Future City Five Nations, One Vision?

Issue 01, 2013 Future voestalpine magazine We’re taking the future into our own hands!

Future City

Connected, quiet and with zero emissions – visions of tomorrow’s metropolis — Page 28

Five Nations, One Vision?

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – an insider’s outlook — Page 48

Energy – Ahead of the Curve

Smart innovations for the next generations — Page 33

www.voestalpine.com voestalpine information

In keeping with the motto “We’re taking the Get to know the “leading actors” from our future into our own hands,” our new image campaign a little better with the enclosed and brand campaign from 2012 clearly il- DVD, including all 12 films in 12 languages, lustrates what makes us so unique: we, the and become a part of their lives for a moment. employees, with our own highly personal We offer authentic and touching glimpses strengths! Our daily commitment, love for of our day-to-day life and give you the op- detail and pleasure in taking on a challen- portunity to discover surprising and unex- ge – no matter if in a professional or a priva- pected topics in our Group. te setting – are proof of our versatility. “We’re taking the future into our own hands.”

Dear reader,

Author William Gibson once said “The future is already here – it’s just not very evenly distributed.” Gibson was right, but his point is only half the truth. The future isn’t somewhere else – like Ja- pan or Silicon Valley – it’s everywhere, flowing back and forth. From emerging powerhouses like the BRICS to the West’s advanced economies, breakthroughs are happening all the time. Real innovation happens when people and companies don’t just monitor these changes but author them. By connecting 500 Group companies and locations in more than 50 countries on five con- and Chinese child we spoke to come from dif- tinents, voestalpine helps drive progress across ferent contexts and histories, but their life goals the world. Our projects range from the subtle to are remarkably similar. the dramatic, from humble railway turnouts to Part of voestalpine’s challenge is to hear and the starter housing for rocket engines from the respond to these differences. Energy, mobility European Space Program. Whatever their scale, and strength can have very different meanings solutions like these show that groundbreaking across our web of markets. Through teamwork, possibilities are sometimes hidden in the sim- commitment and openness, we turn that variety plest ideas. Though not obviously spectacular, into inspiration for change. Our solutions emer- those railway turnouts are a cornerstone of ge because of diversity, not in spite of it. This ap- world transport. Without them, global logistics petite for overcoming challenges sets us apart, would literally grind to a halt. and allows us to take the future into our own Yet even though these parts are mechanical, they hands. It’s not always easy, but we believe that belong to a human system. The genius of their in- sustainable solutions are worth fighting for. vention began with people, and it pushes them No matter what tomorrow brings, we’re ready. further forward. Every person – from designer It’s this quiet strength, this love of detail, that to manufacturer to user – is crucial to their suc- binds us together and allows us to redefine the cess. We tackle problems at their roots as a team, limits of the possible again and again. We don’t and developing new standards is just a small have time to simply be content with our success, part of that. because we’ve already got ideas for the next The importance of details and the empowerment new developments – that’s how we stay one step of individuals is something that’s happening in ahead. We hope you enjoy reading about this wider society, too. This magazine has stories from evolution and its remarkable echoes around the all over the world about the remarkable shift world. taking place. From a student in Kazakhstan studying genetics online to a Dutch music teacher Cordially, discovering cosmic gas clouds, people are creating networks for mutual benefit. As distant communities come together through globalization, they’re learning about common ground and cultural differences. The Brazilian grandmother Wolfgang Eder, CEO of voestalpine AG

3 Summary Be There Issue 01/2013

How will we live in the future? New visions of the city of tomorrow. (p. 28)

Do online courses spell the end for the traditional university? (p. 56)

10 Our Future What voestalpine employees expect Unseen inventions from tomorrow that make our 12 What Drives us Forward lives easier! (p. 70) The power of the individual

15 Citizen Science How everyone can become a scientist

18 Who Would Have Thought? 6 Our contributors Four people, their career dreams and The journalists behind Future what they became

6 Imprint 23 Tai Chi Genius Neuroscientist Norman Doidge on keeping his mind fit

24 Redesigning the Brain Interview with Norman Doidge

4 Think Ahead Stay Curious

28 Future City 64 Inventions That Haven’t Connected, quiet and with zero Really Made It emissions – visions of tomorrow’s metropolis ... and why. The devil is all in the details!

33 Energy – Ahead of the Curve 66 Trends in Visual Effects Smart innovations for the next generations The Dark Knight, Avatar and Co.

