the concept behind this blog
Welcome to thelivingcities.com, a platform dedicated to exploring the intersections of sustainability, new technologies, and architecture. Our goal is to blur the boundaries between the built environment and the natural world, and ultimately create buildings that function like living organisms.
The idea for this blog started in 2007, while studying medieval architecture history in Florence, Italy. Examining maps of the city’s evolution over time, it became clear to us that cities resemble living beings as they grow and develop. This realization led us to discover the works of the Japanese metabolist movement, and in particular, Kisho Kurokawa’s concept of transitioning into the “age of life.”
Since then, we have been inspired by the work of prominent architects and researchers who have been exploring similar ideas, including Makoto Sei Watanabe, Neri Oxman, and Zaha Hadid among many others. These architects and thinkers have been pushing the boundaries of what it means for a building to be “alive” and have developed innovative solutions for sustainable design.
Our journey has taken us to the fundamental characteristics of life: metabolism, growth, reproduction, response to stimuli, adaptation, homeostasis, and cell organization. By converting these characteristics into architectural elements or principles, we aim to create buildings that truly embody the essence of life.
Over the years, we have come across countless articles and publications that fit into this concept and we felt it was time to share our findings in an orderly manner with the intention of promoting dialogue between all the different voices and perspectives in the field of sustainability, low carbon, ESG and other initiatives that directly influence architecture and urbanism. Our mission with this blog is to disseminate information, inspire new ideas, and hopefully, contribute to the integration of our cities back into the natural environment, creating a symbiotic relationship with our planet.
Join us on this journey of exploration and discovery as we delve into the fascinating world of sustainable architecture and the new technologies shaping our built environment.