Luca Curci rethinks lifestyles and communities with water-based vertical city concept
by Stu Robarts | 15 Nov 2019
We will build a new way of living – more sustainable with more interconnected communities and programs, deleting suburbs an reducing poverty.
– Luca Curci
Luca Curci Architects have designed a water-based vertical city concept designed to encourage healthier lifestyles and to reimagine the traditional concepts of community and society.
The 750m (2,500ft)-high city-building is intended to be population-dense, accommodating 25,000 people across 180 floors, but also highly sustainable.
The building has a modular structure constructed from 18 prefabricated slice-like elements that are repeatable both horizontally and vertically.
Each element houses 10 floors with their composite parts and is wrapped within photovoltaic glass that generates electricity.
Wind and water turbines also generate power and energy storage technologies are included in the design to ensure power efficiency.
Food production, farming and water desalination facilities contribute to the tower's self-sufficiency and there is a zero-waste policy.
Perforations in the building's skin, meanwhile, allow for air circulation and allow natural light into the building.
Every slice of 18 floors will include community amenities, including pools, markets, spiritual centres and cultural hubs.
There are also green public spaces and vertical gardens, as well as a public garden square at the top of the building.
Each floor has residences of different shapes and sizes, including apartments, duplexes and villas.
Underwater floors will also accommodate vehicle storage and technical areas, with a circular basement equipped with external and internal docks.
A connection with the mainland can be made possible via a semi-submerged bridge for pedestrians and road transport, while a helipad allows for connections by air.
The main residential city-tower is envisaged to be connected – by water and by air – to other structures housing offices, government departments, healthcare facilities and educational institutions.
There are additional auxiliary structures for lifestyle amenities such as hotels with underwater views, wellness and spa centres, sports centres, shopping malls and other leisure attractions.
Luca Curci said: "We will build a new way of living – more sustainable with more interconnected communities and programs, deleting suburbs and reducing poverty. It is our goal to make sure Vertical Cities will be affordable and available to everyone."
Development of the vertical city project began five years ago and it will be presented officially at the Knowledge Summit 2019 in Dubai.
concept tower
There are additional auxiliary structures for hotels, wellness and spa centres, sports centres, shopping malls and leisure attractions / Luca Curci Architects
There is a public garden square at the top of the building, as well as a helipad for air connections / Luca Curci Architects
Perforations in the building's skin allow for air circulation and allow natural light into the building / Luca Curci Architects
Each module houses 10 floors with their composite parts and is wrapped within photovoltaic glass that generates electricity / Luca Curci Architects
There are also green public spaces and vertical gardens in each module / Luca Curci Architects
Every module includes community amenities including pools, markets, spiritual centres and cultural hubs / Luca Curci Architects
The concept designed to encourage healthier lifestyles / Luca Curci Architects
There are public and leisure spaces throughout the building / Luca Curci Architects
Luca Curci Architects have designed a water-based vertical city concept designed to encourage healthier lifestyles and to reimagine the traditional concepts of community and society. The 750m (2,500ft)-high city-building is intended to be population-dense, accommodating 25,000 people across 180 floors, but also highly sustainable. The building has a modular structure constructed from 18 prefabricated slice-like elements that are repeatable both horizontally and vertically. Each element houses 10 floors with their
CLD,ARC,DES
More news
MAD Arkitekter nature town celebrates the beautiful landscape of Martineåsen
by Stu Robarts | 13 Dec 2019
MAD Arkitekter have planned a new district in Martineåsen, Norway, that is aimed at celebrating the beautiful landscape of the area while offering the qualities of a small-town community. Martineåsen Nature Town has been designed in partnership with Larvik Municipality, in which Martineåsen is situated. MAD sought to avoid what it saw as the typical suburban development of Norwegian city outskirts, with the extensive land-use, need for car ownership, infrastructure
