Let's take Manhattan for example. I just see that skyline getting more and more massive. It will get to the point where people can live their entire lives many stories off the ground. Imagine at the 50-story level, having all the skyscrapers in Manhattan connected by pedestrian bridges (fully enclosed from the weather) making it possible to walk up and down Manhattan at the 50-story level. Eventually, public transportation will be built at that level so that you have "skyways" (instead of "subways") rumbling through the city 50 stories high! Eventually, it will be feasible to have highways up there as well so that commuters (and taxicabs) from Brooklyn will be able to climb an elevated roadway in their automobiles to the 50-story level and get just about anywhere without causing mass confusion on the streets below.
Imagine having an elevated loop around Manhattan at the 50-story level for automobile traffic. The streets below will no longer be choked with automobiles, making the streets of Manhattan more pedestrian friendly.
This is possible!
Eventually, as the city continues to grow, you will have the same thing at the 100-story level. So Manhattan will effectively triple its capacity for traffic!
At the 100-story level, it will be possible to have a massive "roof" over the city. You will be able to put parks up there and jogging trails and baseball stadiums and shopping malls and such. All supported by the massive skyscrapers embedded in the bedrock below. Obviously there will have to be large gaps in this roof to allow for sunshine to reach the levels below. One idea I have is to have retractable roofs for the upper level so that when it rains, you can close these gaps and keep the streets below dry. Also, you will be able to collect this rainwater, purify it and use it to supply the city with running water.
It sounds possible and a nice place to visit but....no thanks. That would be just too many people around.
I think not.
Sadly, I think the Jihadi's are going to . . . degrade such plans.
There would also be this issue of light down below . . . not insurmountable but an issue.
And, with the world having 1/3--2/3 less people . . . I'm skeptical there will be a market.
Except I...and about 75% of the rest of the population, has NO desire to live like sardines in an arcology type environment.
"Imagine at the 50-story level, having all the skyscrapers in Manhattan connected by pedestrian bridges (fully enclosed from the weather) making it possible to walk up and down Manhattan at the 50-story level."
Impossible due to structural differences causing varying "sway factors".
More likely is a series of buildings like I saw in downtown San Francisco some years ago, joined by walkways and plazas at the mezzanine level. Nice for pedestrians. No traffic worries.
Interesting idea, but I think the wieght of the structures would cause them to sink.
They will be the cloud dwellers while we stay behind to mine the zenite?
(a little Star Trek humor, forgive me)
Actually, I like it. Ship the slickers upstairs and keep the rural country such as where I live pristine.
Thanks in advance.