Tag: science fiction

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Toyota and BIG announce Woven City, the city of the future

Toyota and BIG announce Woven City, the city of the future

Images by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group

Today, January 7th, Toyota announced the future of city living at the CES technology conference in Las Vegas. The Woven City will be a technological playground and proving ground for the future of green energy, autonomous transportation, artificial intelligence, biophilic architecture, and more. They have not yet released information regarding a cost or timeframe, but the groundbreaking is scheduled for 2021. 

The Woven City, so named because of both the interweaving of technology with urban humanity and because of Toyota’s history as a textile company, will be constructed in Japan at the foot of Mt. Fuji. The 175-acre site is a former Toyota factory. It will be built on a grid that will emphasize different types of transportation: fast-moving autonomous vehicles, alternative transportation methods, and pedestrian traffic, with the latter two placed in more natural settings. “In Higashi-Fuji, Japan, we have decided to build a prototype town of the future where people live, work, play and participate in a living laboratory,” says Toyota Motor Corporation CEO Akio Toyoda, “This is a truly unique opportunity to create an entire community, or ‘city’ from the ground up and allow us to build an infrastructure of the future that is connected, digital and sustainable, powered by Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell technology.”

The city was designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, who has also worked on Two World Trade Center and a Mars simulation in Dubai, which began in 2017 and is expected to be completed in the next 3-4 years. 

woven city

It is always interesting when we get to one of these “sci-fi moments” in technology–the realization of something that writers have imagined for decades or centuries. A “city of the future” with cutting-edge technology has been in the imagination since Chicago’s 1905 White City, Disney’s Tomorrowland, and beyond. In fiction, it is often portrayed as either a utopian society or the epicenter of a corporate dystopia. It has, in fact, crept up in several recent movies. Not to say that Woven City will be one of these or the other–only that the intentional creation of a town interweaving humanity and cutting-edge technology seems to capture our dreams, hopes, and fears simultaneously. 

woven city

For now, let us watch as this new society at the base of Mt. Fuji is dreamed, built, and lived in. Maybe it will see our way to a brighter future. 

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Culture Entertainment Events Featured

NYCC Day 2: What You Missed

NYCC 2019
McThor. Accompanied by “Agent Coldstone” (off-camera).

I’m almost embarrassed to have called yesterday “crowded.” As it turns out, significantly more people were comfortable taking off on a Friday. Also, most of the panels and events were limited to the Javits Center, Madison Square Garden, and the Hammerstein Ballroom. Luckily, that concentration meant a lot more cool stuff with less walking. 

Everyone’s Watching The Watchmen

The biggest crowd I saw was for a sneak peek at the upcoming HBO Watchmen panel and preview. This new superhero show, based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore, covers themes of vigilanteism, police militarization, and superheroes punching people. One can see the draw. 

Doing It Write

One of my personal favorite panels at NYCC so far was the Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2019 panel. It featured the authors of Sci Fi/Fantasy’s top short stories over the last year. Talk about a stacked panel. Writers Annalee Newitz, Brenda Peynado, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Seanan McGuire, and N.K. Jemisin (a personal favorite) spent an hour laughing, joking, and exploring the ways they keep science fiction and fantasy fresh at a time where both seem to be everywhere. 

Jump Start

Friday at NYCC was also a big day for Shonen Jump, the powerhouse behind some of mainstream anime’s best-known titles. The day opened up with the Official SHONEN JUMP Panel, giving diehard fans updates on the Japanese manga magazine that launched a thousand animes. Later that day, attendees were offered a My Hero Academia Panel, as well as a sneak peek at MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2, a fighting game based on MHA. 

Nerds of Nerddom (with a small rant)

On Thursday, the NYPL was the source for a lot of more academic panels, with names like “Comic Theory For Kids,” “Truth, Justice, and Civics…The Comic Book Way,” and “#OwnVoices: Why Diversity Matters.”

With the NYPL taking a step back, Friday meant that Javits was filled with those kinds of discussions. Between new-content-specific panels, eager fans could find panels like “From 1969 to the Future: Stories in Space!” and “When it’s More Than Teen Angst: Trauma in Speculative Fiction.”

Maybe this one is just for me, but these are usually my favorite panels at NYCC or otherwise. Don’t get me wrong: I love finding out about new media or catching a preview showing the new season of a favorite show, but I will see all of that eventually on my own. These kinds of panels are opportunities to look at things I already know and love in a new light. They’re how you can enjoy something you already like in a new way. Even if you’re skeptical, find one that sounds vaguely interesting and check it out. It might change your mind.

