Kent Larson: Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city

How can we fit more people into cities without overcrowding? Kent Larson shows off folding cars, quick-change apartments and other innovations that could make the city of the future work a lot like a small village of the past.
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[@Waranoa]

All the people you describe use bikes on a daily basis in bicycle friendly cities around the world. I happen to live in Amsterdam, and there's ladies in pencil skirts riding bikes (although yes, pencil skirts are less popular because of the biking; but changing a cities infrastructure to allow women to wear pencil skirts is not good policy). My boss is pregnant and she bikes to work. All my ladyfriends bike with high-heels. Elderly who are not fit have an electric wheelchair for bike lanes.

[@Waranoa]

A vehicle useable on bike lanes, accesible to buisinessmen, women in skirts and the elderly, already exists; it's called, 'the bicycle'.

[@happinessiscereal]

Thank you!!!

[@fareshajjar1208]

Do you want to walk anywhere in Philly or st Louis or Chicago. Diversity is the end of walking.

[@ShinkaTV]

I love stuff like this. So cool, innovative, creative, and, like he said: Solving problems that don't exist yet. Depth of vision is an admirable thing.

[@King8james9]

These are the talks that make me love Ted, one day I'll see it live n__n

[@Captain_MonsterFart]

Solvin' complex problems with more complexity!

[@PaulHolder]

Love the ideas from towards the end of the video. If they can do those things now, I want them now!

[@kozu459]

This was so far my favorite Ted talk so far this year.

[@LJDisparity]

Fantastic ideas. I love the future!

[@Manjunn]

thank you for a brilliant video, this has really inspired me to be smarter in design and not just design because it's pretty.

[@landdcollection]

These are the type of things that make me excited fro the future, not robots that do our job for us, but people making things for people to make human other existential natural life better.

[@Skawagon]

I do like much of what Kent Larson have to say however I strongly believe that congesting bike lanes with all sorts of autonomous electric vehicles does not solve obesity, congestion or energy issues. If anything ti can only move them to another dimension.

[@suryahr307]

its not even a full scale plan, he mentions that the facility could be only for elderly, differently abled or women

[@imakemusique]

"I think you need to build dumb homes and put smart stuff in them". Genius.

[@0architect-]

Beautiful ideas

[@superhamzah85]

I went to a pillow fight, I was released from prison just now. Apparently suffocation was "not the intended method of pillow fighting." I scored 18 kills though, so I won at least. :/

[@Fairfaxclimatewatch]

great work!

[@falconseye97]

I like it! Nice talk!

[@lanceseidman]

AMAZING!

[@LanceWinslow]

Great job, I like it.

[@lillbrorsan]

This is awesome!

[@78646666668]

wow this is amazing

[@JustPlaneNuts]

Cool stuff!

[@hfanti]

Can you build a city so I can go live in? Love it.

[@GigaBoost]

This is so cool.

[@Waranoa]

In short; don't think so much of bicycling; you can be old, pregnant and/or sexy even while cycling. It's a great lifestyle if there's well connected and safe infrastructure.

[@fewthinkers]

The main concern i have with high population density is noise pollution from neighbours and traffic. There's going to have to be some revolutionary new materials to absorb sound energy of all frequencies which can fit into a thin wall.

[@Tenosyn]

That is pretty damn cool.

[@Lofaastnehodymaar]

Its an autonomous system. Pick any car, the one right infront of you will do, then drive off. For parking, you get off at one point, and the car parks itself. Thats what autonomous is. Saves space.

[@emerald1one1]

show a demo of how that mini auto works on winter roads , like where the snowploughs come by . or the steep city winter streets , where's the studded tires.

[@ReadingAdam]

I do agree that his solution seems to draw ever more on energy use. Just about everything in the small customizable apartment has to use electricity. Perhaps if tiny Thorium plants could be at the center of every 20-min walk radius^2 if would be feasible. The problem at that point is what sort of jobs are going to be available to pack so many people into small spaces?

[@middlemonster]

All of this can be done using synthetic materials. My car uses 100% synthetic oil for lubrication. Tires and paint can be made out of latex. Plastics can be made from cellulose and starch. These are all thing we currently have the technology to do.

[@Jedmanuel91]

amazing.

[@etcsuta]

AMAZING! But shouldn't the picture at 5:11 say 1 mile diameter?

[@gr0gg0]

Easy access and energy efficiency.

[@PontusWelin]

I believe the idea is to have shared use. And that would mean that you don't need to get a specific car. You just need to get any car. That way there is no issue with cars being in the way of eachother.

[@yellowklayman]

Detroit is beautiful this time of year.

[@jrklein]

Intelligent design!