38 The Circle of Steel 70 Little Details, Big Impact A material with more lives than you think Unseen inventions that make our lives easier

40 Tomorrow’s Tracks 72 The Humanization of Space Trains – a thing of the past How a new spacesuit makes commercial or the latest in mobility? space travel possible

48 Five Nations, One Vision? 74 Expo 2015 Brazil, Russia, India, China and Do Expos really serve as a sign of the future? South Africa – an insider’s outlook

56 Revolution of Education How the Internet is going to democratize education on a global scale

5 Imprint

The journalists Our Contributors: behind Future

Whatever the future holds – it will be different for all of us. In this magazine, we show you how we at voestalpine see the world and its future, while at the same time taking you on a journey from Brazil to India and New York to Johannesburg. We found some of the finest journalists in the world, who tell us their stories and share their points of view and dreams. On these two pages, we introduce you to a few of our contributors. However, there are many more, like Ksenia Stroganova who tells us about life in Russia (p. 54) or Berlin-based Anne Kammerzelt and André Uhl who share their thoughts on what the city of the future will be like (p. 28). Johanna Bloomfield We have created Future to be a platform for high- Design consultant – New York, United States ly varied voices. Together, they amount to more Johanna Bloomfield has more than ten years of ex- than the sum of their parts: this magazine. perience specializing in the field of performance wear and technical fabrications. She is involved with ongoing advanced concept projects including space suit development for commercial space travel, which she introduces us to in this issue of Future. Imprint — Page 72 —

Owner and media proprietor: voestalpine AG voestalpine-Straße 1 4020 Linz

Publisher: Gerhard Kürner

Editor-in-chief: Maria Reibenberger T. +43/50304/15-5432 [email protected]

Concept, editing and design: Commandante Berlin GmbH Andrea Fenn Owner: Toni Kappesz Writer – Shanghai, China Schröderstraße 11 Italian-born Andrea Fenn is a journalist and a photo- 10115 Berlin grapher. He has studied and worked in China since 2005, where he is based in Shanghai. Fenn is fluent Translation: in Mandarin and spends his spare time writing his Audi Akademie GmbH, Ingolstadt first novel in Chinese. He explores the future of the railway together with Richard Macauley. Printing: — PAGE 40 — Kontext Druckerei GmbH, Linz

6 Contributors

Paul Sullivan Judith Reker Writer – Berlin, Germany Writer – Johannesburg, South Africa Paul Sullivan is a Berlin-based writer, author, editor German-born Judith Reker has lived in Johannes- and photographer whose work focuses primarily burg since 2007, and previously resided in Kenya on music, travel and culture. His writing and images and Congo. She is a freelance writer covering cultu- have appeared in publications such as The Guardi- ral as well as business topics for publications such an, National Geographic UK, The Independent and as Architectural Digest and The Financial Times. on BBC. He investigates the Expo 2015 in Milan for Here she examines what being a BRICS country Future. means to South Africa. — PAGE 74 — — PAGE 55 —

Ana Carolina Minozzo Remo Bitzi Journalist – London, UK and Porto Alegre, Brazil Writer and publisher – Lucerne, Switzerland Ana Carolina Minozzo was born in Porto Alegre, Remo Bitzi was born in Switzerland where he now Brazil. She has traveled back and forth between her lives in Lucerne. Originally a banker, he turned to wri- home country and London since 2007. She is a jour- ting and now publishes his own magazine entitled nalist specializing in art and fashion and is currently zweikommasieben, revolving around contemporary studying to become a psychoanalyst. Ana gives us affairs. In this issue of Future magazine, he explains her insights on life in Brazil as a BRICS nation. how everyone can become a scientist. — PAGE 51 — — PAGE 15 —

Be There

Giving people support and security.

Thanks to our decentralized structure, we can act and react faster. This means we are readily available to all of our stakeholders and attempt to satisfy their needs with utmost flexibility and dynamism. We tackle problems at their source and don’t let go. After all, the future is worth fighting for.

10 Our Future What voestalpine employees expect from tomorrow

12 What Drives Us Forward The power of the individual

15 Citizen Science How everyone can become a scientist

18 Who Would Have Thought? Four people, their career dreams and what they became

23 Tai Chi Genius Neuroscientist Norman Doidge on keeping his mind fit

24 Redesigning the Brain Interview with Norman Doidge

9 Be There Our Future

PHOTOs Rony Zakaria, Andrea Fenn, Daniel Ha, Claus Sjödin, Rafael Bastos

What voestalpine employees expect from tomorrow

1. What are you looking forward to in the future? 2. Would you like to know now exactly what the future holds for you? 3. Do you already know what you will do tomorrow? 4. Looking back, what events in your life have been decisive in shaping your future? 5. What in your life do you believe will be better in the future? 6. What things do you not want to change in the future? 7. If you could travel to the future with a time machine, what would you take along?

