(University of Santo Tomas)
Living with Nuclear: Transitioning to the Renewable Future
Rising global temperatures are poised to breach the 1.5 Celsius limit set at the 2015 Paris Agreement, a limit that when surpassed, will cause irreparable damage to our oceans, our environments, and ourselves (IPCC, 2017).
Fossil fuels contribute greatly to global warming and renewable energy cannot currently provide for all our energy needs. Nuclear energy is the best option as a transitory and clean power source to provide our current energy needs and support the full eventual transition to renewable energy.
This transition is explored through a timeline which follows the project for over more than a century, stopping at multiple key points in 2030, 2060, 2100, and 2150 to examine how the architecture evolves over time. The project begins with a modern nuclear reactor as can be found today. The surrounding area is gradually developed with structures that are meant to support the development of renewable energies. As the nuclear power plant is retired after multiple decades, continuous development turns once industrial sites into self-sufficient, sustainable communities supported by advanced technology of the time. Eventually, these communities evolve and expand into self-sufficient megastructures known as arcologies; in order to support growing populations sustainably.
