MVRDV Proposes Artificial Mountains as Green Cities of the Future

Dutch architecture firm MVRDV presents an interesting concept for a high density self-sufficient city of the future in China, at the Beijing Centre for the Arts and shown in Designboom. The architects call it "a scale model of a future Chinese city which offers alternatives to the current urbanization in China. The plan offers space to accommodate up to 100,000 inhabitants and a well balanced mix of urban program and nature, agriculture and energy production; all in the shape of a Chinese mountain landscape: realizable with todays technologies."

As the urban population grows, the needed program will require more space than suitable land is available. In the exhibition MVRDV visualizes the possibilities this offers. The city on a site of 1x1x0.5 km is terraced to offer sufficient space naturally lit for the needed plantation and energy production. This leads to attractive livable areas in high-rises. Stepped terraced towers with a rich variety of characters appear. The interiors of these hills are destined for retail, industry, leisure and technology.

Rex Pe Creative Commons

By inserting these new hills in and around the current cities, a sincere Chinese mountain range appears. Blending individuality with collective responsibilities, connecting architecture with urbanism and turning urbanism into landscape architecture.