--- title: Incredible Cities of Tomorrow description: "By: Michael Drake\n\nIn recent years, Saudi Arabia has become the focal point of countless online articles, forums, and YouTube videos, thanks to its visionary and often outrageously ambitious architectural plans. Chief among them is the now-famous linear skyscraper, The Line, part of the country's experimental NEOM city. But while The Line and other bold projects in Saudi Arabia have captured much of the world's attention, several other proposed cities around the globe have flown largely under the radar, some of which are already under construction or even welcoming their first residents. So today, we're going to explore seven of these incredible cities of the future that have been overlooked. And for that reason, NEOM won't be making an appearance. Let's dive in.\n\n## Masdar City, UAE\n\nMuch like its neighbor Saudi Arabia, the UAE has also been exploring futuristic city concepts for quite some time. In 2006, Abu Dhabi launched the Masdar Initiative, aiming to diversify the nation's economy while positioning itself as a leader in renewable energy. A central part of this initiative was Masdar City, a zero-waste, zero-carbon, car-free city designed to run entirely on renewable energy.\n\nWith an estimated cost of $18 to $22 billion, Masdar City was a relatively modest project, at least when compared to other grand visions of the future. The city was planned for the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, adjacent to Zayed International Airport, and designed to accommodate 50,000 residents and 40,000 daily commuters. Spanning six square kilometers (2.3 square miles), it was envisioned as a hub for research institutions, startups, and international companies, all contributing to economic growth and innovation. Instead of conventional vehicles, Masdar City would use a fleet of autonomous electric vehicles, including personal transport pods. Smart streetlights were to be installed, adjusting their brightness based on pedestrian activity to reduce energy consumption.\n\nArchitecturally, the city was to blend traditional Arab design with modern technology. Most buildings would be compact, low-rise structures with recessed windows, and narrow streets designed to provide natural shade and ventilation, potentially reducing ambient temperatures by 5 to 10°C (41 to 50°F). Sustainable materials were also a priority: buildings would incorporate low-carbon cement, and 90% of the aluminum used in shading systems would be recycled. Additionally, the entire city would be run on solar energy. Monitoring and managing the city's infrastructure, including air quality, energy usage, and waste, would be handled by an IoT (Internet of Things) system. This network would connect vehicles, buildings, sensors, and more, an increasingly common feature in future city planning.\n\nConstruction officially began in 2008, with an initial goal of completion by 2015. However, the 2010 financial crisis, combined with overly ambitious expectations, caused significant delays. A revised plan was introduced, pushing the target completion date to 2030 and reducing the anticipated population to 40,000.\n\nDespite these setbacks, construction has continued steadily, and many key structures have already been completed. Highlights include the Siemens Energy Regional Headquarters, the first of 21 LEED Platinum-certified buildings so far, and a Khalifa University campus built in partnership with MIT, designed to use 51% less energy and 54% less water than similar buildings in the UAE. The city has since shifted from its original carbon-zero goal to a more attainable carbon-neutral model. As of 2023, approximately 15,000 residents and commuters had already made Masdar City their home.\n\n## Smart Forest City, Mexico\n\nMany future cities around the world share common goals, chief among them addressing challenges like climate change, deforestation, and environmental degradation. These shared concerns have given rise to a wave of \"green city\" concepts. While many of these proposals are impressive in their own right, few rival the ambition of the Smart Forest City planned near Cancún, Mexico.\n\nDesigned by the architectural firm Stefano Boeri Architetti, best known for projects like the Vertical Forest in Milan, Smart Forest City is envisioned to cover 557 hectares, roughly two and a half times the size of Monaco. Drawing inspiration from the region's Mayan heritage and deep connection to nature, the city's design evokes a striking resemblance to New York City's Central Park when viewed from above. Shaped as a long rectangle, it will be densely covered in greenery and interwoven with wide canals.\n\nOf the city's 5.57 square kilometers (2.2 square miles), 4 square kilometers will be dedicated entirely to green spaces, incorporating around 7.5 million plants. These will be found not only in public parks and private gardens but also adorning the facades and rooftops of every building, including the envisioned skyscrapers. According to the designers, these features, supported by on-site facilities, will allow Smart Forest City to absorb approximately 116,000 tons of CO₂ annually, while storing an additional 5,800 tons. Buildings will also be embedded with smart sensors that collect and share environmental data with the city's projected 130,000 residents. This information will include metrics like temperature, humidity, and even real-time climate conditions across different areas of the city.\n\nAt the city's entrance, a desalination tower accompanied by storage facilities will supply water, which will flow through a network of canals to irrigate the urban core and surrounding agricultural fields. Alongside this water infrastructure, a vast array of solar panels will generate renewable energy, enabling the city to be fully self-sufficient in both food and power.\n\nIn keeping with its eco-centric vision, all conventional vehicles will be banned from within city limits. Instead, a system of semi-autonomous electric vehicles will provide sustainable transportation, reducing emissions and enhancing residents' quality of life. Since forests can absorb up to 40% of emissions from urban fossil fuel use, this emphasis on vegetation and clean transit is central to the city's sustainability goals.\n\nThough still in the planning phase and awaiting local approval, the Smart Forest City is also expected to house an advanced research center focused on environmental science and sustainability. The designers hope it will serve not only as a model for climate-conscious urban development but also as a global hub for environmental research, attracting academics, innovators, and leaders in sustainability from around the world.\n\n## Telosa, USA\n\nIn 2021, American billionaire Marc Lore made headlines by announcing a visionary plan for a futuristic city in the United States. In his imagined metropolis, Americans of all backgrounds, social standings, and beliefs would live in harmony under a system called equitism. At its core, equitism centers on the idea that all resources, rights, and opportunities should be equally accessible to every citizen, achieved by giving each person an equal stake in the city itself. A community endowment would ensure that any increase in the city's value flows back to the residents rather than to a wealthy few, enabling balanced growth and mitigating issues like neighborhood decay and gentrification.