No skyscraper for Evolo

For architects, designing super-skyscrapers are so exciting. But we should also think about how we construct them! The construction industry is one of the most polluting industries, responsible for around 4% of particulate emissions, water, air, and noise pollution. Just excluding support structures and ground units from the equation would be huge. This fully autonomous, flexible, self-efficient system would be a better way to keep on constructing our marvelous cities without hurting the environment!

So let’s say in 10 to 15 years we will be introduced to some super textiles that have every electronics, screens, solar panels, etc. printed on them. We should actually expect this tech from fashion designers. And we might have some cutting-edge drones that have long-lasting batteries and complex working habits. And by that time 3d printing, big structures would be a normal daily thing. And you should expect some capable AI systems that start to operate everywhere. Combine all those technologies on an airship and you have a flying construction system that needs so little help from ground units and people.

The airship will use solar panels to charge the drones and operate the main construction unit which is most of the time a big 3d printer. While the main operations unit works on producing the big mass, drones are capable of doing small stuff like fixing, connecting, welding, screwing, etc. And when the drones are out of juice they can connect to the airship and charge themselves. When the airship needs to move or change its shape, the drones are used for these purposes. You may also need the shapeshifting to fit into tight spaces as we have in New York. And you should also consider this system for not just construction but for cleaner demolishing processes too.