VERTICAL CITY 5 – LET IT BE 1967

VERTICAL CITY DETROIT RISING OUT OF THE RESTORED LANDSCAPE, THE CULMINATION OF THE VERTICAL CITY STUDY. WHAT I SAW AS THE OBVIOUS ANSWER OTHERS IGNORED OR PROJECTED AS FANTASY. NOW MORE THAN EVER I FEEL CONNECTED TO THIS VISION. THE HARMONIOUS WHOLE THAT IS SELF SUFFICIENT AND A PART OF THE NATURAL PROCESS. THE TECHNOLOGY IS IN PLACE, BUT SOCIETY’S MINDSET IS EONS AWAY.

VERTICAL CITY 5 LET IT BE 1967

THE MULTIPLE HOUSING UNITS WERE LIKE AN ART NOUVEAU PRINTS (A STYLE AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THAT EMULATED NATURE BY USING AMONG OTHER THINGS THE REPETITION OF ORGANIC PATTERNS) . ONE STAMPED ORGANIC UNIT THAT SNUGLY CONNECTED TO ITS MATCH. I DESIGNED THIS BY DRAWING ONE UNIT AND TRACING IT AND CONNECTING TO ANOTHER. I ENVISIONED THE MATERIAL LITE WEIGHT PLASTIC.

UNITS THAT CLIPPED TOGETHER AND CONNECTED TO THE OVERALL STRUCTURAL FRAME . I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED WITH THE MIKONOS PALLETTE OF MOULDED WHITE HOUSES WITH PURPLE DOORS. SIMPLE WITH INTEGRITY. WHY THESE PLASTIC MOULDED MULTIPLE HOUSING HAS NOT BEEN DONE IN REALITY TODAY IS A MYSTERY TO ME. IT HAS A TIMELESS UNIVERSAL BEAUTY OF NATURE.

SKETCH STUDIES OF THE HOUSING MODULARS THAT CLIPPED TOGETHER.

HOUSING MODULARS THAT CLIPPED TOGETHER, MOLDED MODULARS

HOUSING MODULARS THAT CLIPPED TOGETHER, MOLDED MODULARS

MULTIPLE STUDIES OF VERTICAL MEMBER WITH PARKS AND STREET SYSTEM SUSPENDED OFF OF TO CREATE A THREE DIMENSIONAL SKIN. LITE SLOT TO INTERIOR.

VERTICAL MEMBER WITH TENSILE 3D SKIN OF HOUSING

A BIT OF COLOR ADDED TO SHOW WHERE THE HORIZONTAL PARKS ARE AND WATER CASCADING. FLYING HOUSES ON THE LEFT AND HIGH DENSITY CLIP ON MODULARS IN THE MIDDLE.

THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING UNIT WAS AN ECOLOGICAL SELF SUFFICIENT KINETIC FLYING HOUSE. MOTOR HOMES THAT FLY. I APPROACHED THE DESIGN BY ASKING WHAT CAN THE IDEAL HOUSE BE? NO HISTORIC STYLES OR CONNECTION CONSIDERED. THE OVERALL SHAPE RESEMBLES A FLOWER. THE CONNECTION TO THE MEGASTRUCTURE AT THE STEM. A CLIP ON SYSTEM THAT IS THE ENTRY POINT FOR PEDESTRIANS AT THE WALKWAY STREET OR THE MOVEMENT MODULAR ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WALKWAY. BUDDING OUT TO PEDALS THAT OPEN TO RECEIVE THE SUN AND CLOSING IN IN-CLIMATE WEATHER OR FOR TRAVEL. THE ROOMS ARE HANDS WITHIN THE FLOWER THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED IN MULTI CONFIGURATIONS FLAT SURFACES OR WALLS THAT WRAP AROUND ONE A CHOICE OF WOMB PRIVACY OR OPEN INTERACTION. TRAMPOLINE SURFACES FOR THE ACTIVE RESIDENT. THE MAIN STRUCTURAL MEMBERS WERE LIKE A SERIES OF LARGE ARMS THAT WERE CONTROLLED BY WIRES AND CABLES CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER PROGRAM, LIKE ARTIFICIAL ARMS. THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD IS FULL OF EXAMPLES OF HOW TO MANIPULATE STRUCTURALLY COMPLEX MOVEMENT AND IS BEING CONSTANTLY UPGRADED IN THE COMPUTER AGE.