\n\nTo bring this idea to life, Lore enlisted the help of the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), a firm renowned for its innovative work on futuristic cities around the world. BIG's master plan was both ambitious and striking. It proposed a development on approximately 60,000 hectares (150,000 acres), roughly the size of Chicago, ideally located in a vast desert region of the western United States. The city would run entirely on renewable energy and be interspersed with abundant green spaces, which would be both preserved and prioritized. In the arid desert climate, water conservation would be crucial, with systems in place to store, purify, and reuse it on-site.\n\nThe buildings themselves would vary in size but adopt distinct futuristic designs, strategically oriented to maximize shade, channel wind, and reduce temperatures. At the heart of the city would stand Equitism Tower, Telosa's proposed centerpiece. With a woven facade and a funnel-shaped structure, it aims to be unlike anything built before. Described as a \"beacon for the city,\" the tower would house water storage, a large-scale aeroponics farm, and a solar-paneled roof. Like the rest of Telosa, it would be powered by IoT technology, enabling real-time monitoring of water use, waste management, and other essential systems. A secure digital infrastructure would support communications, transactions, and a range of smart city features.\n\nOne of the most compelling elements of the proposed city is the \"15-minute city\" concept, which plays a crucial role in its infrastructure. Telosa would prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, with traditional vehicles kept outside the city limits. Instead, residents would rely on a network of slow-moving, autonomous electric vehicles such as cable cars and even flying transport pods, all accessible from the city's major mobility hubs.\n\nCurrently, Lore is seeking approximately $400 billion in funding for the project. While a specific location has yet to be chosen, potential sites include Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Once financing is secured and a location selected, construction is expected to occur in phases, with the first phase targeted for completion by 2030 and a projected population of 50,000. Over the following decades, the plan is to gradually expand the city, ultimately reaching a population of 5 million by 2050. As for whether or not these ambitious goals will come to fruition, only time will tell.\n\n## BiodiverCity, Malaysia\n\nIn 2020, the Penang State Government in Malaysia grew increasingly concerned about the threat that rapid urbanization posed to local biodiversity. In response, the state launched a competition to find a designer for the Penang South Islands, a new development to be built on reclaimed land off the coast of Penang. The winning proposal, submitted by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), the same firm behind the previous entry, envisioned 1,821 hectares spread across three manmade islands designed to support the coexistence of humans and nature.\n\nBIG's concept, called BiodiverCity, aimed to live up to its name through the use of localized water sources, renewable energy, and a sophisticated waste management system. Construction would rely entirely on sustainable materials and green building methods. The city's primary construction materials were to include bamboo, Malaysian timber, and green concrete, an aggregate composed of recycled materials. Every rooftop in BiodiverCity was designed to produce energy, harvest rainwater, and grow food through integrated solar panels and rooftop gardens. The rest of the buildings would carry this theme, incorporating greenery into their exteriors to create living facades. In place of conventional vehicles, the city would feature an autonomous transportation network of railways and waterway traffic. Meanwhile, the three islands were designed to resemble lily pads, with each capable of housing between 15,000 and 18,000 residents, primarily entrepreneurs, investors, and celebrities.\n\nThe first island, The Channels, was planned in three phases, with a large aquatic park at its center known as the Blue Plaza. Phase one would focus on Active Destinations, including attractions like a wave garden and a technology park to draw initial residents. The second phase would introduce a Civic Heart, featuring government offices and research institutions. The third and final phase, called the Cultural Coast, was designed to reflect the rich heritage of nearby George Town.\n\nThe second island, The Mangroves, was intended to serve as the business and service hub. At its center, BIG envisioned a large structure known as the Bamboo Beacon, which would function as a convention center for meetings, press events, and special gatherings.\n\nThe third and westernmost island, The Laguna, was planned as the primary residential zone. Described as an oasis for ecological living, it would feature a central marina surrounded by a mini archipelago of eight smaller islands, offering various housing types including terraced, floating, and stilted homes.\n\nUnfortunately, in 2023, the Penang State Government announced a significant scale-down of the project. Instead of three manmade islands totaling 1,821 hectares, the revised plan called for a single island roughly half that size. This new version, renamed Silicon Island, would incorporate elements from all three original islands into a more modest and achievable vision.\n\n## New Administrative Capital, Egypt\n\nAmong the many cities around the world grappling with the challenges of rapid urbanization, few responded as swiftly and ambitiously as Cairo. Faced with explosive population growth and worsening pollution, Egypt announced plans in 2015 to build a new capital. Although several names were proposed including Kemet, Wedian, and Masr, none fully captured the vision for the city. As a result, it has retained the provisional title: the New Administrative Capital, or NAC.\n\nLocated approximately 45 km (28 miles) east of Cairo, about halfway to Suez, the site chosen for the new city spans roughly 725 sq km (280 sq miles), or around the size of Singapore. The plan for NAC is grand in scope with 21 residential districts, a new government administration quarter, a diplomatic area, a central business district, and a new international airport. To bring balance to this urban development, extensive green spaces were also included in the design. Chief among them is the Green River Park, a 32-km-long (20 miles) landscaped corridor running through the heart of the city, symbolizing the Nile River.\n\nBut NAC was envisioned to be more than just a new capital. It was designed to be a futuristic, all-encompassing urban hub. The plans include 2,000 educational institutions, a massive stadium, over 1,200 churches and mosques, 18 hospitals, and a theme park four times the size of Disneyland. The plans also include a comprehensive Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure, featuring over 6,000 surveillance cameras throughout the city, managed with the help of authorities and AI. When completed, NAC is expected to accommodate a population of 6.5 million.