Concept Model of the 2070 Manhattan. An amorphous ever-changing net of residents and activities is replacing what used to be fixed steel and concrete skyscrapers. collaboration. My role: joint concept development, joint execution
MY ROLE:
Team project, planning, graphics, algorithm planning, conceptual planning, story narrative, 3d modeling.
TEAM:
M.A Arch Julia Barashkova, B.Arch Assaf Jan, B.Arch Noy Ilan, B.Acrh Shani Alezra
PROLOGUE
The Data revolution which began in the 20-th century changed all areas of life. Gradually the world became increasingly virtual. Social interactions made their way from the round table, to skype and then to the WhatsApp groups; YouTube videos replaced educational institutions. And every bit of information social media users voluntarily provided Google and Facebook accumulated into monetary assets.
Simultaneously, the western economic system became unstable. Since 2008 the value of various currencies fluctuated, and the economic stability decreased. Autonomous groups began trading different currencies: cryptocurrency, trade of services, goods, and information.
ECONOMICS
Gradually, the independent trading groups grew in power – especially traders of information – and state regulated currencies lost their value. By the year 2029, gold bars and dollars had almost no value compared to the Spaghetti recipe of super-star chef Eyal Shani. The economic system shifted from being resource-based to data-based. Data was created and duplicated, and economic values shifted from “OR” to “AND”. Therefore, with each trade, one could only become richer, and the limit was infinite.
TECHNOLOGY
As industries became more data oriented, new technological advances were created. In 2040 a startup company invented a device, shaped like a remote control, that was able to quickly alter atomic structure. Thus turning any material into another, in the same state of matter. At first the use of the device was heavily regulated by governmental authorities. However, with the demise of statutory systems, everyone gained the ability to immediately alter the physical space.
GOVERNMENT
Following the economic turmoil and technological advances, governments lost their influence. Some tried to regain control by implementing totalitarian methods, while others had elections. Since information regulation is impossible in a democratic world, in the year 2058 a civil war broke in the city of New York, between various groups attempting to gain governance. In 10 years of war the city’s population decreased from 16.7 m to 8.4 m, 2 m of which residing in Manhattan. In New York of the year 2068 there isn’t a constitution, there are no more laws, no authorities and supervision, no taxes, no judicial system - no centralized government.
GEOGRAPHY
Since the remote control could not change the materials’ state of matter, only their type, the rivers surrounding Manhattan could be turned into Coca-Cola, or wine, but they still remained liquid. The waterline is the last reminder of the old world and the border between New York, and New-New York.
PRE-FICTIONAL WAR MANHATTAN. Concept Map, collaboration: My role: concept development, mapping
POST-FICTIONAL WAR MANHATTAN
In 2069, New New Yorkers are ideologically separated between those trying to maintain the old order, and the anarchists. The different groups gained somewhat equivalent data-wealth and now exist in status-quo. The civil war became cold and there is a state of equilibrium.
THE YEAR IS NOW 2070 IN THE CITY OF NEW NEW YORK.
DIARY EXPERTS OF A NEW NEW YORK DWELLER
13.03.2070 – The winter is coming to an end and so is the war, during which everyone rushed to take up space in the city, just to not get left behind. Rachel and I got a spot somewhere on the 5th avenue. On this sunny day, I decided to meet my bowling friends for a quick game. The way to the 36th , which used to last 20 minutes before, now took me 5 hours, even though I used the ‘PathWay’ app. But we rarely travel far from home nowadays. I missed bowling, but I need a closer group. I posted in the group “Bowling Between Friends” on the Super Dark Web, and after 17 seconds found 4 new partners. The app found us new locations to live at, and you know what I always say, it’s always worth to move for a good game of bowling.
14.03.2070 – Rachel and I got into a huge fight. She picked up nude sketching with a group 10 minutes away from home and when I suggested a move, she said I was being indifferent to her places. Alas, there is not enough non coded material around our house to make a decent bowling course. Rachel understood my agony and agreed to move to a distance of 20 minutes.
21.03.2070 – 5 days since our move, the copying company is almost done recreating our furniture. Zion, our cat is getting used to our new space. I woke up in the morning, 6 p.m. and the sun is setting. I have 42 coffee capsules left. Today I’ll probably drink 15. I didn’t have breakfast, I immediately began to write. Rachel left to her drawing class with a group that met 7 minutes away from home and took with her half of our bedroom as material. My new neighbor texted to ask me if he could fill the gap Rachel left for the next two hours for his Piano practice. I said yes even though he is a horrid little man. The speed and frenzy of the outside in not easy for Rachel, and I fear she would consider joining some country.
THE NEW WEALTH FORMULA
WEALTH = X/TIME + Y*VARIETY + Z*MATERIAL
(X > Y > Z)
ALGORITHM IN ACTION
Speed = Time / Velocity
Rapidity = Time / (Speed + Density – Coordination)
Travel time < Duration of Activity X Value of Activity
Travel Distance < Duration of Activity X Value of Activity X (Speed + Density – Coordination)
Individuals in space search – through technology - for other individuals who share their values and interests.
Individuals in space who have shared values and interests
aspire to create a happening in a cluster of material.
Individuals in space who have shared values and interests and aspire to create a happening develop a level of correlation about their location in space at certain times. Namely, those individuals know how certain parts of the city are shaped at certain times.
A search range for the happening is created when the combination of correlation and expected density in that area results in a distance individuals are willing to travel. In the anarchist city, streets form and disappear on a need-based basis.
Unity render of the algoritm. Collaboration. My role: concept development, narrative. Coding: Noy Ilan.
