Perhaps nothing is more humanistic than the pursuit of futuristic cities. We write about them in utopian—and dystopian—novels, offer glimpses of what they’d look like in movies and TV shows, and now, it seems, we build them too. Though designing for the future could be understood as the most basic requirement for architects and urban planners, in recent years, this goal has been taken to a new level. It seems every few months, firms unveil plans for wholly reimagined metropolitan areas: from floating cities to those in outer space, the offerings are relentless. In these new cities, sustainable infrastructure and smart technology is often a given, and in some cases, the plans even include things that haven’t even been invented (or brought to market) yet—like flying cars or extremely high-speed autonomous transit. Still, it never hurts to dream big, right? With that in mind, AD rounded up six of the most interesting proposals for futuristic cities, some of which are already under construction. Which one are you moving to?
Photo: Stefano Boeri.
Smart Forest City, Mexico
Stefano Boeri, an Italian architect, unveiled plans for a smart city near Cancún, named Smart Forest City, in 2019. The proposed metropolis would contain 7.5 million plants and is based on the area’s Mayan heritage and the culture’s relationship with the natural world. “Thanks to the new public parks and private gardens, thanks to the green roofs and to the green facades, the areas actually occupied will be given back by nature through a perfect balance between the amount of green areas and building footprint,” the firm told Dezeen. Collecting data is an important aspect of the proposed project, but Boeri assures this will be of benefit to residents, as it would be used to enhance governance.
Photo: Courtesy of BIG.
Telosa, USA
Conceived by billionaire Marc Lore, Telosa’s goal is to “create a new city in America that sets a global standard for urban living, expands human potential, and becomes a blueprint for future generations.” Though it’s exact location has yet to determined, the city will prioritize pedestrians and bikers with a few “slow-moving autonomous vehicle.” Imagined as sustainable city and designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, renewable resources will power the urban area; green spaces will be protected and prioritized; and water will be stored, cleaned, and reused on site. Aside from environmental initiatives, the city will be built around the idea of equitism, “an economic system in which citizens have a stake in the city’s land.” The project is currently targeting a population of 5 million by 2050.
Photo: Courtesy of NEOM.
The Line, Saudi Arabia
Building futuristic cities is no cheap feat. Case in point: To build The Line, Saudi Arabia’s 100-mile long linear city, the country is planning to invest between $100–$200 billion. Clad in a mirrored facade, the city plans to eliminate the need for cars—and carbon emissions—by implementing high-speed autonomous transit. According to Gizmodo, construction has already begun on the city, which is expected to be completed by 2030.
Photo: Courtesy of BIG
Oceanix Busan, South Korea
Though floating-city proposals are increasingly common these days, Oceanix Busan may be the first one to actually reach completion. Oceanix hired Bjarke Ingels Group and SAMOO to design the city, and Busan soon signed on to help build the first prototype, which was delivered to the UN in April of 2022. Built from biorock, a self-sustaining and self-repairing material, the city will hopefully serve as a model for other coastal communities battling rising sea levels and other climate-change-induced difficulties.
Photo: Courtesy of MRVD
Chengdu Sky Valley, China
Designed by firm MVRDV, Chengdu Sky Valley was conceived as a an entry for the Future Science and Technology City competition, though the project isn’t moving forward at this time. The metropolis is designed to preserve and enhance the site’s traditional Linpan settlements, which are rural communities in the area’s valleys. For this reason, new buildings are clustered on hills and designed to accentuate the valley skyline. By preserving the agricultural landscape of the area, residents are offered “a wider choice of lifestyles, including opportunities for self-building and developing self-sufficient lifestyles in harmony with nature.”
Photo: Courtesy of Foster+Partners
Amaravati, India
Though this masterplan for Amaravati conceived by Foster+Partners is no longer happening, it does offer great insight into what a futuristic city could look like. In the the plan, a government complex would anchor the city, and a large central green space would span the city’s center—inspired by Lutyens’ Delhi and New York’s Central Park. The firm also envisioned an aggressive environmental strategy, in which “at least 60% of the area is occupied by greenery or water.” According to Foster+Partners, the metropolis would’ve been among the most sustainable in the world and would make use of various new and emerging technologies including photovoltaics, electric vehicles, water taxis, and dedicated cycle routes.
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Photo: Stefano Boeri. .jpg)
Photo: Stefano Boeri. 
Photo: Courtesy of BIG. 
Photo: Courtesy of BIG. .jpg)
Photo: Courtesy of NEOM. .jpg)
Photo: Courtesy of NEOM. 
Photo: Courtesy of BIG
Photo: Courtesy of BIG
Photo: Courtesy of MRVD
Photo: Courtesy of MRVD
Photo: Courtesy of Foster+Partners 
Photo: Courtesy of Foster+Partners 