In an ambitious effort to shape a modern utopia, Laurence Powell, the widow of Steve Jobs, and other prominent billionaires are backing a project that seeks to build a city of the future near San Francisco.
It may seem like something out of an episode of Succession, but the truth is that the financial elite of the United States wants build a futuristic city in california. The initiative, led by the flannery companyhas acquired more than 222 square kilometers —more than double the size of Barcelona— in the north of the State, with an investment of 735 million euros, according to The New York Times.
Behind the project is Jan Sramek, who worked for Goldman Sach, Marc Andreessen famous investor, Reid Hoffman co-founder of LinkedIn or Laurence Powell, widow of Steve Jobs, among other billionaires.
The utopian and futuristic city would aim to offer its residents a sustainable urban life, with clean energy and efficient transport systems, near San Francisco. The purchase of land has been at prices significantly higher than its market value and has alerted the authorities and governments that they would not end up looking favorably on the proposal.
In some cases, Flannery Associates would have paid up to five times the market value for the land purchased. This massive acquisition has led to speculation and analysis by local and national media.
Private, neo-worker or anti-natural disaster technological cities
Inevitably, the project has been compared to other futuristic city building initiativessuch as Elon Musk’s Snailbrook, closer to cities for employees or neo-worker cities, or public anti-catastrophe projects such as Dogen City in Japan, Cube City in Saudi Arabia or The Line.
All have in common the inclusion of features such as solar or renewable energy, extensive parks and efficient public transport systems, all offering new technological solutions to day-to-day problems. This project wants to plant a million trees.
Regarding local opinions, some see the project as an opportunity to revitalize the region, while others are concerned about the impact on agriculture and changes in community dynamics.
Although the full budget for the project has yet to be disclosed, Flannery Associates is known to have spent large sums acquiring land nearby. Regarding who it would be addressed to, there is no information either, although it does not seem to be available to ordinary people, there is no news of the name either.
Although, in principle, there are no indications that it would be intended for employees —as in the case of the Elon Musk project—, It is not known how much a house could cost in this place and if it would end up being an idyllic city for wealthy classes.
The initiative to build a utopian city near San Francisco poses significant challenges and opportunities. As millionaire visionaries come together to shape the future, the feasibility and impact of this proposal will come under scrutiny from the local community and the world at large.