Loomio
Sat 17 Aug 2013 2:36AM

Proposing My Ideas for Realistic City Goals

ML Marc Legere Public Seen by 16

Intro: There are currently other parallel groups that have similar goals, ideas, and values - and are mobilizing in many different ways. This particular set of examples that I will post below includes a simplistic version of the resource based economy, and it incorporates minimal amounts of new technology. (meaning, it has more man-powered systems than automated ones - for now).

We could start here on this forum... and use social media to assist with initial planning. We should all be constantly informed and prepared to adjust. I feel as members we need to stay focused on social engineering ideas, and how to communicate these ideas and values of an RBE to the world as a non-violent transition. Our end goal should be to produce a publish a Thesis (possibly in a Professional Science Journal - or well-known Magazine/News Media Outlet) that will use our designs, and our data (simulations or real) to help further prove and bring to light the true subject matter of the movement which is applied sociocyberneering as "invented" by Jacque Fresco.

This Design is only a proposal as the foundational elements of an RBE on which to build upon. I will attempt to outline process by which an RBE could possibly come into development. A mere rough draft of ideas, this was a recent project I've started on my free time: To take my current resident city, and redesign and imagine the process of changes to be made in order to transition.The beneficence of technology together in time, and with enough collaboration.

Okay. There seems to be two major types of collaboration in debate which would alter the process a great deal. So, instead of taking a vote, I will attempt to list my ideas on both.

  1. Online - Requires Design teams to interact strictly through communication systems, and the internet (longer virtual design process - larger group capacity).
  2. In-Person - Allows the option to live, physically interact, research and design in some facility or land. (smaller workshops - As-Built drafts and drawings - trial and error process, smaller group capacity)

SET OF GOALS (1): I wrote this for the "Global Redesign Institute" via. Zeitgeist Movement Global Forum

( 1A. ) Online Team: Preplanning, Setup, & Awareness:
We need to complete design on a Website Interface for our RBE Organization – The main website should be linked with existing social networks for higher internet traffic, and easier “sharing” capabilities through the interface –

We will need people to register for the main site, and using a digital world map we can identify each user, and where each member is located. For the first few projects we will need 100% technical personnel. In order to scout for personnel, we will need permissions to access The Venus Project Scientific Database, and gather many scientists and engineers from TZM Global whom are most familiar with RBE concepts. Outside or professional engineers would need to first be educated on the movement and social conditions we want to meet before they can get involved.

( 1B. ) Step One: Online Team - Building the Web Interface
Before the team can commence they will need to be properly equipped! Our first goal before we can begin is to setup a "Cloud Computing" Interface for draftsman, senior engineers, graphic designers, software programmers, and other technical personnel can interact. There are very powerful (and affordable) cloud services that can be developed as online workshops...

The single biggest problem with starting this project ONLINE is for us to be uniformly equipped (we don't need uniforms, just a similar "workshops" for everyone). We will all need constant access to similar software. Just to name a few examples: Autodesk CAD, Revit, Google SketchUp, Adobe Programs, Microsoft Office etc... - Uniform software is the KEY to getting collaborative work done, so that the results are transparent to everyone across the board.

Live meetings in person may not be feasible, but Google Meetup is a great method to having online conferences (outside of forums) to initiate the group. For expenses we have many options (but we want to keep everything as cheap and affordable as possible): We could create a group "expense list" where we divide up many of the initial costs and estimate how much it would be per person, or we could have a team look heavily into getting sponsorship from companies, that we may or may not have to promote as part of a deal or start a small business selling TVP or TZM/activist merch. Who Knows... I know people will throw around ideas for how to fund certain aspects of the project the more involved it gets... I want to expand more on the equipment needed to start RBE concept city.

It would essentially be an online "platform" on our own Cloud Server, it would be an embedded window in your browser that would be accessing the fully equipped cloud computers (we "bought" from Amazon for example) and use it as our server, with everything already pre-installed for each user, and ready to use once you register, and download your security-id to remotely access the cloud desktop. I've done enough research online to know that this is completely feasible software design, but it will come at initially investing in high-tech software programs for the group. The goal is to form a common "virutal desktop" and Project Folders for organization. We will need to collaborate to provide each other the ability to all have access to a range of programs and software. It will be run by installing an OS image on the cloud. This will be maintained automatically like most online Registrar systems, but from what I've seen we will need to have Admin who can customize cloud-user restrictions (it will also keep the cost down to power-off our rented server when it is not in use - this will require users have access to Administrative operations).

