FOUR DIMENSIONAL CITIES, TOWARDS AN URBAN …

FOUR DIMENSIONAL CITIES, TOWARDS AN URBAN PARADIGM SHIFT

Jorge SERRANO Arch., Norma A. PECORARI Arch., Valeria SERRANO Arch., Sofia SERRANO1.

1 Serrano Pecorari & Asociados, De Los Aromos 6230, El Palomar (B1684BYH) Buenos Aires, Argentina

[email protected] Keywords: future megacities, 3D-Transportation system, Tetra Dimensional City Theory, urban sustainability.

Summary Present cities, inscribed under the parameters defined by globalisation must develop efficiently under a multi-functional dimension in order to address their own dynamics. Contemporary megacities show the inability to cope with present demands imposed by contemporary modes of living, shaping the inflection point from where to analyze the deficiencies of present urban Paradigm, established under the precepts of traditional urbanism. The premises adopted in the formulation of the Tetra Dimensional City Theory aim to contribute to establish a new-system of thought, from where to board the re-conceptualization of present cities, by the redefinition of urban space, society patterns, global markets, property, urban governance, natural environment, urban and metropolitan transportation as well as the re-definition of public-private realms heading towards an holistic domain for human habitat. Finally, this Paper will present a cutting edge Project that will act as the tool that, upon implementation, may draw a radical shift in terms of shaping future urban scenarios. S.A.T. Project will define the possibility to address a new conceptual re-formulation of the urban structure upgraded under a space-time equation. The differences between contemporary bi-dimensional cities (2D-cities) vs. the conception of a spatial-city (4D City) (7) will be addressed as a paradigmatic shift in urban planning processes. Finally, this Paper aims to board an introductory state to “Minilópolis Project” (4D-City). A tetra-dimensional urban continent is defined under a three-dimensional transportation structure, from where to focus further theoretical and technological breakthroughs in the conception of a new urban order.

1. City Profile. Urban areas are gaining an estimated 67 million people per year—about 1.3 million every week. By 2030 about 5 billion people are expected to live in urban areas—60% of the projected global population of 8.3 billion (8) Over the next 30 years virtually all population growth will take place in urban areas of developing countries. Together China, India, and Brazil have about as many urban inhabitants as the entire developed world. (3) Urban areas are living systems; organic entities in constant flow, mutation and transformation. This Paper will board the premises to the Tetra Dimensional City Theory, addressing the complex relationship between urban dynamics and the urban structure. The manifest proposes to re-think the present conception of cities, drawing the platform to define urban evolution patterns. The urban arena defines the scenario in which the urban-life performance takes place, strongly framed by the lack of dialogue between the “natural” and the “built” environment. This contemporary weak-bond (lack of interaction) is shaped by the aggressive effects the latter has on the natural environment, paradoxically being this one the physical background that sustains the development of the so-called “artificial”. Human action has stimulated this syndrome. According to the European Environment Agency, over the past 100 years global mean-temperature has increased by 0.6 °C and temperatures are projected to increase further by 1.4 to 5.8°C by 2100 (1). While rising global temperatures we are promoting massive species extinction opening the field for new diseases and natural hazards in consequence. We are asphalting the earth’s crust and altering water-life cycles. We are generating noxious substances harming the earth’s filter (ozone layer). We are draining water courses underground, to optimize surface urban land which is under constant increasing value. We are devastating natural green resources to develop ‘habitable’ clusters. Indeed we are mutating ‘natural environments’ into ‘artificial’ ones and from this mutation, we are building the platform for contemporary urban life. According to the World Bank, the increasing unsustainable pace is shown as nearly 2 million ha of land worldwide (23% of all cropland, pasture, forest and woodland) have been degraded since the 1950’s. These facts are considerably influencing the availability, quality and diversity of natural resources and productivity. The fitness of urban and metropolitan scenarios will have a direct repercussion in the development of contemporary and future urban life patterns. According to a recent study funded by the EU for instance, 16 million person-days of lost activity are related to air pollution from transport only.