CROSS SECTION OF FLYING HOUSE

PSYCHOLOGICALLY WE ARE ON GUARD AGAINST HARD EDGES. THE FEAR OF FALLING. I HAVE NOTICED THAT IN THE PROCESS OF FALLING AN ALARM SYSTEM GOES OFF, THE PAIN SEEMS TO ARRIVE BEFORE THE IMPACT, ESPECIALLY IF WE SEE THE IMPERVIOUS CONCRETE BEFORE IMPACT. SUBCONSCIOUSLY WE ARE ON GUARD AGAINST HARD EDGES. OUR MINDS AND BODIES RELAX WHEN WE ARE ON: SANDY BEACHES, DEEP PILE CARPETS AND KING SIZE BEDS. THEREFORE THE FLYING HOUSE BECAME A HAVEN TO RELAX WITH SOFT SURFACES THAT ONE COULD BANG AGAINST WITHOUT FEAR OF PHYSICAL HARM. IT WAS ALSO CONSIDERED AS AN ADULT PLAYGROUND. ADULTS MAKE UP GAMES TO ALLOW THEMSELVES TO DO THINGS CHILDREN DO. TUMBLE, ROLL, SWING, JUMP, AND RUN. THEY CATEGORIZE THEM AS DANCING, TENNIS, FOOTBALL ETC. THE FLYING HOUSE ENCOURAGES CLIMBING THE WALLS, SWINGING, FALLING AND TUMBLING. WE ARE MONKEYS AND ENJOY THE USE OF OUR MUSCLES. BORING EXERCISES ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP OUR BODIES IN SHAPE , INSTEAD WE CAN SWING, JUMP AND ROLL THROUGH THE FLYING HOUSE PLAYING A PHYSICAL GAME. I ONCE WAS TAKING A GROUP OF STUDENTS ON A FIELD TRIP THAT REQUIRED SCALING AN EMBANKMENT WITH GRASS. I REACHED OUT TO PULL MYSELF UP AND MY FINGERS DUG INTO THE TURF AND THE DIRT WAS PUSHED UNDER MY NAILS. MY MIND FLASHED. THIS IS WHAT I WAS MADE FOR. THESE ARE MY TOOLS TO CLIMB.

THE HOUSE ALSO REACTED TO COLOR MOOD CHANGES. THE PITCH BEING IF YOU ARE MISERABLE AND WANT TO STAY THAT WAY YOU WOULD DIAL OPAQUE BLACKS AND GRAYS. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO EXPOSE YOURSELF TO THE WORLD YOU MIGHT DIAL CLEAR WITH A LIGHT TINT OF PINK. OR YOU COULD COMPOSE COLORS AND TRANSPARENCIES AS DESIRED. WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO BE LIVING IN A COLORFUL TRANSLUCENT FLOWER. WE ARE SO LIMITED WITH OUR STATIC COLOR SELECTIONS. SINCE THE TIME OF CONCEPTION NATURAL MEMBRANES HAVE BEEN RATHER SOPHISTICATED WITH THE ABILITIES TO PULL SOLAR POWER OUT OF A CLEAR SURFACE AND AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST TO SOLAR SHADING WITH TINTS OF INHERENT SCREENING. IT IS ALL HAPPENING NOW, YEARS AFTER I SUGGESTED IT.