\n\nAlthough the project is still in its first phase, many of NAC's signature buildings have already been completed. Since relocating the government was a top priority, numerous official structures are now finished, including the House of Representatives, the Presidential Palace, and the Octagon, Egypt's counterpart to the American Pentagon. Many of which showcase a unique blend of modern architectural design with ancient Egyptian influences, such as carved pillars and sandstone-like facades. In 2024, with most key government buildings complete, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi officially inaugurated the New Administrative Capital as Egypt's new seat of government during his third-term swearing-in ceremony.\n\nBeyond government buildings, the city already features several major landmarks: the Iconic Tower, Africa's tallest building at 77 stories and 394 meters (1,292 feet), a state-of-the-art opera house with five performance halls, and the largest cathedral in the Middle East. Yet even these are dwarfed by the Grand Mosque, capable of hosting up to 130,000 worshippers simultaneously. With the seat of government relocated and a light rail transit system now connecting NAC to Cairo, hundreds of thousands of residents reportedly already call the new capital home.\n\n## Toyota Woven City, Japan\n\nAs demonstrated by Marc Lore's vision, the pursuit of futuristic cities extends well beyond government and humanitarian initiatives, with private investors and corporations also taking part. One of the most remarkable examples is Toyota's Woven City. Located near Mount Fuji in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, this future-forward development is being constructed on a 175-acre site that once housed a Toyota car factory. According to the company, the city is founded on three core principles: it will be a Living Laboratory, Human-Centered, and Ever Evolving.\n\nAt its core, Woven City is envisioned as a real-world experimental hub with two primary groups of residents: Inventors and Weavers. The Inventors, drawn largely from the Toyota Group, affiliated third-party companies, startups, and academic institutions, will operate out of the \"Inventor Garage,\" where they will continuously innovate new mobility technologies. This space will serve as an open environment for developing, testing, and refining new ideas, products, and systems. Weavers, on the other hand, will include residents, tourists, and short-term visitors with a passion for exploring new technology. They will engage directly with the innovations created by the Inventors, testing tools, prototypes, and vehicles in real-life conditions. Their feedback will offer valuable data and insights, allowing Inventors to go beyond traditional lab testing and make real-time improvements. In addition to participating in trials, Weavers will likely support the community by running shops, cafes, and other local businesses.\n\nWhile it may sound like a high-tech playground for Toyota to showcase its latest cars, the company is pursuing a much broader goal. Only zero-emission vehicles will be permitted within Woven City, with residents and visitors relying on autonomous electric \"e-Pallets\" for general transportation. Toyota is using the project as a platform to evolve from a car manufacturer into a leader in holistic mobility, spanning the movement of people, goods, energy, and data. As a result, much of the research and development will focus on technologies such as self-driving electric vehicles, robotics, and AI.\n\nMeanwhile, the city's design follows a modular, grid-based layout. Architecture will blend traditional Japanese elements with cutting-edge technology, centered around a communal town square. Most homes will be built primarily with wood and equipped with solar panels. As in many other planned smart cities, all buildings, transportation systems, and infrastructure will be interconnected through a comprehensive IoT network, protected by advanced cybersecurity systems. Dedicated lanes will be designed for pedestrians, high-speed vehicles, and personal mobility devices. To support its sustainability goals, the entire city will be powered by hydrogen energy.\n\nPhase One of the project has recently been completed, with a public launch scheduled for the fall of 2025. The first 100 residents, primarily Toyota employees, will serve as the city's inaugural Inventors. Although the initial phase can accommodate up to 360 residents, that number is expected to grow as development continues. With a diverse group of partners and investors from industries including education and even beverage manufacturing, and with construction already underway for Phase Two, Woven City appears to be on track to reach its goal of welcoming 2,000 residents and opening its doors to the public by 2026.\n\n## Oceanix Busan, South Korea\n\nOf all the challenges facing modern cities today, few have caused as much damage, or continue to pose as great a threat, as rising sea levels. In fact, 90% of the world's megacities are currently vulnerable to sea level rise, prompting a wave of futuristic proposals. Chief among these is the concept of floating cities. Although floating city ideas have circulated for decades, most have been dismissed as overly ambitious or unrealistic, though a few exceptions have gained traction. Notable examples include the Dubai Reefs project, Japan's Dogen \"smart healthcare city,\" and the Maldives Floating City, whose colorful buildings and palm-lined streets may become the world's first functional floating city, with completion expected in 2027.\n\nYet few of these initiatives possess the backing, technology, or transformative potential of Oceanix Busan. In 2019, the United Nations held its first Roundtable on Sustainable Floating Cities and committed to developing a prototype in partnership with a host city. Busan, South Korea, stepped forward. The UN then enlisted the expertise of architectural firms SAMOO and BIG, yes, them again, who delivered the first prototype model in April 2022. What they unveiled was groundbreaking.\n\nThe design features three interconnected, triangular floating platforms with rounded edges, covering a total surface area of 6.3 hectares and designed to accommodate 12,000 residents. The platforms are constructed from biorock, a self-sustaining and self-repairing material, and are connected to the mainland via link-span bridges. Along these bridges are spaces dedicated to art installations, recreational activities, and live performances.\n\nThe Lodging Platform, the smallest of the three, has a topside area of 30,000 square meters (323,000 square feet). From above, it resembles two stacked fidget spinners, with a central triangular courtyard, three main wings, and three detached side wings. This platform will host lodging and dining options for guests, as well as communal terraces and greenhouses open to all. The unique design maximizes waterfront views, ensuring a premium experience from every room.\n\nThe Living Platform, medium in size and centrally located, will function as a residential village. The buildings, featuring soft-cornered hexagonal roofs, will encircle a shared community backyard, fostering social interaction and a sense of cohabitation.