Today’s Lesson Learned Too Late

It is VERY difficult to get to the NYCC Live Stage, and that area is loud. If you don’t get to the stage early, don’t bother showing up. If you’re 20 feet from the stage, you’re as good as deaf. Instead, hit up the SYFY WIRE fan lounge. They have a big TV that is constantly showing the content of the live stage. There’s comfy seats, phone chargers, and there’s rarely a crowd.

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Culture Entertainment Featured

Interview: Alexa Swinton of ABC’s Emergence

Alexa Swinton
Photo courtesy of Persona PR.

Emergence is a new ABC show about a mysterious young girl. It’s also a supernatural sci-fi mystery thriller. Police officer Jo Evans (Allison Tolman) finds her at the site of a plane crash, untouched and unharmed. The girl, Piper, has no memory and no known identity, but she seems drawn to Evans. Plots thicken when a suspicious couple tries to claim the girl, who appears to have hidden powers. Who is she? What is her secret? That’s Emergence. 

That’s also Alexa Swinton, the young actress who plays Piper. I mean, we know where she came from and–to my knowledge–isn’t being pursued by shadowy organizations. But, for a child, she seems to have hidden powers. In addition to acting, she’s a singer and a writer. Her first album is due to come out in January 2020, though you can hear her sing online. She’s also working on a book with her mom, “The Life of Skylie.” When she’s not doing that, she’s coding original computer games. At least one of those has gotten several thousand views.

Alexa Swinton on Emergence poster
Photo via IMDB

Swinton has been acting in film, television, and theater since the age of 1. Her first tv role was on the show Mythos in 2012. Before Emergence, her biggest credit was for her role in Billions as the daughter of the Attorney General of New York. She’s “uber excited” about her new role. “I can’t contain my feelings,” she tells Downtown, “(Piper is) totally a main character. I mean, she’s on the poster.” 

Acting must be in the Swinton blood. Yes, she’s distantly related to Tilda Swinton, but her mother, Inna Swinton, is also an actor. So are her siblings, Maxim and Ava. The three kids have their own website, a collection of performances and accolades for the trio marking them as “Three Creators and Performers.” 

Alexa Swinton is one of the youngest actors on the set of Emergence, but she’s having no trouble keeping up. She’s a big sci-fi and mystery fan and loves every aspect of playing Piper. “It’s always fun to play a really smart character,” she tells Downtown. “It’s so so cool that she doesn’t remember her past.” 

Check out Alexa Swinton and the rest of the cast of Emergence, ABC’s new supernatural sci-fi mystery thriller, tonight at 10 pm/9c.

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Culture Entertainment Events Featured

Downtown TripPicks: Apr. 2 – Apr. 9

Trip by Skyscanner is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.” Trip by Skyscanner’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.

Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York, courtesy of Trip by Skyscanner. Visit the Trip by Skyscanner site or download the app for more upcoming events.

Near-Future Fictions


The world of science-fiction doesn’t seem that far into the future, best to stay ahead of the game at New York’s very first science-fiction festival, Near Future Fictions, with readings by Jennifer Marie Brissett Brendan C. Byrne Tim Maughan and Joanne McNeil. FREE

The New School (Greenwich Village)
Friday, Apr. 6 from 7-9pm

Pillow Fight


Come out of hibernation and bring your feather-free pillow to Washington Square Park! The theme for this year’s pillow fight is space ponies. Join thousands that plan to whack winter away at this annual event, but, please, don’t swing your pillow too hard.

Washington Square Park (Greenwich Village)
Saturday, Apr. 7 from 3-5pm

Urban Voices in Art


Downtown Urban Arts Festival is an annual arts event that promotes “diversity in the arts by showcasing urban expression.” The performances (poetry, music, theater, and film) represent the rich variety of voices speaking out about the trials and tribulation of urban life. Tickets $10-$30.

Check site for complete list of venues (Lower Manhattan)
Saturday, Apr. 7-Saturday, May 12 (Check site for showtimes)

Havana Film Festival


The Havana Film Festival New York is the perfect opportunity to get the know the voices of Cuban and Latin American cinema. In addition to over 25 films, this 12-day festival features musical events and masterclasses including one with Cuban screenwriter and author Senel Paz. Tickets start at $12.61.

Check site for complete list of venues
Friday, Apr. 6-Tuesday, Apr. 17 (check site for showtimes)

Open Reading


Whatever your skill level, The Poetry Project’s Open Reading series is a chance to present your creative work to a warm audience and to mingle with fellow poetry enthusiasts. Tickets FREE-$8.

St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery (East Village)
Monday, Apr. 9 from 8-10pm