The 2005 World Sustainable Building Conference,Tokyo, 27-29 September 2005 (SB05Tokyo)

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Daily travel-commuting towards inner-city cores, act as the “scaffold” from where to ‘construct’ (dissociate) urban landscape promoting fragmentation. Indicators show that from 1969 to 1989 the population of the United States increased by 22.5 %, while the number of miles driven increased by 98.4 % (4). Time spent in daily commuting to urban cores represents 20 to 35% of the total working (productive) time, on an 8h-day basis. This does not only stand for human energy waste, but draws a broader negative impact, given all the sub-systems involved in supporting the action. The National Transportation Board predicts that delays caused by congestion will increase by 5.6 billion hours in the period 1995-2015, while money and time spent in congestion adds up to over $78 billion per year due to inefficiency (6). The functions of a system depend on their structure. Present urban structure defines and promotes a deficient urban mobility, unveiling a dysfunctional process. We develop daily migrations in order to cover and have access to basic needs (work, education, buying assets, etc). Contemporary intensive migrations (on a daily basis - not seasonal) are normally characterized by long travel time and a minor stay. Do our patterns (distance, time and speed) differ in great measure from those in nomad-communities? Our studies have defined present human transportation parameters, using the term Neo-nomadism. Not only we travel to have access to main assets, but these as well travel to reach us. Food miles are a key indicator to economic and environmental impact. The weighted average source distance (WASD) for products arriving to Chicago show, for instance, that lettuce travels 2055miles and apples 1555miles, among others (5).Everything is in movement, although this does not guarantee efficient flow nor interconnection. The average speed in cities shows London, for instance, working only at 3mph, driving all urban dynamics under the city’s rhythm. The urban fabric appears as a clear physical fragmentation. A constant sprawling and dismembering progression, makes present realms distant from acting as a whole. The addition of unconnected spaces, given the laceration of the urban crust describes the un-functional physical division of contemporary urban landscapes. The urban sprawling process guaranties the uncontrolled expansion of the urban settlement, while swallowing open spaces as well as high productive lands, making population density gradients become flatter. Urban sprawl generates urban cores to expand to such limit that being settled in its ‘borders’ is a synonym to ´social-bordiness´. Dispersed settlements and shrinking urban voids shape a ghettoized territory. The concept of Neo-feudalism, draws the addition of unconnected spaces, where the lack of reminiscence of public domain over urban realms, underlines a non-holistic behaviour (7). The physical deterioration of the urban environment has a major impact to the exponential development of social patterns and community structures. Social syndromes are sometimes mainly the result to the lack of physical interaction and connection, showing the complexity of its bilateral dependency and reciprocity. Vertical distances (in meters) measured in minutes-spent in commuting, appear to be similar to horizontal ones, measured in kilometres. Therefore, working on a 60-storey level and being forced to descend to ground zero in order to be able to ascend later (sometimes just meters away from the original coordinate) to transport ourselves to another working or living space, could become similar to commute from peripheral areas towards central cores. Today both become deficient (7). We are defining the construction of our habitat from a deficient link (horizontal and vertical transportation) to the production of resources which feeds our structure. Therefore we may read cities operating under an individualistic organization. This incoherent image proves the obsolescence of present urban-structure, and makes us define the urban typology under the term ‘obsolete-verticalism’. Its obsolescence is given from its limitations, as it is submitted to operate under a vertical dependency given its individualistic-typology acts as isolated-vertical containers (private-elements) with a deficient public-connection given at ground zero. If we take the concept of energy as an analogy of constant flow/movement, we could draw the comparison between ‘people-flow’ as ‘energy-flow’. Buildings act as electric-capacitors, which may either absorb/take energy although not being able to ‘administrate’ it nor interconnect this one with other ‘containers’, to just giving it back later (release energy) in a specific instant (i.e. generating human sprawl at rush hours, traffic congestion entering/leaving inner parking areas) (7). From our studies, we have defined present urban typology as “vertical cul-de-sacs”. An addition of static planes (storeys), deficiently converging into a saturated dynamic plane (ground zero) as the only way to maintain the urban fabric “working”. The fracture of present urban order is given by the loss of the ‘linear-scale’, both in the horizontal dimension (urban sprawl) as well as in the vertical one (present urban typology). This is generated from a decontrolled outgrowth of horizontal and vertical extensions in the urban matrix, in relation to the sustainable development of the human dimension. Analysing contemporary architectural typology from a structural perspective, we may identify citizens living in ‘limited’ spaces (floor plans) and ‘stored’ in height (floor levels) with a sole connection given at ground zero. According to G. Wong amongst potential residents in present high-rise building structures in Singapore “the majority of the respondents (51.9%) prefer to live in the first 20 storeys and only 10% are willing to live above 40 storeys“(5). These facts show that present architectural typology acts as vertical gated-communities and therefore concept of Neo-feudalism may be driven to the vertical dimension. Thus, the loss of linear scale becomes evident, as residents do not want to live on the outskirts of the urban domain. Under present urban structure, vertical distance to the ground zero implies also exploring the limits of the urban realm. In the horizontal dimension, an image that reflects this phenomenon shows