( 1 & 2 ) Step Two: Initial Conditions, and Design Goals:
Initial Conditions Start by Selecting a Geographic Region for a group of Scientists and Engineers to collaborate on. (I read some of you suggested "Colorado" - We're looking for approximately 8-12 sq. miles which can support up 10,000+ - Some may choose to travel to a particular site to obtain research from Town or City hall to access engineering plans/boring logs/Road plans etc... and to access local information on farms (produce and livestock), industry & manufacturing capabilities, and general climate conditions that would forge particular living conditions or needs for structure related issues. For those of us who cannot afford to travel to do research, we can always use the internet for topographic like Google Earth, and collect specific conditions from local published websites, almanacs, encyclopedias etc. - Ordering books for the group.

After we agree on a plot of land, and localized initial conditions are written down, we will need a Design Goal: Where engineers use a !population! goal as estimated by using initial conditions, where we try to meet or exceed the current carrying capacity of the project region. We could try many configurations of a new city (including circular city arrangement), and we should initially implement the Venus Project's "City Systems" approach - writing the process for the most efficient means of construction, and the process of logistics required for massive scale production - We will need professional Estimators for this job. This planning stage would allow us to zone out an entire city - literally placing and labeling the location for housing projects, public facilities, hospitals, education centers, recreational centers, roadways and travel systems, and it would be also configured around the main city infrastructure.

( 1 & 2. ) Step Three: Design Phase:

Exterior Planning
• Pre Infrastructure: Geological Survey – The survey would require a complete 3D topographic map that will illustrate the terrain, and needs to be laid out by zones in accordance to region and function (highlighting zoning districts, travel and delivery routes, recreation, industry, utility, public centers and more, including undisturbed natural bounds).
• To regulate climatic conditions, environmental instruments (such as electronic probes and sensors) can be used for monitoring water quality and maintaining the underground water table (for sanitary and structural reasons).
• Initial plans for drainage, connected pipe, wire, and gas-lined systems would have to be established before any building foundations, roadways and structural additions, or land development can begin.
• Water Treatment plant
• Power Plant – Renewable Energy Systems (Natural Alternative Sources)
• Recycling Center*
• Environmental stations: Equipped for geographers to study and conduct maintenance work on main city environmental infrastructures. Geographic conditions as engineered need to be maintained from corrosion/erosion-type natural conditions with man-made ridges, streams, retaining walls, and other natural alternative systems
• Computer Data Base – Management Software Developers work on systems that will monitor natural conditions with live feedback instruments imbedded in the soil, ballooned in the sky, and orbiting the satellite atmosphere to give us constant environmental feedback, more accurate weather predictions, and give us more information on climate change conditions.

Interior Design
• Interconnected sub surface electrical, water, waste management, and natural gas lines
• Main infrastructure from foundations to roadways and zoning districts

• Ctr. Main inner city travel systems
Provided all range vehicles
• Ctr. Intercity/state transit system station at city center
• Ctr. City server towers, computer management center, cellular and wireless towers)

Eight Circular Fuction arrangements (@1oclock)
• 1. Food/farming/livestock/water plantation + farm land acres*
• 2. Processing, packaging, automated systems of production
• 3. Industrial complex, Harvesting/Production plants, logistics systems connected to Universal Distribution intelligence
• 4. Hospitals, health centers
• 5. Education, child development, rehabilitation centers (NEEDS REFORM*)
• 6. Shopping, commerce and distribution centers
• 7. Sanitary, industrial cleaning facilities for environment, housing, and marine
• 8. Recycling Center

Mid-Circular Belt Sector: Housing, Recreation, and Architecture
• 1. Roadways, walkways, paths, parks, overcasts, streams, fountains, ponds, etc.. The mid-circular belt of the city will be the true garden of the city prospering in the center of futuristic "sub-urban culture". A touch here, and a touch there, mended by your community, the housing district will be a result of both the cities' cybernetic intelligence system, coupled with the dramatic shift in human values, and we will begin to desire for well designed, controlled environments.. that becomes efficient, appealing, and constantly updated by your community, and construction and design work is really a matter of how well the City System can produce and build resources for its residents. The most democratic of all processes is deciding to invest resources in the production of sporting goods, recreational facilities (i.e. - ice rink), courts, tracks, and even corn mazes. We will not know where the future takes us until we arrive.

