Images of the future 2045 – What real utopias do we want to live in?

Loomn, a firm for architectural communication, has published the book Zukunftsbilder 2045 together with the think tank Reinventing Society. The illustrated book shows the real utopias of 17 German cities and what they could look like in 2045. Read more about it here.

The illustrated book “Zukunftsbilder 2045: Eine Reise in die Welt von morgen” is a collection of inspiring, motivating contributions on the future of our cities. With visualizations by Loomn, a firm for architectural communication, the book discusses current future topics and provides answers to the question of how we can live better and more sustainably.

In doing so, the authors want to make the discussion about the future of our cities accessible in an understandable language. Instead of painting dystopian pictures of the consequences of climate change and the extinction of species, which arouses fear and uncertainty, the aim is to convey positive and hopeful messages. In collaboration with the non-profit, independent think tank Reinventing Society, Loomn has developed utopian visions of the future that show how cities could develop for the better.

This is how the office describes the illustrated book: “It is time to focus on inspiring visions of the future that encourage us and show us what positive changes we can achieve. Because a vision of a better future that inspires and motivates us can help us to act together and with determination. We need a narrative of the future that shows us that it is possible to solve the problems of our time and that we can live together in a better world. A vision that inspires us and shows us how we can shape a sustainable and fairer future with creativity, cohesion and commitment.”

The real utopias in the illustrated book consist of current photographs of a city that serve as the starting point for a concept for the year 2045. With this actual state, it is possible to analyze the current situation. To do this, the authors of Zukunftsbilder 2045 searched for information in geodatabases, satellite images, photos and texts and combined all the data in a virtual model of the place. This creates a copy of the original image in a three-dimensional, artificial environment. This makes it possible to reflect the time of the photograph in the real utopia visualization in terms of light, shadow, reflection and size.

In a second step, Loomn developed a whiteboard together with Reinventing Society and other clients. This was used to collect ideas on topics such as energy, transportation, social services, urban planning and architecture and discuss them for the relevant location. This made it possible to determine which aspects could define the place in 2045.

These approaches were then transferred to the model and checked for scale and plausibility. Suitable building typologies, façade systems and green spaces were researched in order to develop a viable and coherent concept. Loomn has thus created the first draft of a real utopia. This draft can be further refined in discussions with the partners.

The illustrated book “Zukunftsbilder 2045” was published by oekom Verlag in July 2023. It shows the future potential of places in Germany, illustrating scenarios as well as possible courses of action. Over 30 pictures by Loomn show what regenerative solutions, the circular economy, permaculture, superblocks and vertical gardens could look like. Cities such as Emden, Düsseldorf, Ludwigsburg and Bremerhaven are represented.

The fictional journalist Liliana Morgentau guides readers through 17 cities and describes the changes that have led to success in 2045. The co-authors are Lino Zeddies, Stella Schaller and Ute Scheub. The book is accompanied by Zukunftssalon events. Reinventing Society offers interested readers help in organizing such salons.

Read more: The Spanish city of Pontevedra has already achieved something that seems utopian to many other cities.