Pierattelli Architetture proposes new football stadium for ACF Fiorentina
by Stu Robarts | 13 Dec 2019
Pierattelli Architetture have proposed a new football stadium for ACF Fiorentina with an accompanying masterplan aimed at regenerating the Novoli district of Florence. Fiorentina was bought earlier this year by Italian American businessman Rocco Commisso, who has indicated his desire to build a new stadium to replace the club's existing Stadio Artemio Franchi, which was completed in 1932. Discussing the potential benefits of a new stadium, Massimo Pierattelli, president of
Snøhetta's Xingtai Grand Theater provides a cultural cornerstone in Hebei Province
by Stu Robarts | 13 Dec 2019
Snøhetta have won a competition to create the Xingtai Grand Theater in China with a design that provides indoors and outdoors performance spaces, unites nearby cultural programmes and anchors a new masterplan for the region. The fast-growing city of Xingtai is one of a number in Hebei Province that is struggling to meet the demands of its development. The Grand Theater has been conceived as the cultural cornerstone of a
Hilton's Higgins Hotel New Orleans tells the story of World War II
by Stu Robarts | 13 Dec 2019
The newly opened Higgins Hotel New Orleans has been designed by Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates (NBWW) and Kay Lang + Associates (KLA) to tell the story of World War II. The hotel is operated by Hilton as part of its Curio Collection and is owned by the National WWII Museum. Located on the museum's campus in the Arts and Warehouse District of New Orleans, it has been conceived
Funding approved for LMN Architects-designed shark pavilion at Seattle Aquarium
by Andy Knaggs | 12 Dec 2019
Construction of a new pavilion at the Seattle Aquarium, designed by LMN Architects, looks set to go ahead after the city council approved a US$34m (€30.7m, £25.8m) contribution towards funding. Designs for the US$113m (€102m, £85.8m) 50,000sq ft (15,240sq m) Ocean Pavilion project were unveiled in 2017. It will see a 325,000-gallon (1.5-million-litre) martini glass-shaped tank built to house sharks, stingrays, and schooling and reef fish from the South Pacific's
Woods Bagot to create international food and wine destination in Adelaide
by Stu Robarts | 12 Dec 2019
Woods Bagot have been chosen to redevelop Adelaide's Central Market Arcade, with a design that will see it integrated with the city's adjacent Central Market itself to create a world-class food and wine destination. The AU$400m (US$276m, €248m, £210m) project will establish the newly combined 11,000sq m (118,400sq ft) social and commercial precinct with supporting public spaces as the cornerstone of the broader market district. The amount of retail space
JKMM Architects to design new annexe for National Museum of Finland
by Stu Robarts | 12 Dec 2019
JKMM Architects have won a competition to create a new annexe for the National Museum of Finland with a disc-shaped, pavilion-like design that connects its interior with the museum's previously underused garden through floor-to-ceiling windows. The competition brief sought additional exhibition space and workshops, a new restaurant in the enclosed garden, improved accessibility and a new museum entrance. Called Atlas, JKMM's proposal was inspired by similar pavilion structures used in
MVRDV to return Seoul waterfront to nature as public park
by Stu Robarts | 12 Dec 2019
MVRDV, working with local studio NOW Architects, have won a competition to redevelop Seoul's Tancheon waterfront as a public park called The Weaves, with a mix of natural ecosystems, pathways and places for recreation. Commissioned by the government of Seoul, the project covers a 630,000sq m (6,800,000sq ft) area between the city's former Olympic Stadium and its central business district in Gangnam, as well as a stretch along the Han
Hall Arts Hotel, designed by HKS Architects and Bentel & Bentel, opens in Dallas
by Stu Robarts | 11 Dec 2019
The Hall Arts Hotel, which has been designed by HKS Architects with interiors by Bentel & Bentel, has opened in Dallas, allowing guests to stay surrounded by luxury boutique design and a diverse collection of artworks. The hotel, owned by Hall Group, is said to be the first to be located in the Dallas Arts District and offers 19 suites inspired by the district, as well as 183 guest rooms.
