‘City in the sky’ by architects Hrama is a concept about an imaginary tranquil oasis above the mega-developed and polluted city, where one can escape from the everyday noise and stress. It was developed as part of the ‘Megatropolis’ project, which started in London with few companies and artists, invited to create their own visions for the future mega-developed city.
The metropolis depicted in the video is New York City because that’s where most of the production happened. While the overall ‘Megatropolis’ project didn’t reach a final stage, the presented concept grew into this architectural utopia.
For the time I’ve lived in big cities I’ve noticed a longing in people’s hearts for a connection with the nature
and the wide-open, clear skies. So I thought a garden in the sky would be something fascinating for people to see, imagine and experience. Even if not meant for construction, it could give a breath of fresh air in one’s consciousness.
Although it is realistically presented, the concept doesn’t intend to be realistic in terms of structure-engineering
or real living environment. The design in its initial stage is an artistic impression of an imaginary tranquil hideaway from the stress of modern life.
The combination of such a grand-scale concept with the real and familiar urban environment would hopefully trigger a much more sincere reaction and interest in the viewer. The advancement of visual tools and media allowed me to achieve a more realistic perception of this space.
The design was inspired by the Lotus flower, known for its ability to grow above the murky waters, pure
and clean. It is able to remain untainted by the mud through its self-cleaning abilities. This could be an insight for advanced self-sustainable technologies and materials. In the eastern culture the Lotus flower often symbolizes the ability to rise above the worries and troubles of everyday life, bringing light and life in the hardest of times and places.
Because of this it has been a subject of inspiration to many artists. My personal understanding of this symbol came after getting familiar with the concept of self cultivation, which is not much known in the western world.
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