Yi Gao (4) Kindergarten student Wujiang, Suzhou, China

1. To be a doctor 2. Yes, I want to know what will happen. 3. Yes, go outside and play with dad and mom 4. Mom brought me to this happy and warm family 5. I will grow up and become taller 6. Parents’ love 7. Of course, lollipop “I want to know what will happen”

Boo Rundqvist (57) 1. To be a grandfather again in March and to keep my Communication Director, health in good shape. 2. No one knows what the fu- Uddeholms AB ture will bring. That’s why it is so important to live in and Hagfors, Sweden take care of the moment 3. If you only mean tomorrow or next week, yes. Life needs a lot of planning and structure, that’s enough. In my free time I like to be just that, free. 4. Of course things like getting married, having children and so on. Professionally one big step was changing “Live in and my profession, from a newspaper journalist to Uddeholm. 5. In general, everything! Because if you stop believing in take care of that, a part of you will also stop living. 6. As I like being in the country, both for walking and skiing. Also my health, it the moment” is the key to a rich and varied life. 7. A camera to document everything!

10 Be There

Angela de Martino 1. I wish for better days, without violence and enough Casanova (77) health. 2. If I were certain then good. Otherwise, better to Housewife let things happen according to God’s will. 3. Today I know Campinas, Brazil about tomorrow, but not for long periods. 4. I emigrated to Brazil with my husband. For a long time, he worked and I managed the house. Now I’m a widow, my children are married, I’m away from my family in Italy and I take care of the house alone. 5. Good health for me, my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 6. The only thing we cannot change is death, because by taking action in the present we can change the future of everything else. “I hope for a 7. I would take my family and hope for a better world, with no corruption, no violence and with more politeness and better world” respect.

JC Abbott (15) 1. I am looking forward to gaining full independence and Student living in new cities. 2. I would not like to know what the fu- Surrey, Canada ture holds. 3. I have a good idea of what I will do tomorrow but the future is never certain. 4. Events such as joining my football team, traveling on a school exchange to Quebec and winning the citywide Speechfest in the 5th grade have shaped my life, personality and preferences greatly. 5. I believe that I will have more independence and be better in social situations in the future. 6. I do not want my relation- ship with my friends and my confidence in front of a crowd “The future is to change. 7. If I could travel to the future, I would take a notepad and pen so I could write down what I saw. never certain”

Nelly Simamora (35) 1. To be successful in my personal life and career 2. Yes, and Purchasing Officer I think I already know, because I make and create that fu- Cikarang, Bekasi ture for myself, not anyone else. 3. Yes, I know for my job because I deal with it every day but for everything else, it depends on the circumstances. 4. My experience with my last two employers has helped me form a better working attitude, spirit and mentality. 5. My personal life – family, financial situation and especially my way of thinking about the future itself 6. Everything should be changed I think. “I create If something is good then we can make it better. If it is better why not make it the best as there are no limits to change. that future 7. My mother. for myself”

11 What Drives Us Forward

Text Natalie Holmes Photos Christoph Dammast

The power of the individual Be There

n 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give a productive organic farm. Thanks to provide the hope, inspiration and up her seat in the “colored” section me and a myriad of co-signees, the ur- drive to do good, and it is these links Iof a bus in Alabama to a white pas- ban oasis is here to stay. too – strengthened and extended by senger. Her act of defiance became a technology – that make it possible. symbol of the American civil rights These days, anyone with a well-pre- movement and a key moment in the The desire to sented idea can potentially realize fight against racial segregation in the their dream by garnering the support United States. “People always say that stand up for what of other individuals, whose often mi- I didn’t give up my seat because I was nor contributions add up to a substan- tired, but that isn’t true,” she later remi- we believe in tial investment. Crowdfunding suc- nisced. “The only tired I was, was tired cess stories abound, and not just for of giving in.” is part of what commercial products. Charitable and The desire to stand up (or in Parks’ case, socially valuable projects are equally sit down) for what we believe in is part makes us human popular – if not more so. Back in 2008, of what makes us human, and history is British director Franny Armstrong ma- rife with stories of ordinary folk forging Of course, signing a petition is a far naged to raise just under £700,000 to lasting, positive change. The recent cry from the serious risks that people produce and release the groundbreak- rise of new media technologies has like Parks have taken to make the ing climate change film The Age of broken down many traditional barriers, world a better place. But today we are Stupid. In the latter part of 2012, with making it easier than ever for people newly connected, with Internet-enab- the help of leading crowdfunding plat- to follow their moral compass and live led networks empowering individuals form Kickstarter, an interdisciplinary more fulfilled and contented lives. to make a true difference with the team led by Phil Bosua far surpassed Just this morning I received an e-mail click of a mouse. On the surface, it can their $100,000 target, generating a that brightened my day. It was from sometimes seem that the web isolates staggering $1.3 million for their de- an organization called Change.org. us, as we engage independently with sign of a wifi-enabled light bulb con- I’d been one of over 30,000 people who personal gadgets. Yet where once we trolled by mobile phone. signed an online petition against the were separate, we are now supported As has always been the case, however, privatization and closure of one of my by a safety net that can motivate indi- people today are driven by much more than mere finance. Crowdsour- cing can gather and utilize valuable cultural capital, allowing individuals

