Is living together the future for cities in the Middle East?
In part two of our future cities we explore the project proposal of a futuristic desert city
Driving for a sustainable community Luca Curci Architects (LCA) has based the next part of its innovative series in the desert.
Click here to read part one: Beehives and moons: Our future cities?
Some of the core concepts are based around saving energy, harnessing resources, respecting the environment and enhancing human relationships, showing the architectural group's strong ethos for seeking a sustainable future with a cohesive community. But could this come at a cost of personal space?
Architect Luca Curci said:
'Desert City is a project not just about architecture, but it's about a way of life. It's about communities. It's a new way.'
LCA has created a series of 'identity places' that are the structures making up the city. These comprise residential and social areas, plus other necessary facilities.
The smallest buildings host houses for one to two families or small communities of up to five families. The medium structures hold facilities such as research, cultural, administrative and service centres.
The largest buildings are used for more complex facilities with a population of 2-5,000 inhabitants. Furthermore, these buildings will contain all the required jobs and workplaces with cultural and social facilities. Here the houses reflect a traditional Arab home and is organised around a central courtyard where open air provides light and ventilation.
Filled with fountains and gardens; the courtyard projects symbolic and architectural value in its role as both an organic separator between spaces and a meeting space for the community.
Green terraces represent an oasis inside the premises, where recycled and desalinated water, or underground springs, can be used as a water supply. In the central area lies a bazaar where commercial spaces and other facilities are dug into the terraces.
To combat the environmental challenges of the hot desert, one of the solutions is a hallway that has been incorporated to separate the commercial spaces from the main street, thereby keeping out the external heat.
Striving for an environmentally-friendly community, LCA has designed all buildings to be crafted from natural, eco-compatible materials attained from the surrounding area.
Each structure has been developed to successfully achieve architectural solutions that respect the environment, climatic conditions, and resources. The whole concept is designed to enhance the community aspect.
Next up; part three and the final piece to our tri-series.
If you missed part one: Beehives and moons: Our future cities? read it now.
All images courtesy Luca Curci Architects
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