Pitch time - and the future of cities

Our party went to the Orrick offices at Menlo Park to meet with a group of 16 investors. Each company gave a five minute pitch on who they were, what they were doing, why it is important / different, and future funding requirements. The input we had received the day before from the master class was put into practice. I was impressed by the breadth and depth of technologies and business plans on show. I think useful contacts were made and several follow up meetings have subsequently been arranged.

Later we went to the offices of engineering consultants Arup to hear about San Francisco’s plans to redevelop the former air base known as Treasure Island. The intention is to use the opportunity to demonstrate green and sustainable technologies, infrastructure, and living. It is an ambitious project involving as many as 13,500 new residents and nearly 300 acres of parks.

This proposed project really brings to life an after-dinner discussion we had last evening where we talked about a new form of sustainable urbanisation. Residents of these ‘green cities’ would benefit from local supplies requiring less transportation, and local services such as hospitals.  We heard that in the mid future, 80% of the population may live on just 3% of the land, compared with a figure of around 50% today.

The question is: Is this best achieved by knocking down existing cities and starting again, or by a retro-fit option?