The Amazing Star-Shaped City of the Future

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

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superstar

You’d be forgiven in thinking that MAD architects really have gone mad but, actually, they’re not just sane, they’re total creative geniuses. They have just revealed designs for a new-state-of-the-art Chinatown which will not only change how people view the normally crammed, restaurant-laden parts of town, but will lead us into a new age of mobile cities akin to those associated with the imaginings of Isaac Asimov and Philip K Dick.

new chinatown

Chinese architect firm MAD unveiled their radical design at this year’s Venice Biennale of Architecture, an exhibition held every even year in the city. Already nicknamed ‘Superstar’, the movable city is the phenomenal concept based on the more traditional Chinatowns of the likes of London and San Francisco.

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Expected to hold 15,000 people, the completely sustainable space age creation will generate its own energy and recycle waste without having to litter host cities. It will also include health resorts, gyms, freshwater lakes and a digital cemetery to remember the dead (although they haven’t revealed what they’ll do with the actual bodies as yet).

artist impression

MAD’s architects said:

“The old China Town is a historical theme park that poisons the urban space. There must be a shock therapy to remedy this situation.”

“Superstar: A Mobile China Town is MAD’s response to the redundant and increasingly out-of-date nature of the contemporary Chinatown. Rather than a sloppy patchwork of poor construction and nostalgia, the Superstar is a fully integrated, coherent, and above all modern upgrade of the 20th century Chinatown model. It’s a place to enjoy, to consume Chinese food, quality goods and cultural events; it’s a place to create and to produce, where citizens can use workshops to study, design and realize their ideas.”

superstar in dubai

Let’s hope MAD don’t stop with re-designing Chinatown, we want lots of these cities, or at least a floating mobile home of our own. Ahhh, one can only dream.

Thanks to MAD for all images.

Source 1, 2, 3, 4

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This post was written by:

Linda McCormick - who has written 175 posts on Environmental Graffiti.

Linda is a writer and editor, currently based in London. Growing up in N Ireland, she craved sunnier climes so set off around the world, forever chasing the sun. On her travels she discovered she was much more passionate about the environment than she realised – although never quite got the whole tree-hugging thing – and has always had a penchant for the unconventional and creative side of life, so working at Environmental Graffiti suits her just fine.

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4 Comments For This Post

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  1. Steve N. Lee Says:

    Sorry, but I don’t really see how this can be environmentally friendly.

    Yes, it’s got recycling/power generating features, etc, but ‘mobile’? How much energy does it need to move something this big? Plus, structurally, how much material and engineering is needed to create such an incredible shape? It will take a tremendous amount of resources to create something like this compared to an equivalent structure made in a more traditional form, ie, flat on the ground. Once it’s built, and as long as it isn’t moved, then, yes, it may be green. But the effort in building it and moving it must surely negate any green benefits it may offer.

    It’s a pity because it looks incredible. It looks just how the ‘future’ is supposed to look. But then looks are so often deceiving, aren’t they?

    Have I missed something? Or is this an environmental white elephant? Even an environmental nightmare!

    Steve N. Lee
    author of eco-blog http://www.lionsledbysheep.com
    and suspense thriller ‘What if…?’

  2. Burticus Says:

    Come on! Really?!?!? Haven’t I seen this on Robotech or Akira? What’s next spherical planets?

  3. Ikenna Says:

    I agree with Steve. Before spending time, money and CO2 on building something extravagant like this, someone needs to take a step back and think about whether the long terms benefits outweigh more immediate and lower cost fixes to preventing waste, encouraging recycling and educating people about living sustainably.

  4. juanjo Says:

    When you’ll be able to build this thing, please do it on the surface of mars.
    Thank you
    An architect

2 Trackbacks For This Post

  1. La increíble ciudad del futuro con forma de estrella [ENG] Says:

    [...] La increíble ciudad del futuro con forma de estrella [ENG] www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/star-shaped-city-futu… por bhiktor hace pocos segundos [...]

  2. The Green Scene Sept 15th « The Written One Says:

    [...] Superstar: A Mobile China Town is so crazy it could actually work. Check out the video below for more. [...]

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