London, New York and Los Angeles, as a pattern of extremely long-distance de-concentration stretching up to 150 km from the centre, with local concentrations of employment surrounded by overlapping commuter fields, and served mainly by the private car (2). The massive use of personal transportation and the scale of transportation infrastructure appear as the deficient solution to address a disruptive behaviour in the horizontal dimension. In the case of the vertical plane, in a 400 / 700m-highrise, the elevator becomes the element trying to face the human dimension in height. From the perspective drawn in this Paper, the concepts of speed and distance, subdued to a simple linear-structure, are unable to address a problem drawn in a higher level of complexity. Both behaviours, ‘vertical and horizontal sprawl’, show a deficient structural and functional approach. Figure 1: Conceptual Diagram illustrating the working performance of present architectural typology. Major transformations have not been manifested, nor absorbed, by an evolution in present urban structure. As an inflection-point, man-made or natural hazards tragically reflect this conceptual-void, in terms of a non-enunciated universe. A clear image was shown when the Twin Towers collapsed. The towers had a spatial imprint and a unique way-in and way-out, responding as stated in the Introduction of this paper, to the conception of vertical-typologies. The aftermath of September 11th, showed how the weak vertical bond linking the ‘habitable pigeon-boxes’ to the urban scenario (channelled by vertical transportation) became useless, isolating not only people in different height-levels (stories), but isolating victims from emergency and rescue forces. Aggravating the situation, the evacuation plane (ground zero) corresponded, and still does, to the same geometrical plane where, by the action of gravity, the breakdown of building structures have collapsed into (a vertical cul-de-sac). Interconnectivity becomes the core concept to support the pace of present urban rhythm and the factor that will channel future evolution. The concept of “Interconnectivity” goes beyond the concept of distance. It not only implies management, synchronization and efficient coordination between virtual and physical systems, but should entail the need to an interactive realm where both virtual and physical geographies respond to a higher order. Interconnectivity demands levels of complexity that cannot derive from a simple organization, which respond to static and hegemonic patterns. In order to sustain the earth’s ecosystem indefinitely, the ecological footprint of humankind should be only about 1.7 ha of land per capita. At current levels of consumption the index averages about 2.3 ha of land per capita. This level is far from sustainable, as it is about one-third larger than earth’s natural capacity (Wackeemagel, 1997). This concept per se, highlights the complexity of the present structural urban dilemma. Systems are opened and sustained from an infinite interchange within their environment, constituted by other systems. When the interchange process ceases, the system disintegrates, as it looses its source of energy (L. Von Bertalanffy, 1950). As stated, cities are living systems and under present parameters, disintegration may be an option. Contemporary discussions on future visions and urban trends, define the conception of ‘vertical cities’ as a way to address a de-controlled and oversaturated stage in present megacities. We sustain, from the elements driven from our Research and the out-coming Projects that cities do not need to grow in “height” (vertically) but should develop in “space”, in order to describe a holistic domain for human habitat.

