as a template - but with all the differences in culture, economics, geology, climate, past constructions and everything else; each urban centre is unique = and what works for one might not work of another.

 

[woodsman]

I'm glad others have doubts as well! As to construction I'll have to find the article but a few measures were outlined I think they decided that selling excess 'green' energy afterwards would offset the construction emitions...

 

[Overread]

this buying and selling of "green" is a load of rubbish = just an attempt to try and make money and avoid the read issues!

 

[woodsman]

Indeed, I can't believe people 'buy' it! Ah well they could spend the money on far worse things - indoor Ski slopes.

 

[Overread]

oh powers not that project again!
I mean really its not as if it hard to get abroad these days - why does the UK need a giant indoor ski slope? - its just madness and self indulgance!

 

[Lith]

That's nothing compared to the giant palm tree shaped subdivision they built out onto the ocean, which has been eroding rapidly. Underestimate the power of the ocean... never!

About this project- okay, not about this project- but did you know that a quarter of US air pollution is caused by heavy machinery- i.e. diesel trucks, caterpillars, etc...

Otherwise, this is the sort of project architects absolutely love. Few of them ever get built, but they give them a lot of room to put theories into action. Unfortunately they also tend not to operate as they're supposed to. If it's any consolation though, they'd probably build it anyway, green or not, so I suppose it's better to build even sort of green.

 

[Overread]

I saw pics of that palmtree shaped houseing - and of the start of the map of the world one as well -- Good to hear that they are eroding - I mean not only did those houses look bleek to live in but its just such a display of arrogance!

 

[Fake Vencar]

I agree with OR that they should expand existing plots, not create a brand new city. Think of the ethics too; their citizens don't exactly have a great quality of life as it is. This would just be a waste of money and resources; the phrase 'more money than sense' comes to mind

 

[woodsman]

I dunno, citizens of the UAE probaby have as good a life style as any. Their SHeik built enough houses to rehouse the entire population if they so wished to take them. The fac tmany are nomadic meant they were less likely to accept, but he has put a fair amount of resources into the country.