Ecumenopolis

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The concept of ecumenopolis ( Greek Οικουμενόπολη , plural ecumenopolises or ecumenopoleis ) describes the hypothetical creation of a planet-wide city. The term goes back to the Greek architect and urban planner Konstantinos A. Doxiadis , who created the concept in the 1960s to represent the idea that in the future urban areas and megacities would eventually merge and there would be a single continuous cosmopolitan city that evolves from current urbanization , population growth, traffic and human networks. It is being discussed as a measure to better deal with an (unforeseeable) overpopulation of the earth .

In science fiction , the concept of ecumenopolis is a popular plot element. The main planet Coruscant of the galaxy in Star Wars is an Ecumenopolis. Such ideas can also be found in the works of Thomas Lake Harris , Dan Simmons, and Isaac Asimov's works. In the latter case, the Planet Trantor of the Foundation cycle corresponds to this idea. Players can also use this concept in the computer game Stellaris .

It should be noted that the concept of the Ecumenopolis in science fiction , which often plays with this topos, is regularly equated with a planetary continuous development. The far-reaching ecological, social and economic aspects and consequences (keywords are food production, oxygen balance, traffic, waste and energy management) of such a planet-wide city have not yet been comprehensively investigated. They don't play an essential role in the genre either.

Deviating from this, the current definition of the city does not require a closed development. Rather, cities as administrative units can also consist of several settlements separated by large natural areas.

The ekistischen science , according to the Ecumenopolis is the 15th and last stage within the city development. The Eperopolis represents the subordinate unit of a continent-wide city.

Representation in entertainment media

In science fiction films like Star Wars, the Ecumenopolis is regularly a structure that spans planets.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Keeping Up with Technologies to Improve Places . Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015, ISBN 978-1-4438-8477-8 ( google.gr [accessed March 26, 2020]).
  2. ↑ Plans for an Overpopulated World. Retrieved March 26, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Mark Brake, Jon Chase: The Science of Star Wars: The Scientific Facts Behind the Force, Space Travel, and More! Simon and Schuster, 2016, ISBN 978-1-944686-29-1 ( google.at [accessed on March 26, 2020]).
  4. ↑ Various Authors: Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View . Random House, 2017, ISBN 978-1-4735-3605-0 ( google.at [accessed March 26, 2020]).
  5. ↑ Seo-Young Chu: Do Metaphors Dream of Literal Sleep ?: A Science-Fictional Theory of Representation . Harvard University Press, 2011, ISBN 978-0-674-05922-1 ( google.at [accessed March 26, 2020]).
  6. ↑ Kevin Kelly: What Technology Wants . Penguin, 2010, ISBN 978-1-101-44446-7 ( google.at [accessed on March 26, 2020]).
  7. ↑ Stellaris: MegaCorp - Release of the DLC and Patch 2.2 Le Guin. December 6, 2018, accessed March 26, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Athens Center of Ekistics: Ekistic grid index . In: Ekistics . tape 65 , no. 388/389/390 , 1998, ISSN  0013-2942 , pp. 165–167 (JSTOR = 43623707 [accessed March 26, 2020]).
  9. ↑ Total Urbanization of a Planet - The Ecumenopolis. Retrieved March 26, 2020 .