Sum in U.S. dollars that was reached via kickstarter to design a wifi-enabled light bulb

1.3 hometown’s most beautiful community viduals to start selfless social projects gardens, a three-year project that has by offering a virtual helping hand. It transformed inner city wasteland into is the unique bonds between us that million

13 Be There

to join together and play a crucial role in forging positive social change, whe- Today people voestalpine ther it be to save a beloved local project facts like my favorite community garden, or are driven by make a difference in an internationally significant scenario by means of dyna- much more than Despite the world’s diversity mic, networked campaigning. Armst- and the speed with which it is rong, for example, is motivated by a mere finance moving and changing, we devotion to campaigning for climate still have to determine today change awareness, work that has giv- For all our 21 st century problems what the future will look like. en her a profound sense of self-worth. (which are admittedly many and gra- That’s why we at voestalpine “I’m one of the MTV generation who ve), we are unprecedentedly prepa- are getting involved – every got told the point of your life is to go red, both as individuals and as a set day and all over the world with shopping and play computer games,” of enriched human societies, to make our experience and sure sense she told the Guardian. “It amazes me enduring, effective changes to any for future developments, but that my life is so much more meaning- chosen challenge, be it local or global. especially with our fascination ful than what was planned for it.” New technology – or the way we use with steel. Though humanity continues its end- it – expands opportunities for learn- less search for meaning, many agree ing, problem-solving, decision-making We can already recognize that individual acts of bravery and and personal interaction. At a time of what the worldwide standard compassion are a good place to start. financial uncertainty for many, and of tomorrow will be. About a century ago, Albert Einstein, ecological fragility for all, this new We give people a feeling of with characteristic insight, said, “All way of connecting and living provides trust and security, provide that is valuable in human society de- the backdrop for an optimism that per- them with energy, create pends upon the opportunity for devel- vades against the odds. The future has movement and allow their opment accorded the individual.” We arrived, bringing to our fingertips new ideas to become reality.

All of this is part of a sustainable development, since steel is up to 100% recyclable and offers so many possibilities for the future. So we constantly continue to develop things further in order to conserve resources and reduce the burden on our environment.

It is steel with which we will make lasting changes to the world we live in. It is this love for detail, this pleasure in taking on a challenge that sets us all apart. We won’t wait – we’re taking the future into our own hands.

have never had more opportunities for and exciting opportunities to change development, nor been more socially the world. The only question left to ask valuable as individuals, as in 2013. is: what will you do?

14 Be There

Citizen Science

Text Remo Bitzi PhOTOs Christoph Dammast, galaxyzoo.org, Image by NASA/ESA

How everyone can become a scientist

ntil the 18th century, citizens cal curiosity, Hanny had registered from the online community. That was without any academic training with the citizen science platform Ga- 2007, and the platform has since be- Ucould easily slip into the role laxyzoo, and began to classify pho- come one of the most visited sites of its of researchers, and these citizen sci- tographs from outer space. She came kind with more than 110,000 clicks per entists did in fact make many break- across a blue glowing object in the con- month! through discoveries. With increasing stellation Leo Minor. This object, subse- specialization of the sciences in the quently known as “Hanny’s voorwerp” Mother Earth early 19th century, however, academ- (voorwerp is Dutch for “object”), was ics began to stake out the field of re- vigorously discussed in the Galaxyzoo There are also research opportunities search for themselves. forum by laypersons as well as expe- for those who prefer studying our own Over the course of the last few years rienced researchers. Hanny van Arkel planet rather than stardust from distant there’s been a trend back to citizen sci- is not the only user looking for unusu- galaxies. For example, the German ence with research teams from around the world relying on support from the general public. Numerous citizen scientist websites have been created in recent years, featuring research tools and instructions that users can imple- ment on their monitors at home. There are hardly any limits, either in terms of content or complexity, because the users decide for themselves whether they want to dabble in constellations or temperature, collect data or analyze it.