\n\nThe Research Platform, the largest at 37,000 square meters (nearly 400,000 square feet), will consist primarily of a single, hexagon-shaped building. As its name suggests, this platform will serve as the city's hub for maritime and environmental research. At ground level, it will also include a communal winter garden and a large, climate-controlled central atrium. Within the atrium, vertical hydroponic towers will operate year-round, supplying food to the city's inhabitants.\n\nEach platform will include its own integrated systems, such as solar panels, closed-loop water systems, and more, making each unit fully self-sufficient in terms of power, water, and resource management. While Oceanix Busan is intended as a prototype for future floating cities, it is designed to scale, potentially expanding to 20 platforms and housing up to 100,000 residents.\n\nAlthough initial projections anticipated completion by 2025, construction appears to have been delayed and the revised target for Oceanix Busan's completion is now set for 2030.\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n- Masdar City in UAE aims for zero-waste and zero-carbon, using renewable energy and smart technology.\n- Smart Forest City in Mexico plans extensive green spaces and sustainable transportation to combat climate change.\n- Telosa in the USA proposes equitism, ensuring equal access to resources and opportunities for all residents.\n- BiodiverCity in Malaysia focuses on coexistence with nature, using sustainable materials and green building methods.\n- Toyota Woven City in Japan serves as a living laboratory for mobility technologies, powered by hydrogen energy.\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions\n\n### What is Masdar City?\n\nMasdar City is a zero-waste, zero-carbon, car-free city in the UAE designed to run entirely on renewable energy. It was launched in 2006 as part of the Masdar Initiative to diversify the nation's economy and position it as a leader in renewable energy.\n\n### What are the key features of Masdar City?\n\nMasdar City features compact, low-rise buildings with recessed windows and narrow streets for natural shade and ventilation. It uses autonomous electric vehicles, smart streetlights, and an IoT system to manage infrastructure. The city is powered by solar energy and uses sustainable materials like low-carbon cement and recycled aluminum.\n\n### What is the Smart Forest City in Mexico?\n\nThe Smart Forest City near Cancún, Mexico, is a proposed city designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti. It covers 557 hectares and is envisioned to be densely covered in greenery, with 4 square kilometers dedicated to green spaces and around 7.5 million plants.\n\n### How does the Smart Forest City plan to be sustainable?\n\nThe Smart Forest City aims to absorb approximately 116,000 tons of CO₂ annually through its extensive greenery. It will use a desalination tower for water supply, solar panels for energy, and ban conventional vehicles in favor of semi-autonomous electric vehicles.\n\n### What is Telosa and who is behind it?\n\nTelosa is a proposed futuristic city in the United States envisioned by American billionaire Marc Lore. It aims to implement a system called equitism, where all resources, rights, and opportunities are equally accessible to every citizen.\n\n### What are the key features of Telosa?\n\nTelosa will run entirely on renewable energy, prioritize green spaces, and use a network of slow-moving, autonomous electric vehicles. It will feature the Equitism Tower as its centerpiece, which will house water storage, an aeroponics farm, and a solar-paneled roof.\n\n### What is BiodiverCity in Malaysia?\n\nBiodiverCity is a proposed development in Penang, Malaysia, designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group. It aims to support the coexistence of humans and nature through the use of localized water sources, renewable energy, and a sophisticated waste management system.\n\n### What are the key features of BiodiverCity?\n\nBiodiverCity will use sustainable materials like bamboo and green concrete. It will feature rooftop gardens, living facades, and an autonomous transportation network. The city is planned to have three islands, each designed to resemble lily pads and capable of housing between 15,000 and 18,000 residents.\n\n### What is the New Administrative Capital in Egypt?\n\nThe New Administrative Capital (NAC) is a planned city in Egypt, located approximately 45 km east of Cairo. It is designed to accommodate a population of 6.5 million and includes 21 residential districts, a new government administration quarter, and extensive green spaces.\n\n### What are the key features of the New Administrative Capital?\n\nThe NAC features the Green River Park, a 32-km-long landscaped corridor, and numerous landmarks such as the Iconic Tower, an opera house, and the Grand Mosque. It also includes a comprehensive IoT infrastructure with over 6,000 surveillance cameras.\n\n## Sources\n\n- [Original Side Projects video: Incredible Cities of Tomorrow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOLbaBO22W0)\n- [https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/futuristic-cities-concept-roundup](https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/futuristic-cities-concept-roundup)\n- [https://bold-awards.com/8-futuristic-cities-shaping-urban-landscapes/](https://bold-awards.com/8-futuristic-cities-shaping-urban-landscapes/)\n- [https://www.constructionbriefing.com/news/10-new-cities-under-construction-around-the-world/8036078.article?zephr_sso_ott=komzhR](https://www.constructionbriefing.com/news/10-new-cities-under-construction-around-the-world/8036078.article?zephr_sso_ott=komzhR)\n- [https://www.masdarcity.ae/](https://www.masdarcity.ae/)\n- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masdar_City](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masdar_City)\n- 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[https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/press-release/paris-match-smart-forest-city-cancun/](https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/press-release/paris-match-smart-forest-city-cancun/)\n- [https://www.forbes.com/sites/nargessbanks/2024/10/22/telosa-bigs-bold-vision-for-sustainable-people-first-urban-living/](https://www.forbes.com/sites/nargessbanks/2024/10/22/telosa-bigs-bold-vision-for-sustainable-people-first-urban-living/)\n- [https://cityoftelosa.com/](https://cityoftelosa.com/)\n- [https://www.newsweek.com/telosa-utopia-city-construction-1937126](https://www.newsweek.com/telosa-utopia-city-construction-1937126)\n- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telosa)\n- 