Cities to be spongy, smart or Legoland?
An artistic rendition of Harbour City Plaza
What will our future cities look like? Lingang, on the coast of the Pudong New Area, aspires to be a smarter, greener, and most importantly, more people-centered community.
It was revealed Thursday at the Lingang Future City forum that Harbour City Plaza on Dishui Lake will have many examples of how a future city might look.
It will feature 560,000 square meters of businesses, shops and residences. The plaza will be a “sponge” city and a “smart” city.
“It will feature plenty of public, open, shared spaces for people to engage with each other,” said planner He Xiaotao.
Construction is set to start on a library, theater and art gallery complex in January and be completed in 2020.
“A future city has to be a human-oriented city,” said Tang Zilai, dean of urban planning at Tongji University. “Lingang should not only be an efficient place supported by advanced technology but also a charming place to work and live.”
Stephen Evans from Cambridge University, said technology will help factories become smaller and greener. Eventually, small factories that do not cause pollution will return to cities.
Tu Qiyu, from Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, wants to see a “Lego” city.
“Future cities, from their physical existence to functions, should be able to adapt to changing times,” he said.
Experts share their views of future cities.
