FUHU2060 Abstract

Now, when a designer is as R. Buckminster Fuller would say, a “synthesis of artist, inventor, mechanic, objective economist, and evolutionary strategist” is working on our future and his design “equals global success” what are the new objectives and questions? How should we use that design power? I argue that the answer is for design to meet the needs of humans and their sustained relationship with the environment.

The FUHU 2060 project utilizes the idea of designing an inspirational vision of a sustainable future for urban living in the year 2060. FUHU 2060 attempts to address growing urbanization in the context of projected energy insufficiency and population growth. By borrowing ideas from the edge of science and engineering research today (and advance these technologies 50 years ahead) a picture of future design and social considerations can emerge. FUHU features the design of a speculative infrastructure for urban housing and transportation in vertically-dense areas.
The design of a scale model, 3D models, blueprints and detailed design layouts illustrate the delicate process of balancing believability with creativity. While existing research shows trends towards vertical density, FUHU 2060 delves deeper into the specific design and technology considerations surrounding the actual realization of a consumer aerospace lifestyle for a realistic, if exaggerated, New York City of future.