ALVIN BOYARSKY OF AA FAME AND MY FORMER MENTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, WHEN SEEING THIS HOUSE WHILE HE WAS TEACHING AT THE CHICAGO CIRCLE IN 1967 WHERE I GAVE A LECTURE TO THE ARCHITECTURAL DEPARTMENT, SAID I SHOULD BUILD A FLYING HOUSE. NOW IF I HAD BEEN BUCKMINSTER FULLER I COULD HAVE HAVE GIVEN IT A SHOT, BUT MY BUILDING SKILLS ARE LIMITED TO WEEKEND CARPENTRY. ALL THE HIGH TECH INDUSTRIAL DESIGN TOOLS I LACKED AND PROBABLY NO SKILLS TO RAISE MONEY NOR INTEREST. JOHN JOHANSEN SHOWED IT IN HIS SLIDE SHOWS ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT WAS A FIRST AND UNIQUE.

FLOOR PLANS, UPPER BOTTOM DRAWING, MAIN LEVEL UPPER DRAWING.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE IN THE VERTICAL CITY? IN MY MIND I AM THERE, BUT HOW DO YOU CONVEY THIS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. TO CONVEY THIS I DREW DRAWINGS. BUT THE DRAWINGS ARE SO DIFFERENT AND STRANGE FROM WHAT THE PUBLIC PERCEIVES AS STREETS AND LIVING SPACES THAT A CERTAIN CONFUSION ARISES OF WHAT IT WOULD REALLY BE LIKE IN THE VERTICAL CITY. THE EXTERIOR IS LIKE A RUGGED GREEN MOUNTAIN RANGE RISING VERTICALLY OUT OF THE FLAT COUNTRYSIDE. COVERED IN FOLIAGE WITH DWELLING UNITS RESEMBLING FLOWERS AND MUSHROOMS CANTILEVERING FROM THE SIDES. WATER CASCADES DOWN ITS SIDES. THE INTERIOR OF THE VERTICAL CITY IS LIKE BEING IN A HUGE ENCLOSED GREENHOUSE CANYON. HUGE FOOTINGS RESEMBLING SLUGS GRIP THE EARTH.

THIS WAS BEFORE JURASSIC PARK FILM MAKING SKILLS, TODAY IT WOULD MAKE A FANTASTIC MOVIE, WHICH I PROPOSED AFTER BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE.

I WAS ON A ROLL. I DREW THREE 40″ X 60″ DRAWINGS LIKE AN EXPRESSIONISTIC ARTIST WOULD DO BY SWEEPING MY ARM AND USING 911 SOFT PENCILS.

I REALLY DON’T WANT TO GET HUNG UP ON DICTATING WHAT KIND OF SOCIETY WOULD LIVE IN VERTICAL CITY. I SOUGHT OUT A PROFESSOR IN SOCIOLOGY. INTIAL STUDIES INDICATED THAT YOU COULD TAKE THE EXISTING SOCIETY AND TRADE LAND ON THE GROUND WHICH THEY OWNED FOR SPACE IN THE VERTICAL CITY, THUS THE CAPITAL SYSTEM COULD SURVIVE AND ALL THE CAPITALISM COULD BE TRANSFERRED. THE ECOLOGICAL ADVANTAGES BEING THE RESTORATION OF THE NATURAL GROUND AND THE LIVING SPECIES THAT LIVE IN NATURE. THE HOMELESS COULD GET AWAY FROM THE HARSHNESS OF NATURE, BUT THE STRONGER MONEY INTERESTS WOULD PREVAIL. IN THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE THE UPGRADING OF THE VERTICAL CITY TO LOS ANGELES I STARTED TO PROPOSE THE THE IDEAL SOCIETY TO GO ALONG WITH THE PHYSICAL PARADISE.