OPEN Architecture's Chapel of Sound valley amphitheatre tops out
by Stu Robarts | 11 Dec 2019
OPEN Architecture's Chapel of Sound amphitheatre – designed for concerts and the appreciation of nature – has topped out at its site in a rocky valley at the foot of the Jinshanling Great Wall in Beijing municipality. The 790sq m (8,500sq ft) structure, the designs for which were revealed in February, houses an indoor-outdoor amphitheatre, an outdoor stage, viewing platforms and supporting spaces. It takes the appearance of a layered,
Hou de Sousa create "kaleidoscopic beacon" for New York plaza
by Stu Robarts | 11 Dec 2019
Hou de Sousa have created a playful, colourful installation for New York's Flatiron Public Plaza that filters its surroundings with shifting patterns, colour and light as people move around it. Ziggy was created for the annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition, which has been running since 2014. The call for proposals sought a "highly visible temporary landmark" for what is a relatively small triangular site. The lightweight installation, described
Petr Pelčák's Hard Rock Prague to feature light wall, spa and rooftop bar
by Megan Whitby | 11 Dec 2019
Petr Pelčák has designed a new Hard Rock Hotel in Prague that will feature a three-storey feature wall with a 5,900sq ft (550sq m) soundwave of moving light, as well as a spa and a rooftop bar. The building itself is owned by EP Real Estate and has been in development since 2015. It will house 523 rooms, all with in-room music-themed yoga programmes and complimentary use of Fender guitars,
Snøhetta's new public garden at 550 Madison to be "green oasis"
by Stu Robarts | 10 Dec 2019
A new public garden, designed by Snøhetta, is being created at the prestigious 550 Madison tower in Manhatten, with the aim of introducing much needed green space to the area and honouring the vision of the building's original architects. Designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, 550 Madison was initially intended to be a community amenity with public open space, in addition to an office tower. Co-owner of the building
BarberMcMurry offer green-roofed, terracotta-screened and treehouse options for Knoxville Science Museum
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 10 Dec 2019
BarberMcMurry Architects have released three concept designs for the US$100m (€90.2m, £75.9m) Knoxville Science Museum in Knoxville, Tennessee, that variously feature a green roof, a terracotta screen and a treehouse. The museum will occupy 150,000 sq ft (14,000 sq m) and will include indoor and outdoor dining areas, an event space, meeting and maker spaces, and will incorporate the three city garages surrounding the property. The firm was tasked with
Tham & Videgård's +One Tower looks almost matchstick-built
by Stu Robarts | 10 Dec 2019
Tham & Videgård have won a competition to design the +One Tower in Gothenburg – a new hotel and exhibition centre entrance with pinstripe- or matchstick-like mullions, pillars and floorplates. The 28,000sq m (301,000sq ft) development will sit alongside the city's three existing Gothia Towers and, with them, form part of the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, providing new accommodation and amenities. Its thin white mullions, pillars and floorplates will
Concept artwork revealed for "one of the most ambitious theme park projects ever in Europe"
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 09 Dec 2019
London Resort Holdings Company (LRCH) has revealed concept artwork for the first phase of a planned 535ac (217ha) resort that has been described as "one of the most ambitious theme park projects ever in Europe". Set to be located in the UK town of Swanscombe, 20 minutes from London, The London Resort will consist of six lands: The High Street, The Studios, The Woods, The Kingdom, The Isles, The Jungle
Bertil Harström and Johan Krauppi create floating hotel and spa
by Megan Whitby | 09 Dec 2019
Architects Bertil Harström and Johan Krauppi have created a free-floating hotel on one of Sweden's longest rivers, with the micro-destination featuring a spa among its offerings. Owned and conceptualised by the architectural duo, the circular Arctic Bath Hotel and Spa will float on the Lule River during the summer months, with the structure frozen in place through the winter. It's set to open in Harads on 15 January 2020. The
Civic Architects' LocHal Public Library named World Building of the Year at World Architecture Festival
by Stu Robarts | 06 Dec 2019
Civic Architects' LocHal Public Library has won Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival's (WAF) World Architecture Awards 2019. Designed in partnership with Braaksma & Roos Architectenbureau, Inside Outside, Petra Blaise and Mecanoo Architecten, the building is a new urban living room created in a former locomotive shed. The project is designed to provide a space for people of all ages to read, learn, study, meet and gather.