2. Urban-geometry and structure, Diagnosis. Means of Transportation could increase speed, but not become efficient; nor streets will de-compress by using smaller vehicles or bigger buses; nor will higher buildings become safer by strengthening structures. Urban realms could grow based on the addition of individual-containers and partial operations, but this does not mean they would develop. Present megacities are submitted to operate under very narrow margins; we are loosing the ‘substance’ as well as the structural and physical matrix that responds, to functional, social, environmental, productive and commuting geographies. The complexity in cities is being underestimated. Far from a holistic conception, the present universe is being defined from a reduccionist approach, not


conceiving the urban structure from the processes of urban dynamics. Reductionism does not work with complex systems: in living systems the whole is more than the sum of its parts (Levy, 1992). Reading the urban organization from the configuration of interconnectivity processes, addresses the need to re-define the present universe, sustained under the precepts of traditional urban planning. Present urban-structure is shaped by a main public-plane, in charge of ‘absorbing’ every function generated in the city, although being already saturated by the overlapping of incompatible functional geographies. Breakdowns occur due to the limited flexibility to ‘share’ this main ground zero plane. Albert Einstein expressed that “problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them”. Thus, to promote a new level of understanding, in order to define the universe as the enunciation to the problem. The Diagnosis enunciated in the Tetra Dimensional City Theory states that “cities work as entities derived from a conceptual-construction in two dimensions (2D)” (Serrano, 2000), given that the political organisation of space and spatial planning in cities is being represented and conceived in a bi-dimensional sense (7). Cities therefore fail to become the ‘continent’ to manage the dynamic activities that in them are conceived, working as ‘static’ entities according to their own structure. The scale of this restriction is difficult to grasp.

3. Tetra Dimensional City Theory. The urban territory is the in-habitable space where life develops and we, as citizens, have become functionally restricted in our own created-environment. Our habitable-spaces are functionally being defined from wrong-basis, underestimating its potential. Space appears as a transitive-property existent in concrete structures, but not from a process that will conceive our environments. If a three-dimensional extrusion of urban realms is not addressed, we will continue building our cities from a bi-dimensional “pilling-up” of static planes. Thus, we pose the re-conformation of cities based under the concept of a time-space integrated vision. As a response to the Diagnosis obtained, the concept of an urban re-structure (producing mutations and changes under dimensional/functional features by altering spatial geometrical-conception and order) became the basis to the formulation of the Tetra Dimensional City Theory (Serrano, 2000) from where to board a new system of thought in terms of the structural conception of present cities. This concept confronts present geometrical and functional structures, sustained from both policy and traditional urban planning processes and from the limitations of the elements acting in the urban landscape. Spatial 3D conformations shall not be taken as default (tacitly expressed in vertical projections over a flat-plane structure) where the fourth dimension has a real use, function and order (time). A morphological-spatial conception will promote a 3D-interrelation in terms of space and fluidity, defining the evolution of present cities into a new-urban conception. A tetra-dimensional structure is delineated by geometrical-relations that no longer define the character of use of land, but of the urban-space, under a public realm. A tetra-dimensional space is a social and functional organisation within an interactive three-dimensional space (7). Based on our Research, we may establish the differences between a planar-city (2D) versus a spatial-city (4D), as an evolution pattern in urban planning from a functional-structural perspective. This will determine the degrees of interaction, interchange and relations between the components of the urban system. A planar-city (contemporary) recognizes a functional-zoning given as a consequence of its constitutive-structure and this makes evident the possibilities (in this case restrictions) given by its geometrical characteristics. The differences are sustained in the determination of the possible degrees of diversity. Present discussion is focus, on reaching parameters of diversity that would increase the interconnections to be generated from cultural, economic and social fields. This will determine the degrees of interaction, interchange and relations between the components of the urban system. A 2D-city (in greater or smaller degree if it is dispersed or compact) recognizes a functional-zoning given as a consequence of its constitution structure. The spatial-city (4D) will raise the coefficient of diversity, given its dynamic organisation. The differences are sustained in the determination of the possible degrees of diversity, being this reflected in what will be considered a networking city, an interactive-entity which will promote in its freedom of movement and development, an efficient management and ruling of its structure, given space is conceived from a compatible parameter. Public-private structures will be drawn and become the basis for an interactive urban landscape, were the flow of information (communication) and traffic (commuting) will grow to be efficient. The Tetra-Dimensional City Theory, states urban space to become functionally defined as an organic configuration where interconnectivity forces would set the basis to consolidate the human habitat. Living and working conditions would be re-defined under a new organization whereas the architectural typology would be transformed under a 3D-transportation scheme. The effects of globalization will find in this new dimensional concept of cities, a new structure (and infrastructure) from where to develop efficient processes. New relations will be generated according to new rules, conceiving future cities as physical and virtual maps of networking structures. An interconnected system, sustained from the new geometrical-layout will address a radical shift in terms of the nature and dynamics of urban realms, which would address the reconfiguration of the present meaning of space, society, property, urban governance, urban planning, natural -built environment, urban transportation as well as the re-definition of public-private realms.


