Planet City - A Sci-Fi Vision of a Regenerative Future
Provided by: TED|Published on: April 27, 2021
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Videos
Subjects: Visual and Performing Arts
Authors: Liam Young, TED
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video from TED is a talk from Liam Young, a director and architect who designed a science-fiction thought experiment for a sustainable future with one global city, named Planet City.
- It depicts a future for humanity that takes up 0.02% of Earth, restores the natural world, progresses culture, and eliminates human-created separations like political affiliation and national boundaries.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The talk is accompanied by engaging visuals that help students better imagine Planet City.
- Students will be challenged to rethink what is possible and what is sustainable for a growing population with limited resources.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should know the terms provocation and thought experiment.
- Students should understand this isn't a prediction or even an aspiration, but an artwork meant to provoke thought and discussion.
Differentiation
- Students who need support following along can use the transcript and read-along feature.
- Students in ELA classes can analyze the author's purpose for this talk.
- Students in science or engineering classes can create designs for Planet City and explain the environmental benefits of their designs.
- Students in Art classes can create visuals for their own Planet City.
- Related resources include the futuristic climate-fiction book "The Ministry for the Future", the lesson plan Writing Cli-Fi, and the online art exhibition Survival Architecture and the Art of Resilience.
This 10-minute TED talk describes the science fiction thought experiment called 'Planet City,' a vision for what a future city might look like in which 10 billion humans live together in a sustainable community. The thought experiment is intended to be provocative and initiate discussion on how a city like this can be built and what it would mean to prioritize sustainability. This resource is a fun vision for a potential future that could be used to spark discussion. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