**Assumed City-Exterior conditions: Allocation of metals, Rare materials
(irons/titanium/alloys)

  • Agricultural (indoor hydroponics) – outdoor: livestock/ rare vegetation Farming, Food Productions Processing, Packaging Universal Distribution System – Several branches for each distributions methodology

With estimations in place, we will have both initial conditions, and the new proposed plans for the city laid out. In comparing the two will need to plan several stages of transition (before we get into how the transition will take place, we will need to design in consideration of the transition, by designing construction processes to have as little impact on the local current residents as possible, and placing TEMPORARY facilities and automated systems in place to meet the needs of people - some facilities will require volunteer workers). Keeping sanitation, food, and conditions good enough until RBE conditions can be made will be a VERY DIFFICULT process with how difficult people are to cooperate with nowadays... Anyways continuing:

( 1C ) Online Team: 3D Professional Drafting
Each system, building, and piece of infrastructure will need to be designed using API Programming and CAD software. This is where scientists and engineers break out into their own special fields to do research on the latest technologies, and the most workable systems today. Each discipline of the city will require its own board of engineers, its own project folder and a way to incorporate each group's work into the main 3D-mapping layout for the city...

In creating the housing projects and buildings for the city, we will need a uniform plan of design. This will be in-depth guidelines for engineers to follow as they propose their designed structure and setup for each building. These [U]Uniform Engineering Conditions[/U] would allow for more efficient means of design, which will speed up the process, limit diversity and complexity of design, be an overall more unified approach at city-design, and make the process of estimating the total materials and resource list much easier to compile.

  1. Materials & Resource List A uniform style of architecture and using specific engineered materials will form a materials and resource list: This list, once we have the square acreage, number of houses & buildings, roadways/ walk-ways/ infrastructure set, will need an approach at estimating the actual amount of resources needed: concrete, steel, metals, wood, volume of soil to be removed and filled, and all other materials from water-systems, to electrical components, to jigs and mega-construction, to areas for farming and machines for harvesting food and livestock. Also energy supplying materials (i.e. photo-voltaic materials), rare materials, right down to furnishings in homes to the number of lights, to the sizes of air conditioning and water heating units in each home. This will be a monumental task, but completely feasible with today's software.

( 1D ) Online Team: City Simulation
Using Game Programmers, incorporate artificial intelligence and create a simulation of a "Total Enclosure System" - programming and functioning city into simulation (running 24hr simulations) using what we have already mapped and designed in a looping game program. We would then collect the data output from simulations, and use that as the final point in our Published Thesis of why a Resource Based economy should be implemented. This goal is furthest away and is hard to expand on at the moment.

  1. Real World Transition Phase: The real world transition phase will commence. Where people go register and volunteer to move all of their possessions and belongs and agree to join the first "under-construction" hybrid Resourced Based Economy. We would need to accept only the within the limit of the designed population, and many of the personnel would have to be volunteering scientists and engineers who would "move in" a vacant plot of land to begin construction. This will only happen after the resources and personnel are completely ready to start the project, goals in mind, with all the tools and resources available.

( 1E ) Online Team: Summary - The "Global Resign Institute" will have done it's job in creating the world first ever RBE Simulation, and we have a better idea of what it takes to make this dream a reality.

I will leave this discussion open and I will continue to expand as we organize this movement. If anyone knows or has access to the URL http://www.globalredesigninstitute.org; please let us know so we can start maybe using that.

If we could have enough volunteers I believe its possible to start applying RBE concepts to even more simpler designs, but as long as the occupants can have a decent quality of life. The ultimate goal is to keep updating, and always improving upon what we already have.

By the way, thanks for reading!

BS

Blaine Smith Sat 17 Aug 2013 4:09AM

wow, that was really interesting and detailed, I can tell you put a lot of time and effort into that. But I think your missing the point of "Build a hybrid RBE now" emphasis on the 'now' part. I believe this is specifically for people who want to go somewhere in the near future and build a community to text on the small scale on city scale if it will work or not. I do love how much info you put into that, but all of that research, organizing, planning and the complex sites with lots of people involved and the communication systems and satellites. This will all take a lot of time which we just don't have. I'm watching the Matrix now so i'll get back soon ;)

JG

Jammie Gregory Sat 17 Aug 2013 4:24AM

I don't like it, mainly just because it is too wordy. This forum is a democratic voting system for the purpose of finding enough agreement between each topic of discussion to get the buying of land and building a small community from scratch. " For the first few projects we will need 100% technical personnel", why? that could be a topic of discussion in itself that I don't think many people here would agree with. I didn't really get much out of reading this, the essence of it just kinda looks like we get engineers and technicians to figure it all out, estimate this, plan out that, collaborate, simulate, then move in...

"The first phase should be where people are online, registered, and ready to volunteer - having discussion groups, and literal think tanks about ways to transition, gain money leverage for the group (ability to access money and invest in the group materials needed), gain publicity, and to improve on our collaborative tools and methods." - imo this phase has already been done many times over and has ending up right back where it started every time.