Exhibitions begin at Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre
by Stu Robarts | 06 Dec 2019
The first exhibition has opened at MICA, the contemporary art museum at the Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre, which which was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). ZHA says the 115,000sq m (1,240,000sq ft) centre is the largest and most versatile cultural centre in China's Hunan province, comprising three separate but complementary venues that each cater for a different use. The 1,800-seat Grand Theatre, which was completed in
BIG and Mecanoo win at INSIDE World Festival of Interiors
by Stu Robarts | 06 Dec 2019
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Mecanoo have been among the winners at the INSIDE World Festival of Interiors – the annual awards that celebrate the best interior designs from around the globe over the past 12 months. INSIDE is the sister event of the World Architecture Festival (WAF), with this year's events running concurrently from 4-6 December in Amsterdam. INSIDE celebrates projects across a variety of categories, with one category
State Library Victoria reopens after Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Architectus revamp
by Stu Robarts | 06 Dec 2019
State Library Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia, has reopened after being revamped by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Australian studio Architectus to expand its community outreach and enhance the visitor experience. The work is part of a five-year redevelopment plan and focused on a number of spaces within the library, which comprises 23 individual buildings and occupies an entire city block. The aim was to better weave together the spaces within the
Mixed-use, community and culture recognised at World Architecture Festival day two
by Stu Robarts | 06 Dec 2019
The second day of the World Architecture Festival Awards (WAF) 2019 saw mixed-use, cultural and community projects celebrated across a number of categories. The ‘Culture - Future Projects’ award was won by White Arkitekter for The New GoDown Arts Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, recognised for its clearly articulated "combination of social, traditional and environmental objectives" and a "good list of local materials and construction". STUDIO V Architecture won in the
Studio Fuksas celebrate square's ancient history with high-tech future
by Stu Robarts | 05 Dec 2019
Studio Fuksas have won a competition to redevelop Sveta Nedelya Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a design that complements a celebration of the square's history with carefully integrated high-tech canopies. The square covers an area of 34,000sq m (366,000sq ft) and has a 10th-century church, Sveta Nedelya Church, at its centre. A second-century Roman archaeological site with a tavern, shops and plumbing infrastructure, meanwhile, sits below the square. Studio Fuksas
Diamond Schmitt and TWBTA reveal new Geffen Hall revamp plans
by Stu Robarts | 05 Dec 2019
The New York Philharmonic has unveiled plans for the revamp of David Geffen Hall with Diamond Schmitt and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (TWBTA) designs aimed at fostering a sense of community and connecting it to the world outside. The $550m (€496m, £418m) project was initially to be led by Heatherwick Studio before those plans were dropped. The new plans will see Diamond Schmitt reconfigure the concert hall, which is
South Korean theme park with five hotels and 18-hole golf course gets go-ahead
by Andy Knaggs | 05 Dec 2019
A long-proposed US$3.8bn (€3.4bn, £2.9bn) theme park at Hwaseong, 45km (30mi) from South Korea's capital Seoul, looks set to go ahead after the country's finance minister pledged the government's support. To be built by Shinsegae Property Consortium, the park will feature five hotels, an 18-hole golf course and three shopping malls. Reports suggest that huge Korean pop music (K-pop) and natural history areas will act as the centrepieces of the
Cambridge United reveals KSS designs for multi-use stadium
by Tom Walker | 05 Dec 2019
Cambridge United Football Club has revealed plans to build a new multi-use, sustainable stadium, designed by KSS Architects. The club is working with property consultancy Stace – which worked on the development of Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium – on proposals to build the 12,000-capacity venue on greenbelt land. It is targeting a "sustainable design for a sustainable location", with the ability to host concerts, conferences and extended community activities, as
