Living above and beyond
Tomorrow, one of the biggest issues that could threaten the earth ecosystem is the pollution whether it is air, water, earth or even light. This is caused by fumes, waste, and degradation of natural ability due to deforestation. Besides, the over population has thrown major cities into chaos, problems regarding infrastructure, sewage, housing, public space are a constant problem with the population does not seem to stop growing. It gets worsened by the public ignorance, and somehow leads to an expectation for architecture to control this situation without leaving the issue of the impact of contemporary culture and social evolution as well. The earth cannot grow anymore. Therefore, one of the chances we have is to go “up” to live above and beyond. Thus, the project “bubble ring city” is proposed to conserve space while promoting sustainable future living. The proposal are aim to revitalized the future city, forming a balancing civilization to flatten the carbon curve, balance the carbon input and absorption.
“Bubble Ring City” explores the possibilities of innovated technology with combination of artificial intelligence, establishes the general principles for future planning on urban environments and aspects of universal sustainable design from the scale of individual building spaces to district planning. ‘Bubble Ring City’ is designed to provide infrastructure, housing, and commercial and recreational spaces that are free from traffic congestion and air pollution. It is presented as a utopian city that leaves the over-populated, smog-choked city behind and seeks to start from scratch and takes the future of urban development to the sky, offering the residents a chance to escape the crowded city.
SKY IS THE LIMIT, FLYING LIGHTNESS
‘The Bubble Ring’ is a toroidal vortex ring on the ground where the bubble capsules emerges from the core of the vortex. It is a new central component for a city, manipulated by AI technology. The bubble ring will generate bubble capsules to a designated coordinate (3 dimensional axis) to form spaces with technology that are able to filter carbon emission of the city while providing future living and working spaces for the users. ‘Bubble Ring City’ work with fluid dynamics where its nearby spaces would spins poloidally as it travels through the space. The faster the bubble ring spins, the more stable it becomes, the more bubble capsule will be emerged and stationed as work or living spaces.
‘The Bubble Ring City’ using the ring structure at the base provides additional resistance against lateral forces like earthquake, wind and sea waves. The central core of the ring is designed to be common space filled with park and open spaces to allow social activity. This section also functioned as a vertical circulation and the main hall act that producing bubble capsules which float along the axis in the mid air. To eliminate unnecessary traffic for the residents, the ring is embedded with multifunctional spaces such as commercial, service, and administrative spaces in different levels according to the nearest accessibility for residential parts. Other attractive areas are the floating common spaces like park, retails, restaurants, which stay half inside and half outside, where users can enjoy different perspectives and views towards the city.
‘The Bubble Ring City’ attempts to address the spatial and phenomenological implications when new technology is applied to a city, what new hybrid typologies of programme and landscape are birthed, and the role of citizens living together with artificial intelligent in the production of a relevant social space. By analogy, it is a new urban forest, recreating a balance between Mother Nature and human communities. It exist among the cities, providing new public space for people as a gigantic observation room. There will be linkages of capsules (modern public transportation) between each rings. Each ring can have its own specific program, so public activities can be organized (art space, small forest, playground, etc.). The idea if taken to a next level can add a new dimension to the city, with a high speed circulation network corresponding to the existing one. Like the habitable bubbles, the transport network and other amenities would be part of the overall new floating system.
NURTURING SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
Floating in the air about 200-300 meters up, the bubble capsules are located at the best level to filter the pollutants. Hydrogen is used for buoyancy and porous membranes in the air bags take in pollutants and direct them to the core purifier. Nitrogen-fixing microorganisms produce an alkaline substance to neutralize acidic materials into a fertilizer that is released through the base core to help plants grow. Leftover purified water is reclaimed and then used for irrigation and other processes. Over time, a city’s air will gradually improve and the resources created by the skyscraper can be used to create a richer and healthier environment through the development of more vegetation. ‘The Bubble Ring City’ can be transported as necessary to different locations within the city or to other cities in need of fresh air. As a result of industrialization and the burning of fossil fuels, the pH of the earth’s air and soil has been lowered to acidic levels around the world.
In this project, we use algae technique in dealing with pollution. The algae itself is also used as a metaphor for the architectural form. It is an organic-shaped tower that can turn carbon dioxide within the air into oxygen through algae membrane. The system is applied on the bubble capsules at the top and smaller ones that can eventually connect with one another. The design also facilitated with huge fans for sucking air into the building. These capsule have algae skin around them and after an electrical reaction occurs, the fan will absorb CO2 and the algae will turn it into O2. The process will continue as the air condition improves. In addition to using algae, we use solar panel as the significant additional power which is integrated with the work of algae membrane. After carbon dioxide is processed by the algae skin, it will be transformed into liquid form. Next, the liquid form will be kept in underground tank and will be used later as solar panel biofuel. So, we have two efforts from this system that are running simultaneously: air refinement and sustainable energy.
The orientation and coordination of the bubble capsules are designed at different levels according to the wind and the solar orientation. Green spaces and sky-gardens are accommodated behind the gaps in order to serve as social spaces. By considering intelligent trapdoors in these spaces, ‘The Bubble Ring City’ can achieve proper winds for natural ventilation produced by the chimney effect in central atrium. The great interior space also fills the building with light for giving a liveliness, vitality and freshness to the place. The electrical and mechanical facilities are embedded in pipes running underneath the capsules where it will travel down to the service core to do any other necessary maintenance. Lighting these pipes with attractive colors at night enhances the ‘The Bubble Ring City’ aesthetic appeal.
The exterior shell of bubble capsules was designed based on aesthetic appeal and an aerodynamic damping shape to oppose cross-wind deflection during strong winds, supported by a structural braced core, which also functions as a vertical access. The bubble capsules happens to be a helium balloon that gives the structure enough buoyancy to float given its weight. Translucent solar panels line the top of the vessel allowing for clean self-sustainable energy that will be used in propulsion. The head’s surface also allows water vapour and rain to enter the first layer, where is it then directed towards precipitation filters that in return offer clean water for the residents. Like a giant botanical garden, the space enclosed by the bubbles contains clean air. Temperature and humidity are controlled all year long. A ground source heat exchange system heats and cools the air. Solar cells attached to the surface generate electricity. To achieve self-sufficiency in water supply, a system collects and stores the rainwater. This water is refined using filters and drinkable water is directed to the building water cycle.
FORWARD FUTURE
‘The Bubble Ring City ’not only brings space and comfort, but reduces ground population and is a completely self-sustainable city that does not require any fossil fuels to run, making it a green choice for everyone. The proposal return valuable green space to the public, and also help mitigate the pollution that comes with increased development – with parks and plants floating in the sky above the city, the air is partially cleaned.