Stargazing

Everyone really is welcome, as perfectly illustrated by Hanny’s voorwerp, a gas cloud illuminated by a quasar. The phenomenon was not discovered by an astronomer’s telescope but by a Dutch music teacher named Hanny al astral entities on Galaxyzoo. In its platform Naturgucker encourages van Arkel on her computer at home. first year of operation, the site already amateur naturalists to observe birds, In the search to satisfy her astrologi- attracted more than 150,000 helpers mammals, insects, plants and other

15 Be There

organisms in the environment. Users 150-year-old logbooks of American through a more profound understan- can share what they see online, and sailors to sift through. Historians hope ding of our climate and environment. have it evaluated by other community to draw conclusions from the sailors’ members. More than 3.2 million ob- diary entries regarding their lives on New sense of community servations in over 52,000 fields have board and shipping lanes. The log- been reported and discussed to date. book entries are also of interest for cli- Making the world a better place is Another project that revolves around mate scientists because the logs accu- an omnipresent theme of citizen sci- flora and fauna is Snapshot Seren- rately document weather conditions, ence projects. The objective is almost geti. Members of various universities which help to forecast future climate always improving both our direct and have studied lions in their natural ha- scenarios. indirect environment. Accordingly, the result is a win-win-win situation. On the one hand, research citizens are a huge help for professional scientists when it comes to data collection. On the other hand, amateurs have the opportunity to take part in academic discourse and to acquire personal knowledge. The gap between the educated elite and non-academics can be partially filled, and specialized data made accessible to the general public. The result is not only a new sense of community, but an increase in knowledge. Whether a PhD scientist or a hobbyist, every single individual counts – the future lies in all of our hands!

Stargazing on Galaxyzoo, © galaxyzoo.org, Image by NASA/ESA voestalpine bitat in the Serengeti National Park Researchers from various institutions facts in Tanzania for more than 45 years around San Francisco, California, also using on-site observations. Today, as consider current climate data to be part of the snapshot project, 225 ca- vital, both for individuals and for sci- With EUR 132 million for meras are in use. The study is much ence. Using the project Urban Atmos- research & development and more efficient and effective as a re- pheres, scientists are asking why a team of over 500 scientists, sult. However, a community of citizen anyone should be satisfied with an we are a very research-inten- scientists is needed to evaluate the average temperature for a whole city sive industrial company. Our images. Chris Lintott of Oxford Uni- when it can vary significantly by user numerous new patents and versity, one of the project leaders, ex- location. The crucial element is the award-winning high-tech appli- plains, “We can’t evaluate 3,000,000 first mass high-performance instru- cations speak for themselves. holiday snaps by ourselves.” ment: the smartphone. The research We carry out our research team’s first goal is to equip the popu- and development work with a Let’s talk about the lation with an app that enables data love for detail and together weather acquisition and evaluation. If the ma- with more than 100 scientific jority of the urban population used institutions around the world. Lintott is an active figure in the citi- this app, the quality of information As we see it, research & zen science scene. He also relies on would be exceptional. In addition to development is a fusion of all the help of his fellow citizens for other processing of new communication pa- corporate areas! studies – such as the Old Weather pro- radigms, the project’s overall goal is ject. Research citizens are given the to foster positive change in society

Who Would Have Thought?

Text Remo Bitzi PhOTOs Christoph Dammast, Daniel Lucchiesi, Alex James, Caribou

Back in the day it was easy: The course of development between deciding what to do in life until retirement was pretty linear – more than one career was just not conceivable. Today, a person’s professional past and future is anything but predictable. The following examples give us a glimpse of what is now possible. Be There

From fighter pilot to stunt driver – Ben Collins As a child, Ben Collins wanted to become a fighter pilot. “But a visit to the optician put an end to that,” explains the Englishman. Inspired by his father, he got involved in car racing. Collins was successful, but his professional life once again took an unexpected turn when he became a Hollywood stunt driver. “Getting into the movies happened by accident, literally. When I was racing in Romania, I crashed into another car and broke four of my ribs. Once I got out of hospital, the phone rang offering me a job in a Nicholas Cage movie. I couldn’t race, so I said yes.” Since then, Ben has worked on a variety of movie sets including James Bond and Batman.