[@TheSnobar]

damm i like this ! brilliant

[@Destro7000]

I'm worried he's not thinking through the house with robotic walls. There's airflow and chemical smells in the air, your food preparation air space would essentially be the same air as your bedroom, insects could get trapped in machinery and mount up, electrical maintenance would be needed more often, having your stuff on shelves that auto-fold away would be a pain to move. There's lots more variables to think about.

[@xtootsiexo]

amazing

[@IseeRightThrough2you]

3:55 Why is the sign backwards but the writing on the pavillion isn't?

[@Gukslaven]

Good point.

[@Gukslaven]

That kind of makes sense. Still, one problem is someone needs to make sure all of those cars are serviced and roadworthy; and whose going to pay? Some car's service will be more expensive than others. But I get your point; I can see it working, but it would become very complicated I think.

[@geza96]

It's call canberra in the act that is a small cell city. It's strange driving from one town to the next.

[@NeillWylie]

In storage for wintertime like most peoples winter tyres are :)

[@ForeverTributesNL]

Some great ideas. However in Holland we had those shared cars and bikes. Didn't work though. People rather use other means of transport and there was a lot of vandalising :( The adaptable homes could work.. I'd rent one for sure

[@jrklein]

INTELLEGENT DESIGN

[@landdcollection]

I understand what you mean, don't worry. As much as it is a very valid point, it is also important to remember that even with jobs of all sorts available there is still lack of jobs. Many people in the lower spectrum of the economy have to deal with this way too often. People want to work, even if it is in a McDonalds or as a janitor to work an honest living, but it is hard even then. The amount of jobs per person is in a very small percentage, and it is being proven more and more that the

[@akram4179]

I think its meant to be used in the case of shared vehicles. Your'e not going for one specific car, your'e just going for the first car you can reach.

[@TheFirstClassLounge]

Although I'd like to see how they make these concepts affordable enough for the general population, but it will probably work, much like the plummeting price of digital storage and the like.

[@SilverSpade92]

We just need people, to DO those things.

[@nodvick]

how much is one of those folding cars if I want one as a POV?

[@dabiruddimahmed1649]

Fantastic! I agree but this is not the final solution. There are many things to think........Eng. Dabiruddin

[@Alloxic]

Jacque Fresco's circular cities woooh!

[@KungFuOu]

The cars are meant for shared use... so the cars on the perimeters will get used first.

[@EthanNin0]

Put bristles on the bottom of the moving wall, and viola, self sweeping floors.

[@cv5330]

informative.

[@matthewjay660]

I'd live, study, and work in one of his city-scaped designs.

[@kaaven]

Although I strongly support decentralization, this is a great idea to start working with a cell structure, to make a big blob many minor districts within an area, it seems to take away several of the negative aspects related to living in crowded cities. It seems some misunderstand what it told here, they work on a solution to handle overcrowded cities where more people try to get in an already full area, by using the areas better we can remove the feeling of living as fish in a barrel.

[@IseeRightThrough2you]

It's like a bus, or one of the bicycles in the row he showed earlier. It's somewhat inconvenient, but workable.

[@saifulmuhajir]

I want this house and car.

[@freesk8]

Your sarcasm is duly noted.

[@rRobertSmith]

it does not charge itself! (@8:51) it might plug into the power net or put up a solar umbrella...

[@mistajames3213]

I love the wonderful circularity of your argument. It has a certain beauty about it. There was a time that I didn't banter with theists about religion. I thought everybody paid at least some pittance of concern to the inner logic of their arguments before they brought them forward. And here the internet is, teaching me a lesson yet again. Also, I find it hilarious that, if I were popular, that would be sufficient for you to send me $10. Keep digging yourself a hole.

[@jimud]

100% man. It's crazy but true. My mom said the exact same thing as you ;D I just enjoy winding them up lol ;D it is very sad but at least there isn't as many of them now. They will slowly die out, with a little bit of faith.(y)

[@HenryWilly]

00:16 Great

[@qotsaandsoadfan1]

I live in Melbourne :P

[@MrTheGrabber]

Yeah, that was what I was thinking.

[@larissashen4874]

I like how there are a lot of supportive comments rather than the usual trolling.

[@shrunkensimon]

Jobs/Work needs to be addressed. We continue to work for peanuts at things that, in the grand scheme of things, are pointless and accelerate the destruction of ourselves and our environment. That has to change. This whole talk is based around the idea that we'll continue in our current direction for another 100 years, which is very unlikely. The modern city is all about money and selling services, again something which has out lived its purpose and usefulness.

[@jacmunbong]

yes,i agree

[@itsme1275]

they could simply add a system of number plates or even just a thumb scanner and you register the vehicle as yours for a select amount of time..

[@TestMeatDollSteak]

I like that little fucking fold-up car.

