thom chiu
thom chiu

New Arcadia

Entry for Droog Competition Open Call
(Personal)

socialcities.org – DROOG,
Amsterdam
2016 Summer

Individual Project
New Arcadia is an urban design proposal addressing the topic of Urban Nature proposed by socialcities.org

Based on data collected by socialcities.org, people have a strong desire for nature in their living environment, which parks and greenery simply cannot fulfill. Therefore, the topic of Urban Nature calls for a creative solution for an urban environment in the wilderness.

New Arcadia is an ecological and economic urban design approach that imagines a new urban typology where urban dwellers can live in harmony with nature through strategic reforestation.

3 Phases
of New Arcadia

The primary objectives of New Arcadia is to connect and expand existing forests currently claimed by industrial farmlands, and provide an immersive natural yet urban environment to live and work in.

The development of New Arcadia is dictated by the time needed for reforestation and economic developments. 3 phases are strategically outlined to ensure a persistent and adaptive economic + ecological growth .

Economy
of New Arcadia

The economy of New Arcadia constantly adapts to the needs of the city and people

During phase 1, establishing commercial interest is critical to the growth of the city, because it can secure financial supports and attract people to New Arcadia.

To prepare the city for the future of independent self-production and maker culture, an area for light-manufacturing warehouses will be established. This will also stimulate population growth, while providing the right facilities for future uses.

When self-driven shared economy becomes more common, people will be less bounded by where they work. The increasingly flexible and personalized lifestyle will lead to sprawl across New Arcadia to find their very own space.

Ecology
of New Arcadia

The expansion and preservation of native wildlife is at the heart of New Arcadia.

To expand and connect two existing forests during the first phase, close to fully grown trees will be planted instead of saplings, because people need to see both economic and ecological results quickly. Once these aspects are established, reforestation will start from saplings.

To preserve and protect the native wildlife, New Arcadia is built above the forest ground. This gives native wildlife freedom to roam across both forests, bringing existing ecology system into New Arcadia.

Life
in New Arcadia

In New Arcadia, people live harmoniously with nature on the same ground.

To a certain extent, the way people live in New Arcadia is reminiscent of the life we live today, but experienced in a completely different way. Inside the forest, a variety of density for living is made available by various sizes of platform lots.

Commuting between destinations happens on a network of elevated passageways that connects the whole city. Like the streets we have today, these passageways functions differently depending on where it leads to. But unlike our streets, only medium-low speed electric vehicles are allowed and cars are not allowed on the elevated passageways. Instead cars travel below the city on unpaved dirt roads that slows them down and minimize their disturbance to wildlife.

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