Heatherwick among winners on day one of World Architecture Festival 2019
by Stu Robarts | 05 Dec 2019
The World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2019 opened yesterday in Amsterdam, with the first awards announced for winners in a number of categories. Heatherwick Studio's New York sculpture Vessel was recognised in the ‘Display - Completed Buildings’ category for offering a new and innovative way for the general public to engage and create chance encounters. The ‘Culture - Completed Buildings’ award went to Civic architects, Braaksma & Roos Architectenbureau and Petra
Pharrell's Toronto tower, Untitled, will be parametric, natural and universal
by Stu Robarts | 04 Dec 2019
Untitled Toronto, the residential tower designed by musician Pharrell Williams in collaboration with IBI Group and U31, will combine parametric design, natural elements and "universal spaces" intended to act as a backdrop for the lifestyles of its residents. The development will comprise two towers with a shared podium and was inspired by the concept of a jugalbandi – a performance in Indian classical music featuring an intricate duet between two
Intu creating eight-neighbourhood retail and leisure resort in Spain
by Stu Robarts | 04 Dec 2019
Retail and leisure destination developer Intu is creating an €800m ($886m, £679m) resort on Spain's Costa del Sol, designed by WATG and Broadway Malyan, that will feature eight distinct neighbourhoods, each offering a different experience for visitors. Located in Torremolinos, Intu Costa del Sol will cover 2.5 million sq ft (235,000 sq m) and will incorporate 1.5 million sq ft (142,000 sq m) of retail space, 20+ leisure operators, 70+
Morris+Company include purpose-designed outdoor terraces in mixed-use building
by Stu Robarts | 04 Dec 2019
Occupants of Ballymore 's EG:HQ mixed-use building, designed by Morris+Company, will have access to 18,000sq ft (1,700sq m) of outdoor amenity space, including six purpose-designed private open-air terraces. Situated in the developing Nine Elms area of London and overlooking the River Thames, the building has been designed to meet the demands of modern businesses. John Mulryan, group managing director of Ballymore, said: "The design of the building really considers what
company profile
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
features
"It would be great if today’s men left as a legacy for the future some architectural and humanistic monuments for the next hundred, three hundred, one thousand years"
Brunello Cucinelli has made his fortune from cashmere and has used his wealth to restore and revive the Italian hamlet he calls home. We find out more
Brunello Cucinelli has made his fortune from cashmere and has used his wealth to restore and revive the Italian hamlet he calls home. We find out more
features
features
cladkit product news
Gate of Bright Lights was designed to show visitors how screens and digital interfaces have replaced physical objects the gateway between us and the rest of the world.
Multidisciplinary design firm Space Popular has created a video installation for the Gwangmyeongmun Gate at the Deoksugung Palace in Seoul,
...
Arlon's architectural range is aimed at interior designers looking for innovative and affordable renovation solutions
Arlon Graphics, a plastic and vinyl manufacturer based in The Netherlands, has launched a range of architectural graphic vinyl films
...
cladkit product news
The Rock collection is made with green marble and was inspired by Tom Dixon's travels to India
British designer studio, Tom Dixon Studio has launched a new collection of marble sculptures inspired by his frequent trips to
...
The Corrugation Lights were inspired by midcentury and post-war furniture making techniques
London-based designers Tino Seubert and Theodora Alfredsdottir have teamed up to create Corrugation Lights, a lighting collection inspired by midcentury
...
cladkit product news
The Eclipse Pendant light was inspired by the lunar eclipse
John Pomp Studios, a design practice based in Philadelphia in the US, has expanded its Tidal collection to include five
...
The Canteen collection was inspired by post-war British design techniques
Very Good & Proper (VG&P), a British furniture brand, has curated a new dining collection that combines traditional woodworking techniques
...