In as few words as possible what is the most important thing you want to convey and discuss?

JG

Poll Created Sat 17 Aug 2013 4:30AM

Redraft make concise, state reasons Closed Wed 11 Sep 2013 9:15AM

Use fewer words with more meaning, explain why or state more reasons for this or that course of action. Or break article into smaller topics of discussion, such as the need for technicians and engineers to design it all out prior to anyone doing anything else.

Results

Results Option % of points Voters
Agree 100.0% 2 JG BS
Abstain 0.0% 0  
Disagree 0.0% 0  
Block 0.0% 0  
Undecided 0% 14 AT N MR B ML SMJ BK TAA CB AC XQ KM DA AA

2 of 16 people have participated (12%)

BS

Blaine Smith
Agree
Sat 17 Aug 2013 5:04AM

I think this kind of this should wait till we at least have something small scale set up. If you like you could make a video to say everything that you stated, it would make it much easier for people to take in and understand.

ML

Marc Legere Sat 17 Aug 2013 4:57PM

“Too wordy”
Here’s my rebuttal: I apologize first for the length of text and wordiness. It is precisely the inefficiencies of the english language that requires a long message for “detailed” approaches - especially complex ones, which is what this is. I’m not here to be your English teacher and you shouldn’t attempt to be mine.

“Build a Hyrbid RBE "NOW”
I’m not nieve. The title says “realistic” - it should be changed to “practical”, due to the response I’m getting, Also, Reading long text seems to be a burden for this forum. But digesting even in pure simplified concept, understanding the RBE system is virtually the same long process though for those who understand nearly all of it - it takes a lot of words to learn the technical requirements and the process behind Jacques pretty pictures and drawings.

  • I am willing to cooperate to build a city now, but I wonder “who has the resources, land permissions, and means of production (i.e. industrial equipment) to get us started? If we know of any said people or facilities, we should be having discussion groups about that, and continuing how to finance, and move several people into this particular location now.

"I don’t like it… This is a democratic voting system”
This was posted with the intention of receiving feedback, and edit. I appreciate your comments. The way you criticize and attack my post makes you look like you're not very open-minded and may not be good working with others.

“kinda looks like we get engineers… to figure it all out”
In order to make an RBE a reality, we need technical knowledge. Whether or not we are practicing professional engineers and scientists shouldn’t matter - as long as we understand the concepts and how to make them a reality. I warn you it is not a simple process, or quick either. Rome wasn’t, so why would this be?

Specific Answers:
Yes I will redraft it - this was wrtten for another global community (web-based) which I mention in the text.

In as few words: I want to convey that Building an RBE will not be easy, though some may think we can start today. But I want to assure you, I'm willing to start tomorrow...

JG

Jammie Gregory Sat 17 Aug 2013 6:11PM

Sorry if I offended you Marc, I'm sure you put a lot of time and thought into this to cover all the details, but this group will probably only be 40 to 50 non-technical people who decide to go out and buy some land and start this project from scratch as stated in the purpose of the group, unless they decide otherwise, there are only 9 members yet and I doubt many even have a college education, not everyone thinks like a social engineer, anyway I'm leaving this post up because I'm close minded I guess, and I'll leave it up until people decide to vote on it to redraft, discuss, or whatever.

JG

Jammie Gregory Sat 17 Aug 2013 6:29PM

A better topic for discussion to bring up would be to start with the question "should we get technicians, scientists, and engineers to first draft and plan out the city, before we do anything else?" Then have a discussion on that key point with this small group of people, then depending on what they say make a proposal that best fits what the group may want.

BS

Blaine Smith Sat 17 Aug 2013 8:00PM

If people think like the social engineers here in Regina they shouldn't join, cause these guys should shot for the some of the stupid things they do here. The thing about technicians is, although yes they are smart and skilled, but some times (just sometimes) their priorities are a bit scued. Also the issue with getting technicians to do it, some of them are so fixated on their own version of perfection that they forget who they are building it for. These things need to be build for and by the people. But that's just my opinion.

ML

Marc Legere Sat 17 Aug 2013 11:44PM

I'm a college student, no degree, and with not much financial backing.. like most people. If we plan to "just starting building now" with about 40-50 people, we're gonna have to come up with some serious funding. I'm totally willing to try it tho.. I would just appreciate proper living conditions if we were to decide to relocate to this particular area when we get started.

BS

Blaine Smith Sun 18 Aug 2013 12:37AM

Afraid to rough it eh? Are you a city boy? Think of it as long term camping.

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