The elements in the urban system would re-qualify their functionality and essence in response to a new structure. For instance the concept of “road” or “sidewalk” would become obsolete under a 4D-urban realm, while the concept of ‘out-doors’ and ‘in-doors’ or “ground-zero” and “consecutive numbered-storeys” would not necessarily entail a pre-conception from public and private domains. The contemporary term “urban-landscape” will shift into the concept of “space-scape” (7), to address a new urban conception. A new system of thought will define 4D-urban space-scapes, reshaping the patterns of urban form and community life. Contemporary precepts of urbanism will be transformed under a new scale conception, driving present structures into real-sustainable urban continents. The re-conception of the urban order will encourage the process of re-inventing cities from their intrinsic genesis.

4. S.A.T. Project, An innovative 3D-Transportation System. In order to bring the Tetra Dimensional City Theory into concrete fields of implementation, a new concept in transportation is needed to endorse the premises adopted in theoretical fields. The concept of a 4D urban space entails the thought of a dynamic transportation structure. This section will board the genesis of an Autonomous Transportation System Project (S.A.T. Project) as a “tool” that would outline the transformation process towards a new urban paradigm. S.A.T. Project, is the first Three dimensional (3D) Public-Private Transportation System, and its design has emerged, not from the traditional transportation schemes, but from a new perspective, a holistic vision, integrating environmental and societal issues, urban planning processes, architecture, policy and sustainability matters and transportation engineering. S.A.T. is a 3D-transportation system, which has the special feature of working under different directions of movement: horizontal, vertical and on a gradient, which allows connecting different spaces that are to be found, not under the same plane-axis (all known-means of transport) but under different direction axis inscribed in various geometrical planes (7).

Figure 2: Perspectives addressing the multidimensional displacement of the system. S.A.T. Project will create the first steps towards the breaking-up with the bi-dimensional use of modern cities. Being a 3D-transportation system implies generating interrelations between different heights, levels and directions, describing multiple commuting-options under a complex structure. We would start travelling in spatial-coordinates (X, Y and Z) not depending on surfaces, in a continuous uninterrupted flow, regardless changes in levels. The concept of “interconnectivity” would become materialized, shaping a dynamic urban continent. S.A.T. is conformed by unitary electric-vehicles that move along two tracks, in the form of suspended tubes, requiring minimum supports and made of materials that will absorb vibrations and provide a cohesion-effect in every track section. The cabin maintains its horizontal-level position regardless of changes in track direction or even height-levels. Managed by a Central Control Unit, it is powered by an electric engine, which is also use to reduce speed and to regenerate energy. S.A.T. responds to an increase in transportation security standards. It could be compared to the human-circulatory system, materializing its organic structure as the functional-skeleton of an interactive organisation shaping cities as dynamic networks (4D). The System is conformed by ‘Open-circuits’ as they are able to change, expand or alter their original direction/destination, depending on passenger’s demand or requirements created upon changes given in the City’s rhythm (i.e. rush-hours). In case of natural or man made catastrophes or even special events, the CCU will be able to inject rescue or security forces developing an emergency network. It will connect public forces to the area and promote evacuation and/or ‘treatment’ under a multiplicity of levels/height and directions, allowing free routes and evacuation upon changes in directions generated by tracks by-passes. The speed in vehicles could increase abruptly; promoting the re-organisation of urban space. An International Co-operation Program has been developed in partnership with Delft University of Technology to pursue further research on S.A.T. The results achieved in the Programs, support the idea of a Paradigmatic-shift in Public Transportation. Based on simulation studies, S.A.T.’s performance breaks with present public transportation parameters such as; high speed, large scale stops and terminals, trunk-lines, massive number of people transported per trip, inflexible timing/ routing patterns and high-inertia in vehicles.