19 Be There

From fashion to chef – Rachel Khoo What makes someone leave the fashion industry to become a baker? Rachel Khoo, who exactly did that, explains: “I wasn’t being challenged in my fashion PR and marketing job. I felt like moving to another country, learning another language and a new skill. Pâtisserie would not only benefit my career but also me personally.” Today, Khoo is not only responsible for some of the tastiest pastries in Paris, but also writes cook books and hosts a TV show. The PR lady turned chef sums it up like this: “Life is too short to be doing a job that bores you.”

20 Be There

From math to electronic music – Dan Snaith The guys who were good at math were rarely the cool kids as teenagers. Perhaps this was partly because their career paths looked so unexciting – going to college, getting a PhD, teaching at a university until retirement, end of story. Dan Snaith’s life is a little different. Although he obtained a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College London in 2005, the Canadian now works as a sought-after club DJ and electronic music producer under the names Caribou and Daphni. With six official albums and bookings around the globe, Snaith has achieved at least as much respect in the music world as in academia.

21 Be There

From heart surgeon to truck driver – Markus Studer Markus Studer is a trained heart surgeon – one of the best in Switzerland, as clients and colleagues would confirm. How- ever, the cardiologist’s heart beats not for surgery but for trucks. So Studer got himself a trucking license in 2000 and left his medical career behind two years later. Today, he drives around Europe carrying cooking oil, fruit juice and cocoa butter on his 7.5-ton rig for various clients in the food industry.

22 Be There

Tai Chi Genius

Text Ari Stein PhOTO Malcolm Taylor

Neuroscientist Norman Doidge on keeping his mind fit

n 2007, the Canadian psychoanalyst and integrative neuroscientist INorman Doidge published the NY Times bestseller The Brain That Can Change Itself. The book not only earn- ed him many accolades and honors from the medical community, but also changed the way Western medicine views the brain.

Neurons that fire together wire together

The book brought to light many cases of patients who had miraculously re- Norman Doidge: “The brain is only as good as your cardiovascular system.” covered after what were once thought to be permanently brain debilitating our brains to dramatically transform Doidge’s daily schedule always in- conditions such as a stroke or even se- ourselves? cludes a strong regiment of cardiovas- vere learning difficulties, provoking One of the key tenants of neuroplasti- cular exercise. Five times a week, he the question: could we potentially use city is “neurons that fire together wire begins his day with “work on an (el- together,” so all thoughts, actions and liptical) exercise machine, which in- Norman Doidge lifestyles become hardwired in the brain. cludes some interval training for 15 The potential to reverse these negati- minutes followed by just relaxing and Doidge won the E.J. Pratt Prize for ve effects is an underlying theme in listening to a podcast.” As Norman in- Poetry at age 19. He studied literary Doidge’s work. Doidge is based in To- sists, “The brain is only as good as your classics and philosophy before ronto, Canada, and is a busy man di- cardiovascular system.” earning his medical degree from the viding his time between patients at a With the mind always at the forefront University of Toronto. He then small practice in the city center and of Doidge’s daily life, we were keen to did a residency in psychiatry and completing his next book, due for re- know exactly what Norman prefers obtained a degree in psycho- lease later this year. Before we talk to stay relaxed and healthy. His answer analysis from Columbia University further to Doidge about his findings surprised us.“Tai chi, which feels great, in New York. Doidge now lives in (overleaf), we ask him what he does increases brain volume and is a quasi- Toronto, Canada. on a daily basis to train his brain. meditative practice.”

23 Be There

Redesigning the Brain

Text Ari Stein PHOTO Vince Talotta/GetStock.com

Interview with Norman Doidge

e are in the throes of a neuro-scientific revolution, W brought on largely by the newfound understanding that our brains are neuroplastic. This basically means that our brains are potentially moldable or changeable in structure. We sat down with one of the key figures within this new exciting field, Norman Doidge, for a more in-depth chat about the eureka moments from which he draws his inspiration and to ask if Western medicine can truly embrace neuroplasticity.

I received a copy of your book in 2010 from my father and it changed the way I thought about the brain. It sent me Norman Doidge: “The neuroplastic revolution has just begun.” on a personal journey, which I’m still very much enjoying. we’ve established that mental experi- open to the innovations of neuro- Well, the neuroplastic revolution has ence and mental practice can change plasticity? only just begun and we have now pro brain structure, there are still myster- duced the second generation of neu- ies about how it does so. Yes and no. People who have been wor- roplasticians. But this is also about me king on neuroplasticity are gradually trying to solve a number of problems Do you think that the traditional getting more attention. in the field of neuroplasticity. While healthcare industry as it is today is The areas that are growing quickly