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[https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Administrative-Capital](https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Administrative-Capital)\n- [https://www.newsweek.com/egypt-capital-hydrogen-skyscraper-1941165#:~:text=The%20firm%20will%20break%20ground,Middle%20East%20and%20North%20Africa](https://www.newsweek.com/egypt-capital-hydrogen-skyscraper-1941165#:~:text=The%20firm%20will%20break%20ground,Middle%20East%20and%20North%20Africa)\n- [https://araburban.org/en/infohub/projects/?id=3939](https://araburban.org/en/infohub/projects/?id=3939)\n- [https://www.dezeen.com/2025/03/27/new-administrative-capital-egypt-cairo-photography/](https://www.dezeen.com/2025/03/27/new-administrative-capital-egypt-cairo-photography/)\n- [https://www.woven-city.global/about/](https://www.woven-city.global/about/)\n- [https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-woven-city-a-test-course-for-mobility-completes-phase-1-construction-and-prepares-for-launch/](https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-woven-city-a-test-course-for-mobility-completes-phase-1-construction-and-prepares-for-launch/)\n- [https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a63364854/toyota-woven-city-phase-one-opening/](https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a63364854/toyota-woven-city-phase-one-opening/)\n- [https://www.toyotaoforlando.com/blogs/6087/toyota-news-what-is-toyotas-woven-city#:~:text=Only%20zero%2Demissions%20vehicles%20will,up%20according%20to%20travel%20speeds](https://www.toyotaoforlando.com/blogs/6087/toyota-news-what-is-toyotas-woven-city#:~:text=Only%20zero%2Demissions%20vehicles%20will,up%20according%20to%20travel%20speeds)\n- [https://oceanix.com/busan/](https://oceanix.com/busan/)\n- [https://big.dk/projects/oceanix-busan-4711](https://big.dk/projects/oceanix-busan-4711)\n- [https://unhabitat.org/news/27-apr-2022/un-habitat-and-partners-unveil-oceanix-busan-the-worlds-first-prototype-floating](https://unhabitat.org/news/27-apr-2022/un-habitat-and-partners-unveil-oceanix-busan-the-worlds-first-prototype-floating)\n- [https://maldivesfloatingcity.com/](https://maldivesfloatingcity.com/)\n- [https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/tech-trends/japan-floating-city/](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/tech-trends/japan-floating-city/)\n- [https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2024/6/flooding-costs-the-u-s-between-179-8-and-496-0-billion-each-year](https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2024/6/flooding-costs-the-u-s-between-179-8-and-496-0-billion-each-year)\n\n## Related Coverage" url: https://sideprojects.pub/article/incredible-cities-of-tomorrow.md canonical: https://sideprojects.pub/article/incredible-cities-of-tomorrow datePublished: 2026-06-25 dateModified: 2026-06-25 author: - name: Simon Whistler url: https://sideprojects.pub/author/simon-whistler publisher: Side Projects image: "https://media.sideprojects.pub/cdn-cgi/image/width=1600,height=900,fit=cover,quality=80,format=auto/articles/vOLbaBO22W0/hero.jpg" type: NewsArticle contentHash: 144f478db3d76b90cc703549bd0c3b04053421e111b5f57fce474225ea7b8d9c tokens: 8068 summaryUrl: https://sideprojects.pub/article/incredible-cities-of-tomorrow.md.summary.md --- By: Michael Drake In recent years, Saudi Arabia has become the focal point of countless online articles, forums, and YouTube videos, thanks to its visionary and often outrageously ambitious architectural plans. Chief among them is the now-famous linear skyscraper, The Line, part of the country's experimental NEOM city. But while The Line and other bold projects in Saudi Arabia have captured much of the world's attention, several other proposed cities around the globe have flown largely under the radar, some of which are already under construction or even welcoming their first residents. So today, we're going to explore seven of these incredible cities of the future that have been overlooked. And for that reason, NEOM won't be making an appearance. Let's dive in. ## Masdar City, UAE Much like its neighbor Saudi Arabia, the UAE has also been exploring futuristic city concepts for quite some time. In 2006, Abu Dhabi launched the Masdar Initiative, aiming to diversify the nation's economy while positioning itself as a leader in renewable energy. A central part of this initiative was Masdar City, a zero-waste, zero-carbon, car-free city designed to run entirely on renewable energy. With an estimated cost of $18 to $22 billion, Masdar City was a relatively modest project, at least when compared to other grand visions of the future. The city was planned for the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, adjacent to Zayed International Airport, and designed to accommodate 50,000 residents and 40,000 daily commuters. Spanning six square kilometers (2.3 square miles), it was envisioned as a hub for research institutions, startups, and international companies, all contributing to economic growth and innovation. Instead of conventional vehicles, Masdar City would use a fleet of autonomous electric vehicles, including personal transport pods. Smart streetlights were to be installed, adjusting their brightness based on pedestrian activity to reduce energy consumption. Architecturally, the city was to blend traditional Arab design with modern technology. Most buildings would be compact, low-rise structures with recessed windows, and narrow streets designed to provide natural shade and ventilation, potentially reducing ambient temperatures by 5 to 10°C (41 to 50°F). Sustainable materials were also a priority: buildings would incorporate low-carbon cement, and 90% of the aluminum used in shading systems would be recycled. Additionally, the entire city would be run on solar energy. Monitoring and managing the city's infrastructure, including air quality, energy usage, and waste, would be handled by an IoT (Internet of Things) system. This network would connect vehicles, buildings, sensors, and more, an increasingly common feature in future city planning. Construction officially began in 2008, with an initial goal of completion by 2015. However, the 2010 financial crisis, combined with overly ambitious expectations, caused significant delays. A revised plan was introduced, pushing the target completion date to 2030 and reducing the anticipated population to 40,000. Despite these setbacks, construction has continued steadily, and many key structures have already been completed. Highlights include the Siemens Energy Regional Headquarters, the first of 21 LEED Platinum-certified buildings so far, and a Khalifa University campus built in partnership with MIT, designed to use 51% less energy and 54% less water than similar buildings in the UAE. The city has since shifted from its original carbon-zero goal to a more attainable carbon-neutral model. As of 2023, approximately 15,000 residents and commuters had already made Masdar City their home. ## Smart Forest City, Mexico Many future cities around the world share common goals, chief among them addressing challenges like climate change, deforestation, and environmental degradation. These shared concerns have given rise to a wave of "green city" concepts. While many of these proposals are impressive in their own right, few rival the ambition of the Smart Forest City planned near Cancún, Mexico. Designed by the architectural firm Stefano Boeri Architetti, best known for projects like the Vertical Forest in Milan, Smart Forest City is envisioned to cover 557 hectares, roughly two and a half times the size of Monaco. Drawing inspiration from the region's Mayan heritage and deep connection to nature, the city's design evokes a striking resemblance to New York City's Central Park when viewed from above. Shaped as a long rectangle, it will be densely covered in greenery and interwoven with wide canals. Of the city's 5.57 square kilometers (2.2 square miles), 4 square kilometers will be dedicated entirely to green spaces, incorporating around 7.5 million plants. These will be found