Figure 3: Ideogram and images illustrating the versatility of a 3D-transportation in spatial coordinates. The main issue focuses in understanding the paradigmatic shift implied in a 3D-displacement. This doing, will break with all present standards in ground transportation. For instance, cities have developed explosively with the appearance of vertical transportation which has shaped present skylines, although the elevator still works on a 2D-basis. The design of S.A.T. endorses a radical change regarding the conception and regeneration of urban sceneries, shifting the static-use of contemporary cities into what we have defined as 'interactive-verticalism', a 4D-City. We will start to recognize new spatial relations sustained from the interactions between spaces located within different spatial coordinates. The innovative character of S.A.T. addresses a new transportation category and would act systemically as a modifier to all existing means of transportation and as a catalytic as well, to their further development. S.A.T. would be the ‘reactive element’ to the generation of an interactive transportation network, interconnecting sea, land and air transportation modes. For instance today, transportation schemes deficiently cope with cities of 50.000 inhabitants per km2, while we are presently developing studies on tetra-dimensional structures of more than ten times the inhabitants per km2, using 3D-transportation parameters.

5. Minilopolis Project, a 4D City. Contemporary precepts of urbanism will be transformed under a new scale conception, driving present structures into real-sustainable urban continents. A new system of thought will reshape the patterns of urban form and community life, drawn under a 4D-urban realm. Human scale would be re-instated as the urban module, addressing a paradigmatic shift. Our contribution to this construction process drove us to develop further studies on 4D urban-cells defined under 3D-transportation schemes. Contrary to the conception and structure of present megalopolis, we develop an urban continent which may draw the Tetra-dimension Theory into concrete fields of implementation, exemplifying a propitious platform from where to set the ground to analyze further technological breakthroughs. A tetra-dimensional structure will be characterized by extensive interactive dynamic planes (4D spatial-continuum), with minimum vertical displacements; contrary to present deficient bi-dimensional structures which are characterized by extensive vertical displacements connecting minimum static horizontal planes. We may achieve to develop 4D-urban scenarios both from a re-structuring process (such as tetra-re-dimensioning present 2D-structures) or by facing the challenge of a 4D-organisation emerging as a new conception. This section will address the later; an introductory state to the Minilópolis Project (Serrano, 2003). Minilópolis defines an urban continent, a space-continuum, acting as an open system. The action of an organic transportation system (3D) will frame the interconnectivity between all activities involved in determining life in present societies. Urban dynamics becomes the core concept to an interactive and multidimensional organisation. A new geometrical conception will bring a new order to urban management and decision-making processes; re-defining working patterns under social and cultural fields, production systems and mobility. A 3D-urban code will geometrically shape and institutionalize a 3D-matrix from where to construct new forms of habitat, conceiving future cities as physical and virtual maps of networking structures. The flow of information and traffic will grow to be efficient while urban re-configuration, will define interactive spaces (mixed-uses) inscribed under a public domain. Minilopolis addresses a qualitative-quantitative scale shift, not giving place to urban sprawl or deficient urban governability processes. It is a city developed under a spatial structure, while height and security standards will overcome existent ones. The construction process in Minilopolis, as well as the materials which may be used in the process, are standard. It will not require innovative techniques to guaranty structural stability. Several innovations under multidisciplinary fields would develop though, from further studies on a new-conception of cities. Minilopolis would be a city to be built under systemic phases, responding to a holistic order. A complex building typology (4D-structure) will break-up with the obsolete conception of urban commuting and transportation; fading contemporary urban barriers (which lay on the vertical and horizontal dimension)


given these will become un-referenced under a new order.The 3D-matrix will conceive urban typologies based on patterns of public-private interconnectivity shaping a decompressed interactive scenario, with multiple connections on a plurality of levels.

