Proposed ‘Smart’ Forest City In Mexico Would Be 100% Food & Energy Self-Sufficient

It is said to be an example of the potential for cities in the future. If you’re like me, there are aspects of this that are quite impressive, but the word ‘smart city’ may sound some alarm bells. Let’s address this as we go.

There is a 557 hectare site near the Mexican city of Cancun where currently proposed is a huge shopping mall. Previously, this piece of land was partly occupied by a sand quarry, but if Boeri’s firm gets the nod, their design for a smart forest city will bring 7.5 million plants, including numerous species of trees, shrubs and bushes chosen by botanist and landscape architect Laura Gatti. “Smart Forest City Cancun is a Botanical Garden, within a contemporary city, based on Mayan heritage and in its relationship with the natural and sacred world, [...] An urban ecosystem where nature and city are intertwined and act as one organism.” said Stefano Boeri Architetti. “Indeed the effort of the smart Forest City of Cancun could make our world a better place, reducing significantly the negative impacts on the environment, possibly being a pioneer for a new kind of human settlement, a man made city for nature and biodiversity,” said the firm.

The city would grow food, could be home to up to 130,000 people and would even collect and process its own water to irrigate the farmland.

The city would also be energy sufficient through the use of solar technology. “We have designed different types of housing that could include all the types of inhabitants,” [...] “This will include affordable buildings for young students, researchers, and professors.” said the firm. Beyond city living, their design enables the city to become a centre for advanced research in the areas of bio-healthcare; astrophysics and planetary science; coral reef restoration; precision farming and regenerative technology; smart city; and mobility and robotics. “The idea behind this project is to create a district dedicated to research and innovation (the fields will be: molecular biology, robotics, IT, etc) where academic institutions and research centres meet, along with big multinational corporations and the new generations of students and researchers, Mexican and from all over the world,” said the firm. Boeri’s team presented the concept’s masterplan and project to the Cancun region and the Municipality in March of 2019.

They are awaiting approval. Image credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti Image credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti Image credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti Image credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti Image credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti Image credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti Image credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti Naturally, the discussion of utilizing technology to collect data that manages things in everyday life brings up some interesting questions. What technology is required to collect this data? Will it become an EMF hot zone? Are we talking 5G type infrastructures? Not only that, who will hold and govern this data? And what else will be done with it? These are all fair questions when you consider what has happened in recent years with data and when you consider the dangers of concentrated wireless networks as we currently build them today. We get at least one answer from the firm: Data in the smart city will be managed with “full respect of the privacy of the citizens [...] Big data management is used to improve the Governance of the city, hence, the life of its citizens. While we don’t necessarily get answers regarding the use of wireless technology, I do want to bring up a conversation that I feel is important to have. Centralization of things like data for the means of improving life within a city is an acceptable way of packaging an idea that in the ‘wrong’ hands can be used to limit the population of that city. I get that argument. But what I’d like to share is the important nuance that many of the companies who have controlled decisions, abused people’s data, and monopolized utilities due to centralization have done so from a state of being that all may not operate from when ideas are centralized in some way. What I mean by this is, having a central system that collects data around energy usage, food consumption, water consumption and so forth are not necessarily bad things as they are necessary to operate the city. Technology can be a useful tool in solving many of the challenges we face in everyday life, and it is integral in creating a world where we wouldn’t even need to work to survive. But what does that technological future look like? That is what we must discuss as a whole. We need this not to be a black and white issue, but one that seeks to create a discussion around harmonious technology design and usage such that it does not cause harm to human and planetary health and yet can advance well into the future. Due to the pressure of mass censorship, we now have our own censorship-free, and ad-free on demand streaming network! It is the world's first and only conscious media network streaming mind-expanding interviews, news broadcasts, and conscious shows. Click here to start a FREE 7-Day Trial and watch 100's of hours of conscious media videos, that you won't see anyw.

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References:

• https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/