Insights · June 26th, 2012
I am working on a book with Dennis Walsh on the future of cities. We’ll have that done by the end of summer. In the meantime, txchnologist.com continues its series on future cities, and recently interviewed me, among others. Their most recent piece based on those interviews is Bye Bye Jetsons. Among the things I tell them…
“If given carte blanche to remake a city for the future, Hiemstra says his would include zero- or extremely low-carbon output systems with buildings designed to need little air conditioning or water. Communities would be “superwired” at the highest online connectivity speeds and would also incorporate living systems and rooftop gardens.
“I like organized living communities, so I’d want to see them built around walking distance from the place you get your groceries,” Hiemstra says. “Where there are roads, they need to be solar [electricity-generating] and constantly circulating autonomous electric vehicles. Walkways would have roofs made of solar cells. Walk and bike ways would be usable in all weather.”