Y Combinator, a startup accelerator and investment firm that helped produce Airbnb and Dropbox has turned its attention to urban planning.
The firm plans to solicit proposals for research into construction methods, power sources, driverless cars, and even examine concepts of zoning and property rights. The project’s intent is to develop ways to reduce housing expenses by 90% and to develop a city code of laws simple enough to fit on 100 pages of text.
The project would eventually produce a prototype city. Initial applications are due July 30, and researchers may be hired this year. The firm is already thinking about possible locations, according to reports.
If plans unfold successfully, the project would be a showcase for new urban policy ideas.
Related Stories
Urban Planning | May 31, 2016
The entire Swedish city of Kiruna is being relocated to prevent it from collapsing into underground iron mines
Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden, and its 20,000 residents will be moved two miles to the east by 2040.
Urban Planning | May 23, 2016
Developer acquires 62 acres of vacant land in Chicago
Related Midwest will turn the strip that connects the South Loop to Chinatown into a neighborhood with homes, stores, and offices.
Urban Planning | May 20, 2016
Why people are the most important factor in urban regeneration
What makes large-scale urban regeneration projects successful? CallisonRTKL's Edgar Kiviet explores how cities, particularly those in Eastern Europe, are undergoing a transformation.
Urban Planning | May 16, 2016
5 steps to creating high-performance communities
Perkins+Will's Noah Friedman and Kristen Hall break down the essential ingredients to create a neighborhood that's accessible, comfortable, and vibrant.
Urban Planning | May 4, 2016
Brookings report details how different industries innovate
In the new report, “How Firms Learn: Industry Specific Strategies for Urban Economies,” Brookings' Scott Andes examines how manufacturing and software services firms develop new products, processes, and ideas.
Urban Planning | Apr 19, 2016
MVRDV wants to turn a former US Army barracks in Germany into a model for the future of suburban living
Blending traditional families with young couples and the newly retired, MVRDV hopes to transform traditional suburbs into diverse communities of shared experiences
High-rise Construction | Mar 10, 2016
Bigger, taller, wider: London’s skyline is about to have a major growth spurt
More than 100 tall buildings have been added to the plans for the capital city since this time last year, and the overall number of tall buildings planned for London is now over 400.
High-rise Construction | Feb 25, 2016
Kohn Pedersen Fox wants to build a mile-high tower in Tokyo
The tower would be the centerpiece of Next Tokyo, a mini city in Tokyo Bay adapted to climate change and rising tides.
Mixed-Use | Feb 18, 2016
New renderings unveiled for Miami Worldcenter master plan
The ‘High Street’ retail promenade and plaza is one of the largest private master-planned projects in the U.S. and is set to break ground in early March.
Green | Feb 18, 2016
Best laid plans: Masdar City’s dreams of being the first net-zero city may have disappeared
The $22 billion experiment, to this point, has produced less than stellar results.