24 Be There

center around rehabilitation. One of to go through the normal the things that’s happening is that parasympathetic wind down we’re starting to see growth when it and people come home and comes to kids on the autistic spectrum search the Internet. They’re or learning disorders as parents are always on the hunt, which is voting with their feet and using neu- a certain kind of hyper-alert roplastic interventions. state. When it comes to services administered I think from the point of view outside the hospital regarding neuro- of our nervous systems this plasticity we’re seeing some growth, in is a huge idiotic turn in our fact there was a wonderful Canadian lives that we are wired 24/7. philanthropist, Jim Temerty, who read The nervous system needs The Brain That Changes Itself and down time, part of the inter- was inspired to donate $7.4 million to est in the Eastern practices set up a simulation center up here in in our generation has been Toronto to research neuroplasticity. because we don’t know how to turn ourselves off. Does technology enable more advancement in the field of neuroplas- Finally, did you ever have a ticity? key eureka moment pertain- ing to your work on neuro- Well yes in a huge way, because one of plasticity? the reasons we were unable to understand neuroplasticity was because it I’ve had many little eureka took place microscopically in the brain. moments, maybe not one sin- And you need to make a microscopic gle moment but I had a long- “The Brain That Changes Itself” movie in order to document plastic standing dissatisfaction with (James H. Silberman Books), by Norman Doidge change. Now we have half a dozen to a the mechanistic model that dozen different technologies that can implies the self is a little ma- do this. And some of them are becom- chine. It just always seemed incomple- Two examples of patients re- ing applied routinely like FMRIs and te to me but I refused to pass judgment wiring themselves from The microelectrodes. on it until I felt I mastered the models Brain That Can Change Itself: So it was the development of micro- that modern mechanistic cell biology electrodes that allowed us to first begin was using. But the more I learned about 1. Michelle Mack was born documenting these microscopic chan- the model, the more I realized that there with literally just half a brain, ges in these very powerful microscopes. are a lot of things that the model doesn’t but her brain’s single hemi- explain. sphere reorganized itself in What about technology’s effect on the I remember reading a paper when order to compensate for her brain? I was deciding where I was going to other missing hemisphere. She do my psychiatric and psychoanalytic now leads a totally normal life. I think technology is driving the mas- training, and the head of the psycho- sive amounts of anxiety because in analytic Institute at Columbia Univer- 2. Michael Bernstein was a the more natural condition, before the sity was trying to bring me there, so doctor who suffered a debilita- invention of the electric light bulb, the he sent me a paper by Eric Kandel and ting stroke that paralyzed the whole world quieted down at night. said this is the kind of thing that we left side of his body. Through Everything stopped. Now we’re all do. When I read that I knew this is the unique retraining program, he globally connected constantly. thing that I’d been looking for. Ove- learned to reinvigorate his People are carrying smartphones 24/7 rall I’ve had a number of insights or brain’s damaged neuro-maps and you’re at the beck and call of your small eureka moments, but you know that had been considered boss, or there’s a shooting in the Unit- what, I’m still waiting for my real eu- non-functioning. His recovery ed States and everyone knows about reka moment in a certain sense. has led to an almost normal life. it. So the nervous system doesn’t get

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Creating movement and supplying energy.

We drive development – open to new ideas and with the curiosity of scientists, we are visionaries who think far beyond the box; ingenuity is the hallmark of our products and processes as well as our relationships to those around us. After all, nothing is so good that we can’t improve it.

