This year's architectural technology news was dominated by stunning mega-projects as well as more sustainable city projects. But there are still some projects that can be categorized as strange like houses that are able to float in floods. These are the 10 most exciting architectural technology news of 2022.
1. i-City And Huawei Collaborate To Develop A New Generation Smart City
i-City in Shah Alam is better known for its snow theme park, celebrity waxwork exhibition and lighted trees. But many may forget the real purpose of it being developed is to become a smart bantar in Selangor. This dream is still burning, therefore i-Berhad has signed an agreement with Huawei Enterprise Malaysia to develop next-generation smart cities last January.
If in the past a smart city only needed to have fast Internet access, Huawei and i-Berhad want to build a smart city from various aspects. For example, residents can ride a self-driving bus to avoid congestion on the road. Smart closed circuit camera networks can prevent crimes before they happen and smart buildings save energy. All services in the city can be accessed by residents through the i-City Super App.
2. Saudi Arabia Begins Construction of the World's Largest Building The Line Along 170 km
Saudi Arabia is reshaping their image as a modern and sustainable technological country in the 21st century. Investments in building modern tourist spots began with influencers from the West being paid to promote attractive holiday destinations. Next, Saudi Arabia will build the world's largest building capable of housing 9 million people.
The building named The Line consists of two skyscrapers that are each 170 km long and 500 meters high. This also makes it the largest structure ever built by humans. Its construction has already started in the city of NEOM.
Residents of The Mirror Line will use the underground high-speed train to quickly travel to all destinations between the ends of this megastructure. The residents of this linear city do not need supplies from the outside as everything needed including food supplies will be self-produced including the use of environmentally friendly energy sources. Construction is estimated to cost $1 trillion and is targeted for completion by 2030.
3. A 2 Kilometer High Building Reportedly Will Be Built In Riyadh
Not enough with the plan to build the world's longest and tallest linear railway The Line in Neom, Saudi Arabia also has plans to build the world's tallest building in Riyadh. The Saudi government is gathering proposals from leading architectural firms for a tower over 2000 meters tall.
This makes it much taller than the world record holder Burj Khalifa tower at 830 meters in Dubai. More than a decade ago, the construction of the 1008-meter-high Jeddah Tower began, but construction stalled after the owner of the construction company was jailed by Prince Muhammed bin Salman.
4. Apple Opens New Office In London In Building Owned By Malaysian Company
Tim Cook revealed that Apple's new office location in London is at Battersea Power Station which will start operations in 2023. The selection of Battersea Power Station is interesting because the redevelopment project of this iconic area in the city of London is under the management of two Malaysian companies namely SP Setia and Sime Darby.
Before being converted into a commercial, office and residential area, Battersea Power Station supplied coal-fired electricity from 1955 to 1983. Because of the station's unique design, it was granted Grade II historic building status by the United Kingdom government.
The construction of Battersea was delayed several times due to protests from the public and also the pandemic. Although abandoned for a long time while waiting for a new owner, this power station was also used as a filming set for the movie Aliens as a power station that doubles as a Xenomorph lair and Batman The Dark Knight where an explosion occurred that caused the death of Rachel Dawes.
5. Japanese Firm Offers Flood-Proof Houses That Float And Resist Water Pressure
Ichijo Komuten, a Japanese construction firm is now offering their flood-proof houses to interested customers. The built house is equipped with four flood defense systems. The first system covers all floor ventilation holes used in Japan. When the water rises the hole will be closed before it can enter the house.
Next is the valve that prevents water from entering the house through the toilet, kitchen and bathroom sewage pipes. The valve only allows water to flow one way and when a flood occurs it will automatically close due to the flow of flood water from outside.
The glass on the doors and windows has a laminated construction to withstand high water pressure. The frame is also reinforced to prevent leakage or detachment from the wall.
The last level of defense is that the house will float with an anchor that prevents it from being washed off the site. Four strong pillars are built with the structure of the house moving up according to the height of the water. All electrical systems, clean water lines, sewage and air conditioning are also placed higher and connected directly to the house so that there is no issue that they need to be repaired after the water recedes.
6. Bitcoin City El Salvador Design With Observation Deck On Volcano Shown
In 2021, President Nayib Bukele announced the Bitcoin City project in El Salvador to make it the world's first crypto city. When it opens it will be an eco-friendly crypto mining center as the power source is generated entirely using sustainable resources.
Among the most interesting structures is an observation deck placed on a volcano that will also supply geothermal power to the entire new city. To support Bitcoin City a new circular airport and port will also be built.
As the first country in the world to accept Bitcoin as an official currency, the construction of Bitcoin City is seen as the country's commitment to become the world's cryptocurrency leader. When the project was announced last year, President Bukele said El Salvador would use $1 billion worth of bonds. With the value of all of the world's major cryptocurrencies plummeting, it is unknown whether the project will be put on hold pending the return of Bitcoin's high value.
7. The Moon-Shaped Building Wants to Offer a Vacation Experience on the Moon's Surface on Earth
A vacation to space will be the ultimate social media bender because only the 1% can afford the tickets offered by SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic. For the marhaen this is seen as something impossible therefore the Moon World Resort company wants to offer the experience of being on the moon on earth.
Moon World Resort wants to build Moon - buildings shaped like the moon in several locations around the world. Inside the giant dome of the Moon, visitors can have an experience like vacationing in a colony on the surface of the moon.
Moon's giant spherical dome reaches a height of 224 meters and it will be equipped with a holiday centre, hotel, restaurant, shopping center and casino. The location of the first Moon has not yet been confirmed but Dubai is seen as the most suitable candidate for this unique resort project.
8. Japan Showcases Artificial Gravity Project For Life On Moon And Mars
With the development of space exploration, various parties are targeting space tourism, in addition to settlements on the Moon and also the planet Mars. But, as everyone knows, the environment in space is different, especially in terms of gravitational pull to make it easier for humans to move, or build settlements.
For that purpose, now a firm in Japan is collaborating with Kyoto University in demonstrating a settlement development project by including artificial gravity. Through the initial idea shown, the Japanese researchers and scientists showed a cone-shaped construction, and it rotates in generating a force similar to the gravitational attraction on Earth.
With this presented project, researchers in Japan aim to try to build an initial version of this facility on the Moon by 2050.
9. Nakagin Capsule Tower That Popularized Capsule Design Will Be Demolished Last April
Japan popularized the use of capsule rooms as a compact and cheap place to stay. Now the capsule hotel concept has spread all over the world and is very useful for those who want to rest temporarily at the airport for example. This modular capsule design can be traced back to the Nakagin Capsule Tower built in Tokyo in 1972.
This quite iconic building was designed by Kisho Kurokawa who is also one of the supporters of the metabolism movement that wants to produce a more organic architecture. Unfortunately for architectural history buffs, the Nakagin Capsule Tower will be completely demolished on April 12 after several attempts to preserve it failed.
Some of the 140 capsules that make up the tower's Lego-like building blocks will be reused as low-cost accommodation and a small part will be saved for future generations.
10. World's Longest Suspension Bridge Opened In Czech Republic
Sky Bridge 721 was opened in the Kralicky SneznÃk mountains. It is 721 meters long with a maximum height of 95 meters. Since it opened on May 13, it now holds the record as the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge overtaking the record of 516 meters held by the Arouca Bridge in Portugal.
Despite its length, the Sky Bridge is only 1.2 meters wide, allowing one-way travel at a time. As a safety measure only 500 visitors are allowed on the bridge and it will also be closed if the wind blows over 135 km/h. Construction took two years and visitors have to pay 350 Czech Koruna (~RM65) per person to walk across this bridge.