Over the past few years, we have witnessed a massive outpouring of creative and ambitious building projects in Dubai, effectively positing Dubai as a leader, perhaps the leader, in cutting-edge and sustainable building. In August, Dubai-based designer Timelinks announced plans for a futuristic city that will be nearly self-sufficient in many regards.
Timelinks has managed to combine one of the most enduring ancient designs with groundbreaking technology, appropriately naming the pyramid-shaped project “Ziggurat” (the word for an ancient, pyramid-shaped temple). Ziggurat will be a carbon-neutral city, powered by steam, wind, and solar energy. Strategically placed within the pyramid will be public and private “green spaces” for agriculture. There are even plans for facial recognition technology being used for security purposes. One of the hallmarks of the project would be a proprietary 360 degree transportation system capable of moving people both vertically and horizontally around the enclave.
The Ziggurat’s design calls for it to take up 2.3 square kilometers of land, with room for roughly 1 million residents. And while some forward-looking projects have, in the past, failed to make it past the design stage, it is not only plausible, but maybe even probable, that the Ziggurat will become a reality given Dubai’s recent building record. The design, and the fact that it could become a reality, pose important questions (raised by worldarchitecturenews): “are people [even] willing to live in a mega building of 2.3 sq km?” and ”Will the thought of living in a machine comfort people?”
Timelinks has patented the design and technology necessary for the project, and plans to unveil it at Cityscape Dubai, October 6-9.