THE DRAWINGS WERE LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN ANATOMY MUSCLE SKETCHES AND GARDEN LANDSCAPES. THEY REEKED OF VEINS, MUSCLES, AND ORGANS ENCRUSTED WITH FOLIAGE. IN REALITY THE DRAWINGS REPRESENTED MOVEMENT SYSTEMS AND UTILITIES, INSIDE THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS. THEY WERE PRINTED ON SEPIA AND MODERATELY TOUCHED WITH COLOR. ONE CROSS SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE WAS A LITTLE OFF PERSPECTIVE IN MY EYES JUDGMENT AT THE TIME. THUS IT WAS NEVER DISPLAYED, BUT NOW THIS DISTORTION LOOKS MINOR TO THE OVERALL DRAWING. A SECOND DRAWINGS WAS OF AN INTERSECTION OF A VERTICAL COMPRESSION MEMBER MEETING A SUSPENDED MAJOR HORIZONTAL. WITH A PARK THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD. THE VERTICAL MEMBER BEING COVERED WITH HIGH DENSITY INTERLOCKING LIVING UNITS THAT RESEMBLED AN ART NEAVEAU PRINT. FLYING HOUSE LIVING UNITS PROTRUDED OUT FROM THE SKIN LIKE A VERTICAL ROSE GARDEN. I DREW A SERIES OF SKETCHES IN PREPARATION FOR THE FINAL DRAWINGS THAT REVEALED INFINITE CHOICES. THE THIRD DRAWING WAS AN INTERIOR WALKWAY STREET WITH MOVEMENT SYSTEMS ON THE UNDERSIDE IN A GRAND CANYON SCALE INTERIOR THAT LOOKED DOWN ON GIANT SHIPS MOVING ON THE DIVERTED DETROIT RIVER CANAL SYSTEM. A SERIES OF DIAGRAM DRAWINGS WERE MADE DEPICTING GROWTH, STRUCTURE, AND AREA USE.

INTERIOR VERTICAL CITY

INTERIOR VERTICAL CITY DETROIT WITH A BIT OF COLOR

CROSS SECTION VERTICAL CITY DETROIT. FOR YEARS I NEVER SHOWED THIS DRAWING BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT LACKED DEPTH, NOW IT TELLS THE STORY

HORIZONTAL PARK, NOTICE SUPER CAR CAPSULES RIGHT

VERTICAL CITY DETROIT RISING OUT OF THE RESTORED LANDSCAPE.

THE VERTICAL CITY WAS PICKED UP BY PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURE IN THE OMNI BUILDING ISSUE, 1969. AND L’ARCHITECTURE d’AUJOURD’HUI THE FRENCH MAGAZINE. ONE ASPECT THAT I INVESTIGATED WERE ANTIGRAVITY MACHINES. IT LED NOWHERE, EXCEPT FOR SOME LETTERS OF PROMISE FROM THOSE THAT WERE PURSUING ANTI-GRAVITY RESEARCH. THIS WAS PICKED OUT OF MY THESIS VERBIAGE AND ENDED UP IN THE ARTICLE IN A PROMINENT MANNER OF THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM, WHICH REALLY WASN’T HOW THE VERTICAL CITY STOOD UP, THUS PUTTING A SCIENCE FICTION CONNOTATION ON THE PROJECT. LOOKING BACK IT DIDN’T MATTER. NOBODY WAS TAKING ME SERIOUSLY.

AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY VERTICAL THESIS AT CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART I WAS TRANSFORMED FOR LIFE. I HAD ALL THE ABILITY AND TALENT TO PURSUE A PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL CAREER, BUT NO LONGER THE INTEREST TO DO SO. MY LIFE HAD BEEN CHANGED WITH REALLY NOWHERE TO GO EXCEPT TO THE SHELTER OF ACADEMIA. I DID NOT COME TO THIS CONCLUSION IMMEDIATELY, AND I AM STILL TORTURED WITH THIS DISPARITY IN MY LIFE.

IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME, THERE WAS A FEELING THAT ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE. EXPO 67 IN MONTREAL WAS ON WITH MOSHE SAFDIE MEGA STRUCTURE BOX HABITAT 67, FREI OTTO TENSION STRUCTURE WEST GERMAN PAVILION, THE TRIANGULAR SPACE FRAME MEGA STRUCTURE THEME PAVILIONS BY JEFFERY LINSEY. BUCKIES GIGANTIC GEODESIC DOME. TO MY SURPRISE, BECAUSE I HAD ALWAYS CONSIDERED GEODESIC DOMES SIMPLISTIC, FULLERS DOME WAS A MIND BLOW OUT FOR ME. I CAN STILL REMEMBER TAKING AN ELEVATED TRAM WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS INTO THE DOME AT NIGHT AND BEING GREETED BY FULL DRESSED MARINES. THE SPACE WAS ABLAZE WITH EXCITEMENT AND COLOR. THE SUN SHADES OPENED AND CLOSED, IT WAS KINETIC

I WENT OFF TO NEW YORK TO PUSH MY PROJECT AT THE NATIONAL AIA CONVENTION. MEET ARTHUR C CLARK, (2001 FAME) TRIED TO GET ON THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. SO I RETURNED TO MICHIGAN AND CONTINUED TEACHING AT LAWRENCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. I DID GET A JOB AT A PLANNING FIRM IN DETROIT AT VILICAN AND LYMAN. ONE OF THEIR STUDIES CALLED FOR FUTURE PROJECTIONS OF WAYNE COUNTY. I GOT PAID TO DO A PLUG ON HIGH DENSITY SCHEME ON THEIR MAIN ARTERY WOODWARD AVE., BLOG MOTOWN WOODWARD CORRIDOR, PLUS THEY PAID ME TO DO ANOTHER RENDERING OF MY VERTICAL CITY REACHING INTO THE LANDSCAPE.

ARCHIGRAM, METABOLIST, ETC. THIS WAS THE DAWNING OF A NEW ERA.

TO MAKE FINANCIAL ENDS MEET I TOOK A JOB WITH LYNN SMITH ARCHITECTS IN BLOOMFIELD MICHIGAN AND DID A DESIGN OF PLUG ONS WITH AN OPEN PLAN SCHOOL THAT GOT PUBLISHED.

ALTHOUGH PEOPLE DID PERK UP AND TAKE NOTICE ABOUT ECOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION, I WAS USING IT TO SELL THE SCALE AND SPACE AND INTEGRATED WHOLE OF MY SOLUTION, WHICH REALLY A PURE ECOLOGICAL SOLUTION DID NOT HAVE TO RESORT TO. BUT THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION WAS NOT READY TO BE SHAMED. ARCHITECTS PLAN AND PREPARE THE DRAWINGS THAT EVENTUALLY END UP AS BUILDINGS. THE PROFESSION WAS NOT PREPARED TO BE SCRUTINIZED AS ECOLOGICALLY INSENSITIVE.

IN SUMMARY OF THE VERTICAL CITY I CREATED A POSTER IN 1970 TO SUM UP THE VERTICAL CITY: I MADE IT 11″ WIDE AND TWO FEET LONG SO IT COULD BE FOLDED LIKE A LETTER AND SENT OUT IN THE MAIL, BAD SOLUTION. YOU COULD HARDLY READ THE PRINT AND IN THE PRINTING SOME PARTS GOT SMEARED. SO AND IMPOSSIBLE TRY. I SHOULD HAVE JUST MADE IT BIGGER AND PRINTED IT OVER. BUT I DID NOT. IT GOT ME A LECTURE AT BERKELEY AND A LECTURE AT AN OFFICE CONSIDERING ME FOR TEACHING AT STANFORD. HERE ARE A FEW EXCERPTS FROM THE POSTER:

THE VERTICAL CITY IS THE RESULT OF A TWO YEAR STUDY BY GLEN HOWARD SMALL FROM 1995-1997 AT CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE UNDER AN ELEIL SAARINEN SCHOLARSHIP . THE PROJECT TO DATE 1970 HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURE, AMERICAN ARCHITECTURAL MAGAZINE) JULY 1968 OMNIBUILDING ISSUE , AND IN L’ARCHIGECTURE D’AUJOURD’HUI, (INTERNATIONAL FRENCH MAGAZINE) OCT.-NOV. 1969 NEW CITIES ISSUE. GLEN SMALL IS AN ARCHITECT AND PLANNER, AND A LECTURER AT CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE, POMONA, CALIFORNIA. THE VERTICAL CITY IS PRESENTED AS A LIVING ENVIRONMENT SO STIMULATING AND ENJOYABLE THAT THE CITY WOULD BE A DESIRABLE AS WELL AS NECESSARY PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, THUS GIVING AN ALTERNATIVE TO PRESENT DAY URBAN CENTERS. THE MAJOR ASPECTS OF THE VERTICAL CITY ARE AS FOLLOWS:

LARGE ENOUGH TO SOLVE URBAN CROWDING (700,000) PEOPLE AND SUPPORTING FUNCTIONS PER LINEAR MILE)

REPLACES AN EXISTING CITY, GROWTH SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION.

ECOLOGICALLY RETURNS LAND TO A NATURAL STATE

CONTROLS ALL POLLUTANTS

INTRINSIC BEAUTY

ECOLOGY – SMOG ALERT- OIL LEAK – EARTH-DAY – DDT – ICE AGE- THE WORLD IS ALERTED THAT THE DELICATE BALANCE OF NATURE IS BEING DESTROYED. STUDIES ARE SPONSORED , TOKEN REFORM OCCURS, YOUTH OBJECTS,

VESTED INTEREST RULE AVOIDING CONFRONTATION, GIVE YOUTH DETROIT AS A TEST CITY.

YOUTH RESPONDS THINKING BIG, NOT COMPROMISING AND SEEKING BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER TO DO THE JOB. CAN YOU DIG IT? FAR OUT – RIGHT ON – BLOW YOUR MIND – STRANGE – WEIRD – FANTASTIC – ORGANIC – CYBERNETIC.

CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION STOPS UNUSED BUILDINGS TORN DOWN – VACATED LAND PLANTED

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF DOWNTOWN A THOUSAND FOOT HIGH FLOWER LIKE STRUCTURE WITH THREE TRIANGULAR PRONGS PROJECTING IN DIFFERENT HORIZONTAL DIRECTION APPEARS, IT SPANS OVER EXISTING BUILDINGS, TOUCHING THE GROUND ON THREE MINIMUM MOVABLE FOOTINGS THAT ARE EXCHANGE TERMINALS FOR PEOPLE AND GOODS.

COMPUTERIZED BUILDING MACHINES

STRATEGICALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE STRUCTURE ARE FED RAW MATERIALS, THAT BUILD CONSTANTLY THEMSELVES AND THE THE STRUCTURE AS THE NEEDS DICTATE. IN A THREE DIMENSIONAL PATTERN. THE CITY CAN DEVOUR ITSELF BY THE REVERSE CYCLE OF ITS GROWING PATTERN.

WISHFUL THINKING

MAYBE, BUT IF MAN’S MIND AND ENERGIES WERE CHANNELED IN THIS DIRECTION HE COULD COME AMAZINGLY CLOSE. A FEW YEAR AGO IT WAS A SCIENTIFIC FACT THAT MAN COULD NOT REACH THE MOON.

THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF THIS PROPOSAL IS FAR OUT, STRANGELY SHAPED AND FANCIFUL. UPON CLOSER SCRUTINY ORDER AND RATIONALITY PREVAILS, INDIGENOUS TO ORGANIC DESIGN. THIS

POSTER IS A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO AN EXTENSIVE PROJECT, WHICH IS UNDER CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT.