not only in public parks and private gardens but also adorning the facades and rooftops of every building, including the envisioned skyscrapers. According to the designers, these features, supported by on-site facilities, will allow Smart Forest City to absorb approximately 116,000 tons of CO₂ annually, while storing an additional 5,800 tons. Buildings will also be embedded with smart sensors that collect and share environmental data with the city's projected 130,000 residents. This information will include metrics like temperature, humidity, and even real-time climate conditions across different areas of the city. At the city's entrance, a desalination tower accompanied by storage facilities will supply water, which will flow through a network of canals to irrigate the urban core and surrounding agricultural fields. Alongside this water infrastructure, a vast array of solar panels will generate renewable energy, enabling the city to be fully self-sufficient in both food and power. In keeping with its eco-centric vision, all conventional vehicles will be banned from within city limits. Instead, a system of semi-autonomous electric vehicles will provide sustainable transportation, reducing emissions and enhancing residents' quality of life. Since forests can absorb up to 40% of emissions from urban fossil fuel use, this emphasis on vegetation and clean transit is central to the city's sustainability goals. Though still in the planning phase and awaiting local approval, the Smart Forest City is also expected to house an advanced research center focused on environmental science and sustainability. The designers hope it will serve not only as a model for climate-conscious urban development but also as a global hub for environmental research, attracting academics, innovators, and leaders in sustainability from around the world. ## Telosa, USA In 2021, American billionaire Marc Lore made headlines by announcing a visionary plan for a futuristic city in the United States. In his imagined metropolis, Americans of all backgrounds, social standings, and beliefs would live in harmony under a system called equitism. At its core, equitism centers on the idea that all resources, rights, and opportunities should be equally accessible to every citizen, achieved by giving each person an equal stake in the city itself. A community endowment would ensure that any increase in the city's value flows back to the residents rather than to a wealthy few, enabling balanced growth and mitigating issues like neighborhood decay and gentrification. To bring this idea to life, Lore enlisted the help of the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), a firm renowned for its innovative work on futuristic cities around the world. BIG's master plan was both ambitious and striking. It proposed a development on approximately 60,000 hectares (150,000 acres), roughly the size of Chicago, ideally located in a vast desert region of the western United States. The city would run entirely on renewable energy and be interspersed with abundant green spaces, which would be both preserved and prioritized. In the arid desert climate, water conservation would be crucial, with systems in place to store, purify, and reuse it on-site. The buildings themselves would vary in size but adopt distinct futuristic designs, strategically oriented to maximize shade, channel wind, and reduce temperatures. At the heart of the city would stand Equitism Tower, Telosa's proposed centerpiece. With a woven facade and a funnel-shaped structure, it aims to be unlike anything built before. Described as a "beacon for the city," the tower would house water storage, a large-scale aeroponics farm, and a solar-paneled roof. Like the rest of Telosa, it would be powered by IoT technology, enabling real-time monitoring of water use, waste management, and other essential systems. A secure digital infrastructure would support communications, transactions, and a range of smart city features. One of the most compelling elements of the proposed city is the "15-minute city" concept, which plays a crucial role in its infrastructure. Telosa would prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, with traditional vehicles kept outside the city limits. Instead, residents would rely on a network of slow-moving, autonomous electric vehicles such as cable cars and even flying transport pods, all accessible from the city's major mobility hubs. Currently, Lore is seeking approximately $400 billion in funding for the project. While a specific location has yet to be chosen, potential sites include Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Once financing is secured and a location selected, construction is expected to occur in phases, with the first phase targeted for completion by 2030 and a projected population of 50,000. Over the following decades, the plan is to gradually expand the city, ultimately reaching a population of 5 million by 2050. As for whether or not these ambitious goals will come to fruition, only time will tell. ## BiodiverCity, Malaysia In 2020, the Penang State Government in Malaysia grew increasingly concerned about the threat that rapid urbanization posed to local biodiversity. In response, the state launched a competition to find a designer for the Penang South Islands, a new development to be built on reclaimed land off the coast of Penang. The winning proposal, submitted by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), the same firm behind the previous entry, envisioned 1,821 hectares spread across three manmade islands designed to support the coexistence of humans and nature. BIG's concept, called BiodiverCity, aimed to live up to its name through the use of localized water sources, renewable energy, and a sophisticated waste management system. Construction would rely entirely on sustainable materials and green building methods. The city's primary construction materials were to include bamboo, Malaysian timber, and green concrete, an aggregate composed of recycled materials. Every rooftop in BiodiverCity was designed to produce energy, harvest rainwater, and grow food through integrated solar panels and rooftop gardens. The rest of the buildings would carry this theme, incorporating greenery into their exteriors to create living facades. In place of conventional vehicles, the city would feature an autonomous transportation network of railways and waterway traffic. Meanwhile, the three islands were designed to resemble lily pads, with each capable of housing between 15,000 and 18,000 residents, primarily entrepreneurs, investors, and celebrities. The first island, The Channels, was planned in three phases, with a large aquatic park at its center known as the Blue Plaza. Phase one would focus on Active Destinations, including attractions like a wave garden and a technology park to draw initial residents. The second phase would introduce a Civic Heart, featuring government offices and research institutions. The third and final phase, called the Cultural Coast, was designed to reflect the rich heritage of nearby George Town. The second island, The Mangroves, was intended to serve as the business and service hub. At its center, BIG envisioned a large structure known as the Bamboo Beacon, which would function as a convention center for meetings, press events, and special gatherings. The