Figure 4: A paradigm shift from present 2D structure to an interactive Urban Continent, a 4D City structure. Private-public interconnections will shape the architectural mutations, breaking-up the present restrictive hierarchy of a vertical dependency, due to the definition of a real circulatory (mobility) system in the urban network. The transportation system will be inscribed in the urban typology structure, not as a restrictive-ruler of it. This action will shape the 3D extrusion of ground-zero, increasing and up-grading present 2D urban cores. Buildings will develop in multiple directions creating a plurality of perspectives. The “ground zero” will no longer exist as such. The role the “ground zero” has in present 2D-cities, as the generator, producer, commuter and supplier mainframe; will exponentially develop to all the extents of the public domain in the urban continent. A 4D City structure becomes interactive, no longer restricted to a unique horizontal-plane; developing vertically and/or on a gradient. This dynamic structure will absorb the obsolete 2D order. Minilópolis Project uses a ground area of 1,80km2 approximately. This tetra dimensional space will interact with present bi-dimensional cities given that complex structures always contain a simpler system; which does not occur inversely. This interaction will generate a qualitative shift upgrading present 2D-cities towards a 4D urban conception. Architectural interventions will become sensitive to human needs and to the demands of the environment, under new-geometrical parameters. The re-insertion of green areas in various height levels will appear based on the decompression of urban cores and the efficient use of natural resources, promoting ecological benefits. Minilópolis will offer per km2, more than 3000km of pedestrian street development (in comparison to the 20km-streets development found in contemporary cities). These streets will define green pathways and parks, showing distances between opposite facades which exceed 80m (compared to present 10-30m existent in an average street) setting a ratio built/green area higher than the one found in present cities. Under this new urban structure, liveable places, aside from the spatial-coordinate in which they are allocated, will have a direct relation with the urban space and with the pedestrian streets of Minilopolis returning the human scale to everyday situations. This 4D-city will absorb natural resources and transform them into production processes. This differs from present phenomenon experienced in contemporary 2D-cities. For instance, in present cities compactness rises towards the urban core, so does the temperature in the urban environment, as the wind is not able to filter and recycle the air in urban cores. The action of wind in Minilópolis would become a source of energy and contribute to a high biotechnological diversity scenario, given the plurality of heights and climatic conditions to be generated in the urban eco-system. The unrestricted height, would allow having different climates interacting, regardless of a specific geographical emplacement; finding in a same urban eco-system, mountain climate conditions at 800m height although emplaced in tropical climate geography. The re-cycle processes of water, fluids, wastes and the constant generation of renewable energy (photovoltaic and eolic) allows us to start shaping an organic and systemic order, determining self-sufficiency parameters, in terms of production of food, goods and energy. S.A.T. acts as a complementary system, transforming under a systemic perspective existing means of transportation. High scale terminals would become de-compressed under a dispersed and multi-focal organisation. Its dynamic routing and interactive circuits will interconnect the various activities and places according to spatial-coordinates. We should consider a transportation system working under organic structural patterns, given high-versatility levels, not only not restricting pedestrian displacement, but consolidating a real-time circulatory system based on the interconnectivity of all means of transportation. Efficient mobility patterns will perform under constant speed with no accidents; given mainly as transportation will not be sharing and working on a same surface, among other factors. These will define mayor savings in terms of congestion patterns, pollution, human casualties and fatalities, etc. We are setting a breakthrough in terms of the traditional territorial laceration due to transportation parameters, as we are encoding a basic 2D matrix into a 4D realm.


