The Man and his Work

The city (II): Ecumenopolis, world-city of tomorrow

The trend of city growth must eventually lead from megalopolis to Ecumenopolis, a single planet-wide city including all Earth's inhabitants. This evolution is inevitable, nor, says Dr. Doxiadis, is it desirable to avoid it. Instead, we must plan now to make Ecumenopolis fully livable and comfortable for man. Already the main features of the world-city can be perceived: tentacles of nature interwoven and reaching everywhere into built-up areas; utilities lines, food transport tubes and high-speed roadways all moved underground; and the vast population living in easeful small-town-like units of 30,000 to 50,000 people.

From Impact of Science on Society, v.19, no.2, April - June 1969, p. 179-193: 8 fig.