third and westernmost island, The Laguna, was planned as the primary residential zone. Described as an oasis for ecological living, it would feature a central marina surrounded by a mini archipelago of eight smaller islands, offering various housing types including terraced, floating, and stilted homes. Unfortunately, in 2023, the Penang State Government announced a significant scale-down of the project. Instead of three manmade islands totaling 1,821 hectares, the revised plan called for a single island roughly half that size. This new version, renamed Silicon Island, would incorporate elements from all three original islands into a more modest and achievable vision. ## New Administrative Capital, Egypt Among the many cities around the world grappling with the challenges of rapid urbanization, few responded as swiftly and ambitiously as Cairo. Faced with explosive population growth and worsening pollution, Egypt announced plans in 2015 to build a new capital. Although several names were proposed including Kemet, Wedian, and Masr, none fully captured the vision for the city. As a result, it has retained the provisional title: the New Administrative Capital, or NAC. Located approximately 45 km (28 miles) east of Cairo, about halfway to Suez, the site chosen for the new city spans roughly 725 sq km (280 sq miles), or around the size of Singapore. The plan for NAC is grand in scope with 21 residential districts, a new government administration quarter, a diplomatic area, a central business district, and a new international airport. To bring balance to this urban development, extensive green spaces were also included in the design. Chief among them is the Green River Park, a 32-km-long (20 miles) landscaped corridor running through the heart of the city, symbolizing the Nile River. But NAC was envisioned to be more than just a new capital. It was designed to be a futuristic, all-encompassing urban hub. The plans include 2,000 educational institutions, a massive stadium, over 1,200 churches and mosques, 18 hospitals, and a theme park four times the size of Disneyland. The plans also include a comprehensive Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure, featuring over 6,000 surveillance cameras throughout the city, managed with the help of authorities and AI. When completed, NAC is expected to accommodate a population of 6.5 million. Although the project is still in its first phase, many of NAC's signature buildings have already been completed. Since relocating the government was a top priority, numerous official structures are now finished, including the House of Representatives, the Presidential Palace, and the Octagon, Egypt's counterpart to the American Pentagon. Many of which showcase a unique blend of modern architectural design with ancient Egyptian influences, such as carved pillars and sandstone-like facades. In 2024, with most key government buildings complete, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi officially inaugurated the New Administrative Capital as Egypt's new seat of government during his third-term swearing-in ceremony. Beyond government buildings, the city already features several major landmarks: the Iconic Tower, Africa's tallest building at 77 stories and 394 meters (1,292 feet), a state-of-the-art opera house with five performance halls, and the largest cathedral in the Middle East. Yet even these are dwarfed by the Grand Mosque, capable of hosting up to 130,000 worshippers simultaneously. With the seat of government relocated and a light rail transit system now connecting NAC to Cairo, hundreds of thousands of residents reportedly already call the new capital home. ## Toyota Woven City, Japan As demonstrated by Marc Lore's vision, the pursuit of futuristic cities extends well beyond government and humanitarian initiatives, with private investors and corporations also taking part. One of the most remarkable examples is Toyota's Woven City. Located near Mount Fuji in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, this future-forward development is being constructed on a 175-acre site that once housed a Toyota car factory. According to the company, the city is founded on three core principles: it will be a Living Laboratory, Human-Centered, and Ever Evolving. At its core, Woven City is envisioned as a real-world experimental hub with two primary groups of residents: Inventors and Weavers. The Inventors, drawn largely from the Toyota Group, affiliated third-party companies, startups, and academic institutions, will operate out of the "Inventor Garage," where they will continuously innovate new mobility technologies. This space will serve as an open environment for developing, testing, and refining new ideas, products, and systems. Weavers, on the other hand, will include residents, tourists, and short-term visitors with a passion for exploring new technology. They will engage directly with the innovations created by the Inventors, testing tools, prototypes, and vehicles in real-life conditions. Their feedback will offer valuable data and insights, allowing Inventors to go beyond traditional lab testing and make real-time improvements. In addition to participating in trials, Weavers will likely support the community by running shops, cafes, and other local businesses. While it may sound like a high-tech playground for Toyota to showcase its latest cars, the company is pursuing a much broader goal. Only zero-emission vehicles will be permitted within Woven City, with residents and visitors relying on autonomous electric "e-Pallets" for general transportation. Toyota is using the project as a platform to evolve from a car manufacturer into a leader in holistic mobility, spanning the movement of people, goods, energy, and data. As a result, much of the research and development will focus on technologies such as self-driving electric vehicles, robotics, and AI. Meanwhile, the city's design follows a modular, grid-based layout. Architecture will blend traditional Japanese elements with cutting-edge technology, centered around a communal town square. Most homes will be built primarily with wood and equipped with solar panels. As in many other planned smart cities, all buildings, transportation systems, and infrastructure will be interconnected through a comprehensive IoT network, protected by advanced cybersecurity systems. Dedicated lanes will be designed for pedestrians, high-speed vehicles, and personal mobility devices. To support its sustainability goals, the entire city will be powered by hydrogen energy. Phase One of the project has recently been completed, with a public launch scheduled for the fall of 2025. The first 100 residents, primarily Toyota employees, will serve as the city's inaugural Inventors. Although the initial phase can accommodate up to 360 residents, that number is expected to grow as development continues. With a diverse group of partners and investors from industries including education and even beverage manufacturing, and with construction already underway for Phase Two, Woven City appears to be on track to reach its goal of welcoming 2,000 residents and opening its doors to the public by 2026. ## Oceanix Busan, South Korea Of all the challenges facing modern cities today, few have caused as much damage, or continue to pose as great a threat, as rising sea levels. In