[@TheChillStudyCorner]

wow cool

[@twiddlebit]

Shared transport, meaning you just pick a car and get in it. Though typically people don't like to hare so I don't think it'd work so well

[@Oldschool_Gamer_]

I could not imagine a way to live a more miserable life. I'm just fine with the place i live, lovely village, house along a canal, (glad I got out of the city) working in the tech industry in a nearby city 30 mins bike ride away... got all the stores and services i could need 20 mins away oh, and the bike route to work has just 8(!) crossings with cars, even though it goes right past the city center. Half of that route is right along the canal as well, beautiful and relaxing ride to work. Internet is top notch, should i ever get a car i have access to the highway in less then 5 minutes. Really don't know what else to mention... When it comes to whatever you'd want in housing, you name it, i got it... on minimum wage. I don't see why people are so desperate to move to the cities, when just outside it works just as well.

[@bobtehzombie]

The future is teach people to want what they need.

[@nomainreason]

This is what the LIKE button was created for. Things like this are meant to be liked and shared.

[@Uncerten]

The first issue is policing highrises. So many people in such small areas means concentrated problems.

[@wobblycogsyt]

Very interesting but it doesn't address two key issues. What do we do about existing infrastructure (we can't exactly demolish our current cities) and what do we do about medium distance, 100 miles say, travel for which we currently need our own full sized car.

[@ChrisRokers]

We need more Hong Kongs, that's it!

[@someonedoesitbetter3151]

he states that most of the tech is available today. its only a matter of the city developers and planners to utilize them. some ARE applied these days just not in the multitude he is suggesting.

[@NeillWylie]

That was my concern also. Sure if you're going to 1 place, great. Any more than that and there's the problem.

[@joemaffei]

The main problem with overcrowding in cities is how we manage the amount of time we have in one day. I don't know how it is in Europe or Asia, but in the Americas only a small fraction of businesses stay open 24/7. Think about it... if everything were open 24/7, you could have at least two work shifts, resulting in separate rush hour times, effectively cutting human presence at any time of the day by half. Such system is being deployed in Sweden, we'll see how it pans out.

[@IseeRightThrough2you]

You take one of the cars on the outside. They're publicly shared cars, so it's not as though you have to get to a particular car.

[@PontusWelin]

If you need to be able to leave things in the car you can instead install lockers next to parking where you can leave stuff.

[@D0UGLAZ]

7:48 show the city car

[@tontonremi]

it looks very much like the Venus Project (zeitgeist)

[@nopenope3416]

A significant problem with all of this is the fact that people, from low-economic backgrounds, may steal parts of it on a regular basis. Our security, education and culture are just need there yet; it's the reason why we don't get anything nice.

[@middlemonster]

Having robots doing a lot of the labor jobs (construction, garbage collection, custodial, secretarial for example) will allow others to pursue higher and more complicated fields like medicine and sciences. Or for those who prefer arts can focus on music or acting careers. When you have robotic labor, less money is required to run these facilities and people will have more freedom to do things they want. I'm not doing a very good job explaining, but I hope you get what I mean.

[@freezman13]

not sure, but I think he was talking about "sharing" vehicles . He didn't go in depth though so I don't know how that works.

[@JohnMcclaned]

Understandable. But look up countries that are running out of space. There are approximately 30 countries with 300 people per sq km and most of them don't have the financial backing to employ this alternative technology. Secondly, the purpose of car they have designed doesn't address the problem as well as you think. Yes you can get 2 people with minimal cargo from a to b and park in tight spaces but it is a HIGH DENSITY AREA.. the car isn't efficient enough like the people movers they have now.

[@Anonymous247n]

I view it as presenting a superior design and letting people choose. The transition to a society most people would call utopian today should happen like this: a city is planned out, the project made public. People who want to work on the project join and try to make it work. Others look, and if they see if it suits them, they join in! No forcing people into anything - at least that's what the venus project says :)

[@Vois07]

Consider that there will be other cars/bikes/apartments using the same technology. If everybody had the same car how would you find yours if you left it in front of the supermarket?

[@thezoo6679]

Vois07 paint them and put license plates

[@KookiesNolly]

don't go to the supermarket, then

[@zonedabone]

0:15 Enjoy.

[@10daxing]

Go Melbourne!

[@TheChillStudyCorner]

Cool

[@muzzleray]

betcha the buskers in the footage from Melbourne were in the process of being moved on. It's about people

[@karld1791]

Amount matters. We need to build a lot of homes and a lot of transit. The most important tech is in the building to make enough cheap enough that living and traveling become affordable. Then the real limit is zoning and regulation- getting permits to build things.

[@kendomyers]

i live in seoul ^^

[@andrpirl]

8 years later now, none of the smart things happened. The world doesn't evolve this way.

[@AdwinLauYuTan]

But it sort of does. Did you hear of Murphy beds? These things can be improved to lead to better innovation.