We explore architecture that will pave the way for the future, changing the way we live. Homes, buildings and more will no longer look the way they do as revolutionary advancements roll out in time.
Story by Rachel Leong | Illustrations by Ryan Leong
Since ancient times, civilisations have depended on architects to design and build their cities. The exact origin of architecture could be said to date around 10,000 BC or simply when people stopped living in caves. Humans wanted to handle and build their own houses leading to the birth of architecture.
Fast forward to the 21st century, our modern buildings now have many curves and asymmetrical designs. Look at China’s CCTV (Central China Television) Headquarters; the building showcases clean lines and innovative expression of form. Six horizontal and vertical structures link together to create a square loop.
An example closer to home is Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. Who would have thought a building could have curves and so much glass incorporated into its design, as if out of a fictional tale?
Ryan Leong Wei Ren
Ryan Leong Wei Ren, 28, had his heart stolen as a child when he stumbled upon fictional worlds. The immersive environments in movies and inspiring fables had drawn him in, making him want to understand more about them. Eventually, he developed an interest in architecture.
After graduating from the National University of Singapore in 2019, he joined the education sector due to his love for edutainment. He has taught design thinking and creativity to hundreds of children and young adults and is currently working as a freelance trainer and content creator for local award-winning social enterprises, BEEP Lab and Bamboo Builders.
Through his experiences, he has written and illustrated a book titled Worldbuilding, a design framework which he aims to share with the upcoming creator economy, guiding creatives to design quality works of fiction, event experiences and even metaverse ecosystems.
“Since young, my interest in architecture got me thinking about what the world could be, rather than just what it can be. This really fueled up my passion for architecture and how it can influence meaningful and sustainable lifestyles,” Ryan said.
“I want to use the vast knowledge I have acquired to educate the young, as they will grow up to inherit this planet. I want to use my creative abilities to empower them to shape civilisations where no one is left behind.” Again, fiction would soon evolve into reality.
Impression of lunar outposts
If that sounds too crazy to fathom, let’s look back to Planet Earth, where the boundaries of architecture are being, and will continue to be pushed.
He said, “One possibility is that of underground residences, which will feature numerous travel tubes for drones to deliver us resources from the Earth's surface - arriving at the heart of our homes within 15 minutes with polite greetings and rewarding feedback surveys, so as to give us greater convenience.”
Impression of free-floating commercial spacecraft
The rise of architecture-vehicle hybrids is coming up as well. There will be autonomous, driverless caravans with versatile uses such as pop-up homes, hotels, offices and concept stores that can pop up in our neighbourhoods, instead of people having to travel to specific districts.
These ideas are not just vanity projects to look good, but a proactive response to modern phenomena such as land scarcity, urban density, and the rise of technological advancements.
Ryan brings up one of the emerging technologies of the future: GreenTech – meaning solar grids and green facades on buildings. “With the mindset of being more eco-friendly and sustainable for Mother Earth, we’ll be relying on clean energy sources to power and sustain the liveability of our cities, for humans, flora and fauna as well,” he shared.
“Apart from the physical world, architecture will also have a relationship with the digital world, such as the Metaverse. One will be able to digitally design their own buildings - say, a capsule house using the Metaverse, and later have a 3D printer construct it in real-life, in real-time. Technology and personalisation will be some key influencers in how vibrant the built environment will be in the decades to come,” Ryan said.
With the acceleration of technologies today, it is only a matter of time before the capacity of such habitats scale up, and access will be democratised.
Of course, there will be challenges faced as a result of these aspirations and innovations. After pondering for a while, Ryan said, “From my viewpoint as an architectural educator, the underlying challenge will be how to elevate our human consciousness about architecture’s capacity to solve human problems. The only way to predict the future is to create it and people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, do.”
Before ending off, he advised on how to overcome challenges, “To put it simply, be curious about how things work. Ask tough questions, find answers that work. Eventually, you’ll be able to turn pure fiction into tangible reality.”