fact, 90% of the world's megacities are currently vulnerable to sea level rise, prompting a wave of futuristic proposals. Chief among these is the concept of floating cities. Although floating city ideas have circulated for decades, most have been dismissed as overly ambitious or unrealistic, though a few exceptions have gained traction. Notable examples include the Dubai Reefs project, Japan's Dogen "smart healthcare city," and the Maldives Floating City, whose colorful buildings and palm-lined streets may become the world's first functional floating city, with completion expected in 2027. Yet few of these initiatives possess the backing, technology, or transformative potential of Oceanix Busan. In 2019, the United Nations held its first Roundtable on Sustainable Floating Cities and committed to developing a prototype in partnership with a host city. Busan, South Korea, stepped forward. The UN then enlisted the expertise of architectural firms SAMOO and BIG, yes, them again, who delivered the first prototype model in April 2022. What they unveiled was groundbreaking. The design features three interconnected, triangular floating platforms with rounded edges, covering a total surface area of 6.3 hectares and designed to accommodate 12,000 residents. The platforms are constructed from biorock, a self-sustaining and self-repairing material, and are connected to the mainland via link-span bridges. Along these bridges are spaces dedicated to art installations, recreational activities, and live performances. The Lodging Platform, the smallest of the three, has a topside area of 30,000 square meters (323,000 square feet). From above, it resembles two stacked fidget spinners, with a central triangular courtyard, three main wings, and three detached side wings. This platform will host lodging and dining options for guests, as well as communal terraces and greenhouses open to all. The unique design maximizes waterfront views, ensuring a premium experience from every room. The Living Platform, medium in size and centrally located, will function as a residential village. The buildings, featuring soft-cornered hexagonal roofs, will encircle a shared community backyard, fostering social interaction and a sense of cohabitation. The Research Platform, the largest at 37,000 square meters (nearly 400,000 square feet), will consist primarily of a single, hexagon-shaped building. As its name suggests, this platform will serve as the city's hub for maritime and environmental research. At ground level, it will also include a communal winter garden and a large, climate-controlled central atrium. Within the atrium, vertical hydroponic towers will operate year-round, supplying food to the city's inhabitants. Each platform will include its own integrated systems, such as solar panels, closed-loop water systems, and more, making each unit fully self-sufficient in terms of power, water, and resource management. While Oceanix Busan is intended as a prototype for future floating cities, it is designed to scale, potentially expanding to 20 platforms and housing up to 100,000 residents. Although initial projections anticipated completion by 2025, construction appears to have been delayed and the revised target for Oceanix Busan's completion is now set for 2030. ## Key Takeaways - Masdar City in UAE aims for zero-waste and zero-carbon, using renewable energy and smart technology. - Smart Forest City in Mexico plans extensive green spaces and sustainable transportation to combat climate change. - Telosa in the USA proposes equitism, ensuring equal access to resources and opportunities for all residents. - BiodiverCity in Malaysia focuses on coexistence with nature, using sustainable materials and green building methods. - Toyota Woven City in Japan serves as a living laboratory for mobility technologies, powered by hydrogen energy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Masdar City? Masdar City is a zero-waste, zero-carbon, car-free city in the UAE designed to run entirely on renewable energy. It was launched in 2006 as part of the Masdar Initiative to diversify the nation's economy and position it as a leader in renewable energy. ### What are the key features of Masdar City? Masdar City features compact, low-rise buildings with recessed windows and narrow streets for natural shade and ventilation. It uses autonomous electric vehicles, smart streetlights, and an IoT system to manage infrastructure. The city is powered by solar energy and uses sustainable materials like low-carbon cement and recycled aluminum. ### What is the Smart Forest City in Mexico? The Smart Forest City near Cancún, Mexico, is a proposed city designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti. It covers 557 hectares and is envisioned to be densely covered in greenery, with 4 square kilometers dedicated to green spaces and around 7.5 million plants. ### How does the Smart Forest City plan to be sustainable? The Smart Forest City aims to absorb approximately 116,000 tons of CO₂ annually through its extensive greenery. It will use a desalination tower for water supply, solar panels for energy, and ban conventional vehicles in favor of semi-autonomous electric vehicles. ### What is Telosa and who is behind it? Telosa is a proposed futuristic city in the United States envisioned by American billionaire Marc Lore. It aims to implement a system called equitism, where all resources, rights, and opportunities are equally accessible to every citizen. ### What are the key features of Telosa? Telosa will run entirely on renewable energy, prioritize green spaces, and use a network of slow-moving, autonomous electric vehicles. It will feature the Equitism Tower as its centerpiece, which will house water storage, an aeroponics farm, and a solar-paneled roof. ### What is BiodiverCity in Malaysia? BiodiverCity is a proposed development in Penang, Malaysia, designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group. It aims to support the coexistence of humans and nature through the use of localized water sources, renewable energy, and a sophisticated waste management system. ### What are the key features of BiodiverCity? BiodiverCity will use sustainable materials like bamboo and green concrete. It will feature rooftop gardens, living facades, and an autonomous transportation network. The city is planned to have three islands, each designed to resemble lily pads and capable of housing between 15,000 and 18,000 residents. ### What is the New Administrative Capital in Egypt? The New Administrative Capital (NAC) is a planned city in Egypt, located approximately 45 km east of Cairo. It is designed to accommodate a population of 6.5 million and includes 21 residential districts, a new government administration quarter, and extensive green spaces. ### What are the key features of the New Administrative Capital? The NAC features the Green River Park, a 32-km-long landscaped corridor, and numerous landmarks such as the Iconic Tower, an opera house, and the Grand Mosque. 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[https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2024/6/flooding-costs-the-u-s-between-179-8-and-496-0-billion-each-year](https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2024/6/flooding-costs-the-u-s-between-179-8-and-496-0-billion-each-year) ## Related Coverage