PEOPLE LEAVE THE LAND MOVING INTO THE NEW CITY, PREDOMINANT VEGETATION GROWS, ROADS DIMINISH, ANIMALS RETURN, BIRDS NEST, FOLIAGE SMELLS, GROUND BREATHS.

WE APPROACH DETROIT AFTER A DAY IN THE WILDERNESS. THE 8000 FOOT HIGH CITY RISES FROM THE FLAT LANDSCAPE LIKE A TRANSLUCENT MOUNTAIN RAGE SILHOUETTED AGAINST THE HORIZON. FOOTHILLS APPEAR AROUND LARGE LAKES REPLENISHED BY WATER WATER RUN OFF FROM THE CITY. PARKS PROJECT INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE AS WE DRAW NEARER. THE DETROIT RIVER IS VISIBLE THROUGH THE ARCH FORMED BY THE FOOTINGS. OH YES, WE SEE SOME RECTANGULAR GLASS TOWERS LEFT OVER FROM THE AGE WHEN PEOPLE LIVED ON THE LAND. THEY LOOK LIKE REGIMENTED FILING CABINETS FOR STORAGE, RECALLING THE PAST GHOST TOWN OF MEDIOCRITY.

SUPER CAR IS SIPHONED INTO THE STRUCTURE – PROGRAMMED DESTINATION GOES IN EFFECT, SUPER CAR HAVERS, FLOATS, FLIES, MOVES IN A THREE DIMENSIONAL PATTERN AND CAN BE CONTROLLED AUTOMATICALLY OR MANUALLY GUIDED BY TRACKS OR ELECTRONIC BEAMS. IT PLUGS INTO “MOTHER VEHICLES” LIKE RAPID TRANSIT ZOOM TRAINS OR VERTICAL TAKE OFF PLANES THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY CLIP ONTO SUPERSONIC JETS THA OPERATE CONTINUALLY. SUPER CAR BOUNCES OFF OBJECTS AND CAN COLLAPSE INTO A CUSTOM SUITCASE. OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION : BY FOOT ON NUMEROUS WALKWAYS, BY POWER PACKS ON ONES BACK FOR FREE FLIGHT, BY MOVING SIDEWALKS, ELEVATORS, ESCALATORS, ETC.

WE GASP AS WE ENTER A HUGE UNDULATING CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE INTERIOR SPACE, THE SIZE OF THE GRAND CANYON WITH WIDTH UP TO TWO MILES. A SPIRAL CENTRAL SPINE WITH A SERIES OF TRIANGULAR FINS PROJECTING FROM THE CORE COMPOSES A FRAMEWORK SPANNING FROM FOOTING TO FOOTING. OVER THIS FRAMEWORK IS A SUSPENSION NETWOK COMPOSING THE SKIN MEMBRANES. THE SKIN COVERING IS TRANSPARENT. HEAVIEST FUNCTION OCCUR AT THE BASE NEAR THE FOOTINGS AND ALONG THE MAIN STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK. APPLYING CYBERNETICS

THE STRUCTURE HAS MACHINES TO INCREASE THE STRENGTH WHEN AND WHERE NECESSARY.

WE REACH THE CENTRAL CORE, VIEWING THE ENTIRE CITY AROUND US

FUNCTIONING AS AN INTEGRATED ORGANISM – LIVING HABITATS, PARKS, FACTORIES, COMMUNICATIONS, STRUCTURE, BUILDING MACHINES ETC. ALL INTERRELATED, INTERWEAVING, COMPLIMENTING EACH OTHER.

