The Urmadic city: the idea and the image

Abstract

This publication presents a collection of jointly written essay by Griffith University, Queensland College of Art Master of Design Futures students. The essays were written after the students had designed and constructed two ‘Urmadic City’ installations for the Moving Cities, Moving Mindsexhibition at the Asia Pacific Design Triennial held in Brisbane in October 2010. The exhibition and the essays represented one year’s work.

The concept of the ‘Urmadic City’ is of a city that is able to move as climatic conditions change. The publication addresses challenges that humanity may well face in this and the next century. The project it reflects grew out of a number of acclaimed award winning city move projects. The notion of the urmadic is based on linking the nomadic with the urban. It recognises that sedentary urban communities will face greater risks as a result of a combination of an ever-increasing human global population, the arrival of more and much larger cities, and far more significant climate change impacts. Against this backdrop, the publication provokes new ways of thinking about earthy habitation.