Imaginary cities of tomorrow: The way fiction predicts the future of our settlements

Imaginary cities or fictional settlements are imaginary artificial places free from time, space and species. Imaginary cities of tomorrow are fictional settlements that may help us to predict the future of urbanism. The purpose of this research is to reveal the relations between real cities and imaginary cities of tomorrow mentioned in mainstream literature and media and to exhibit the common perspectives and predictions of fiction about the future of our settlements, if there are any. The main claim, in other words hypothesis of the work is Imaginary cities of tomorrow in fiction are hypothetical laboratories which serve to foreseen the future of urban design and planning according to potential technological, philosophical advancements and changing natural, social and physical conditions. They are also affecting real life urban planning and design by simulating urban life with different political, economic, social, cultural, natural and physical conditions created by pure human mind. The methodology applied in order to test the hypothesis starts by making a comprehensive definition of imaginary settlements considering notable examples of every kind of them. After that, historical and modern fictional settlements are described by their genres with the contribution of notable examples like early mythological, religious and fictitious cities. Following this step, research continues with the main target of the study, modern fictional settlements section. The cities are classified by their cause of creation in three different reason: social, natural and physical changes of environment. Physical environments are also detailed by residential areas, recreational areas, working areas, service areas and road and access in order to see how human mind makes up these places. The workflow ends with a comprehensive discussion and conclusion. There are three types of settlements about the future prediction by reasons of creation of imaginary cities of tomorrow. First of all, post-apocalyptic world settlements are focused, for natural oriented changes. Secondly, for social oriented changes it has been chosen the dystopian cities. And finally for physical oriented changes, science fictional cities are perfect examples for their independency from time and space. All these three type of settlements differ by general characteristics but they have many common elements by their natural, social and physical structures. The creators of them predicts the future of our habitats will be absent of natural environment which will be heavily damaged or totally destroyed. They also predict we will have difficulties in justice system, but suffer less from discrimination. Communication and trade will be much more important for our cities in daily life. Humans inevitably will have a protective and isolated environment developed by technology and science but it is still unknown for us if it will be good or bad for our society. Imaginary cities of tomorrow are warning us by predicting the disasters of the future which can happen to our urban environments. They also help us to enhance and develop our existing settlements. It is proven by many early examples mentioned in previous fictional settlements which are already established and used in our cities and daily life. These are important facts about why we should keep observing, understanding and interpreting the imaginary cities of tomorrow.