THE CITY IS COMPOSED OF TWO MAJOR PARTS, THE STRUCTURE, WHICH ACTS AS

LAND IN THE SKY AND THE PLUG ON FUNCTIONS THAT COME AND GO. THE STRUCTURE IS UPDATED BY ROAMING REMODELING MACHINES. THE COMPACTNESS OF THE CITY ALLOWS FOR SHARING OF COMMON FACILITIES SUCH AS HEAT, POWER, AND WATER. AS SIZE INCREASES EFFICIENCY OF MAINTAINING CONSTANT TEMPERATURE INCREASE. RECYCLING OF ALL WASTES OCCURE, SEWAGE BACK TO WATER AND FERTILIZER, METALS SALVAGED, SOLAR HEAT POWER, WATER DRAIN RUN OFF CAUGHT IN COLLECTION POOLS AND FOR POWER CASCADING WITH WATERFALLS AND EVENTUALLY LAKES AT GROUND LEVEL. ALL POLLUTANTS ARE TRAPPED BEFORE THEY CONTAMINATE AIR , LAND , NOR WATER.

LIGHT FILTERS THROUGH THE SIDES OF THE CITY CASTING INTRICATE PATTERNS . SPIRAL BRIDGES RISE IN ARCHING FORMS DEFINING SEGMENTS OF THE CANYON SPACE. FOLIAGE GROWS OVER THE STRUCTURE. WATERFALL CASCADE DOWNWARD. WE RISE 3,000 FEET CROSSING OVER THE CANYON TO THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE. PASSING THROUGH PARKS INTERWOVEN WITH SHOPS. OUT OF THE STRUCTURAL MEMBER WE DECELERATE INTO A LATTICE-WORK OF SMALL WALKS AND GARDENS. KIDS PLAY BELOW US. OUR SUPER CAR STOPS. WE TUMBLE INTO OUR

KINETIC FLYING HOUSE THAT CAN CHANGE LOCATION IN THE CITY , CAMP IN THE WILDERNESS AND PLUG INTO OTHER CITIES. WE DIAL PURPLES, BLUES AND GREENS, PROGRAM A WALL INTO A SEATING COUCH, AND OPEN FLOWER PETAL SHAPED DOORS TO THE FANTASTIC VIEW, ROTATE THE HOUSE TO THE SUN, CLIMB UP A WALL AND SWING INTO THE POOL REFRESHED. HOME SWEET HOME.

I WAS IN A QUANDARY. I WAS CHANGED FOR LIFE, BUT I NEEDED TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.

I COULD TAKE A DOCTORATE AND EVENTUALLY GET ANOTHER TEACHING JOB OR I COULD RETURN TO LA WHERE I HAD RECEIVED AN OFFER AT MY OLD FIRM OF WILKES AND STEINBRUECK. LYNN STEINBRUECK WANTED ME TO DO GREAT DESIGN PROJECTS.

LIVING IN MICHIGAN HAD CONVINCED ME THAT I WAS A WARM CLIMATE GUY. WHEN I CALLED TO LA FROM DETROIT, WHEN THE SNOW WAS ON THE GROUND AND THE ROADS TREACHEROUS TO DRIVE, I WAS TOLD TOLD IT WAS A WARM SUNNY DAY IN LA., THIS DIFFERENCE MADE ME GO WEST. MY FATHER WAS FROM DETROIT AND HE THOUGHT LA WAS PARADISE.

I HIT THE ROAD AND TOOK MY FAMILY BACK TO LA TO START A SERIOUS ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE WITH WILES AND STEINBRUECK, BUT I WAS NOW A CONFUSED MESS WITH PARADISE CITY THINKING AND BUILD-ABLE IDEAL DOWN TO EARTH REAL ARCHITECTURE. PLUS, STUMBLING THROUGH MY PRIVATE LIFE OF FAMILY AND THE CHANGING HIPPIE PROFESSIONAL WORLD.

I NEVER RECOVERED AND I AM CONSIDERED AN OUTSIDER. A BLESSING, BECAUSE I FEEL CLEAN. SOMEBODY IS GOING TO READ ALL MY BLOGS AND SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF GLEN HOWARD SMALL AND MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL.

HOW ABOUT A DISCUSSION?

GLEN

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