A comparative exercise may exemplify the qualitative-quantitative leap produced when shifting from the present bi-dimensional city (2D-city) into a tetra-dimensional structure (4D-city). For instance, taking as an example the City of Buenos Aires, with a population of 2.776.138 people, we may address a comparative study where four Minilópolis may be used to absorb this population, while increasing the ratio of m2 of open space per inhabitant. Beyond this, the recovery of land will become a mayor factor (for production, oxygenation, etc.) as the four Minilópolis will occupy less than 10km2 in ground area surface, compared to the existent 203km2 presently used by the City of Buenos Aires. This exercise shows that 190km2 of land would be free to attend various matters, such as arable land, natural resources, etc. A major decrease in the ecological footprint would draw the highest standards in urban sustainability.

Figure 5: Ideogram showing Buenos Aires ground surface vs. the implementation of 4D City Cells. Minilopolis would address a new concept of Market, in terms of production of goods and services. The re-insertion of industries in the urban environment will be given by the feasibility drawn by a new-organization. Production processes under multiple biodiversity sectors, would be linked to manufacture and processing units, by a 24-hour logistic service. An efficient network will be guaranteed under a multifaceted logistical system. Freight transportation, generally is carried out when cities are asleep, having therefore a limited time to develop its duties (underdevelopment in time dimension). This is given by the fact that it shares the same area as public and private transportation. Therefore, S.A.T. as a freight-transportation system will allow a continuous feeding-net with no interruptions (functional-stratification in spatial-levels). This will create a new market conception, based on a complex matrix of physical connections linking natural resources, product manufacturers, and department-stores. The transportation of goods and people will become efficient, absorbing unnecessary costs (storage, intermediaries, etc.) due to a 3D-logistical network under a space-time 4D-structure. The physical co-existence and interaction between industrial sites, services and the production of raw material would build optimized production cycles, re-instating the conception of an “urban continent”, differing from an urban fabric sectioned in terms of linear structures of cores and peripheries. A networked society would address a complex organism based on the interaction of physical and virtual structures. The Tetra Dimensional City Theory defines spaces working under private-public fluctuations developing on the time dimension, according to the pulse, demands and requirements of the urban rhythm. The conformation of physical networking-links (paths) will potentate and generate interactive and dynamic networks, materializing real contacts between people as well as promoting virtual routing. Social behaviour patterns will change (working-time schedules, etc.) given the optimization of time and the interaction levels in an organic 4D scenario. The urban rhythm will be sustained by interconnected structures and infra-structures, setting men as the reference-pattern, as an individual interactive-unit, inscribed in a human network system. New relations will be generated according to new rules, consequently, a new-morphological-spatial conception, in terms of space and fluidity, will define an “interactive-verticalism”, a 4D-City, as a new urban continent. References 1. EU Environment Agency, http://themes.eea.eu.int/Environmental_issues/climate, accessed 07.01.04. 2. Hall Peter, The First Megacities Lecture: World Cities and Global Cities;The Megacities 2000 Foundation, Feb. 1997, Rotterdam, online at www.megacities.nl\Megacities 2000.htm, accessed 06/04/02. 3. Hinrichsen, D. Meeting the Urban Challenge. Population Reports, Series M, No. 16. Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Population Information Program, Fall 2002.). 4. Indicators of Urban Sprawl, Oregon’s Department of L.C. D., 1992, extract from F. H. A., Selected Highway Statistics and Charts, 1989, quoted 03-91 Special Trends, by the Urban Land Institute. 5. K.M. Grace Wong, “Vertical cities as a solution for land scarcity: the tallest public housing development in Singapore”, Urban design International (2004) 9, 17–30, 2004 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 1357-5317/04) 6. New Urbanism.org http://www.newurbanism.org/pages/496683/index.htm 7. Serrano, J., N. A. Pecorari, V. Serrano, "The Seventh Sharjah Urban Planning Symposium", Organised by the Sharjah Directorate of Town Planning and Survey and LSBU, Book of Proceedings, UAE, 2004. 8. UN Population Division. World urbanization prospects: The 2001 revision. New York, UN, 2002, 182p.


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