There are some people in this world who really amaze you with their forward thinking.
The obvious one is Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, who is pushing the advancement of electric cars, clean energy, and, trying to start a civilisation on another planet!
However, one of the guys who is perhaps less well known to the mainstream, but massive in the architecture world is Bjarke Ingels. He is probably one of the most forward thinking architects in the world right now and his company B.I.G. (short for Bjarke Ingels Group) first came to my attention when he designed 'the cleanest energy waste power plant in the world' in Copenhagen which contained a ski slope on the roof!
Picture: Copenhagen power plant
He has since been responsible for designing the new Google HQ in California, and one of the new World Trade Centres amongst many other projects.
If that wasn't enough, he has also been featured in WIRED magazine, a Netflix documentary series and been honoured by the Wall Street Journal – all by the age of just 42.
His latest project really blew me away. It is a futuristic city to be built in Japan which contains, segregated roads, cycle and walkways which interweave with each other. The pedestrians will be able to walk through a seemingly long park without the threat of being splashed by a passing car on the kerbside.
There will be an underground network of autonomous robots which will be reacting to data in the 'smart homes' and be able to deliver things to each home, like re-stocking the fridge when it is low.
I showed the below video of the ‘Woven City’ idea to my son. It is a must view!
Whilst he may be a little young to fully understand it, I love to show him the possibilities of using your imagination and 'thinking big'. This is a man who has made a living from thinking big and pushing boundaries and is designing the future right here and now.
If we expose our kids to these types of people, who knows what they may do in the future!