28 Future City Connected, quiet and with zero emissions – visions of tomorrow’s metropolis

33 Energy – Ahead of the Curve Smart innovations for the next generations

38 The Circle of Steel A material with more lives than you think

40 Tomorrow’s Tracks Trains – a thing of the past or the latest in mobility?

48 Five Nations, One Vision? Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – an insider’s outlook

56 Revolution of Education How the Internet is going to democratize education on a global scale

27 Think Ahead

Future City

Text Anne Kammerzelt, André Uhl Illustrations Mathis Rekowski

Connected, quiet and with zero emissions – visions of tomorrow’s metropolis

28 Think Ahead

Yet the most striking changes in the Watts per hour that cityscape of a metropolis are brought can be generated about by differences in how we move by a singe sidewalk plate about. Even without flying cars, this will be clearly visible in the future. So- called “micro-mobiles” – zero- to four- wheeled vehicles, mostly electric, that fit into any parking space – will likely become commonplace in cities within the next ten to twenty years. “Many of them may even be combined and coupled to work like a train,” says Steinmüller. Individual shuttle transportation that would enable a car-free environment uge skyscrapers fitted with could help cities become emission- 2.1 solar panels, flying cars whiz- free in the future. The Personal Rap- Hzing back and forth across id Transit System, a driverless, pas- the city, and robots doing the shop- senger transportation system that ping and running the errands for their automatically brings passengers to ponsible for waste disposal. owners. Is this what the city of the fu- their individual destination on com- The metropolis should be largely CO2 ture will look like? mand, would be complemented by a neutral and waste free, and aided compact public transport network. by innovative technologies and rig- While being automatically transpor- orous recycling. These include solar- Yet the most ted through the city, we can efficiently powered seawater desalination plants buy groceries with a scanner code or and plates in the ground that convert striking changes smartphone from photos resembling the kinetic energy generated by pe- supermarket shelves in subway sta- destrians into electricity. Pilot projects in the cityscape tions. Already commonplace in Seoul, have already been carried out in To- this may soon become customary in kyo and London. A single plate built of a metropolis other cities as well. into the sidewalk can generate up to Backed by numerous experts in met- 2.1 watts per hour. Five of these pla- are created by a ropolitan and globalization research, tes would be enough to light up a bus a study by the Fraunhofer Institute stop. It is not inconceivable that cities change in the way predicts a green, quiet and above all could become independent enclaves. closely-connected city of the future “If we look twenty years into the fu- we move that will feature dustbots, robots res- ture we might already see the first

When it comes to flying cars, the pro- gnosis by Dr. Karlheinz Steinmüller, a doctor of physics, science fiction writer and one of the most renowned futur- ologists in Germany, is very sobering: “As far as energy consumption goes, flying cars are technically conceivable, but will only gain acceptance if automatic steering is perfected. The smallest mid-air collision would be a disaster. Private air traffic transportation will probably fail because of insurance concerns.”

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model cities or neighborhoods become completely energy self-sufficient and generate the everyday resources they need by themselves,” says Dieter Spath, head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering and Organization. Intelligent memb- rane facades could optimize energy production and usage in skyscrapers. They would distribute the stored energy as needed, meaning the coffee would be freshly brewed and the living room pleasantly climatized when residents get home. Many scientists believe that cities will be cha- racterized by a blossoming of urban agriculture in the coming decades. Multi-story vegetable gardens are as conceivable as vertical vineyards. The cleverest innovations often in– heinz Steinmüller’s vision of the fu- expected for room lighting – from volve the smallest details of everyday ture: “A vacuum cleaner mother ship individual spots to even distribution. life, perhaps because time is too valu- will send out many little robots that Where there were once kerosene able to waste it washing, cleaning and zip around with their trunks and then lamps, chandeliers and other light scrubbing. There are researchers who head back to the main robot to dump sources, the trend is now towards lu- steadfastly pursue the idea that small dust and recharge.” minous wallpaper that generates uni- robots will clean our homes. In Karl- form light and simultaneously serves as a screen. Today we already have The fear that so-called “OLED wallpaper” design- voestalpine ed with organic LEDs. In the future, facts robots will replace we will be able to choose what wall covering we would like to view at the majority breakfast. Strategy 2020: We are research- The fear that robots will replace the ing the future. As a driving of human workers majority of human workers in the fu- force and an innovator, we can ture is unfounded. According to Profes- already recognize what the in the future is sor Steinmüller: “Robots will provide worldwide standard of tomorrow more and more support for people, but will be. Wolfgang Eder, CEO of unfounded man cannot be completely replaced voestalpine AG, is convinced: by a machine in most jobs.” Good Rodney Brooks, Director of Artificial In- advice from a colleague or a simple “In the future, we will continue to telligence at MIT, likewise anticipates smile will still make our day a little develop more and more com- robotic home communities, “It would easier in the future as well. ponents, semi-finished parts be even more practical if the threads It is impossible to predict what exact- and finished parts for the most of a carpet would transport dirt to a ly the city of the future will be like, demanding applications, in collection point where it could then but its contours are molded by the particular in the fields of mobility be removed.” Steinmüller adds: “And present. Let us take the future by the and energy as well as in other if it were up to the nano-technologists, hand – every detail and each one of segments of industry, and bring carpets would be constructed in such a us counts in making the metropolis them to market.” way that dirt wouldn’t even collect in of tomorrow a place worth loving and the first place.” a home worth living in. A development similar to that taking place in the heat sector can also be

32 Think Ahead

Energy – Ahead of the Curve

Text Charlotte Schumann, Anne Kammerzelt PhOTOs statkraft, Steve Morgan Photography, Fraunhofer ISE, Markel Redondo Photography, ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest

Smart innovations for the next generations

he world is getting smaller, even mixes with salt water, pressure is the pressure becomes so great that it when it comes to finding solu- created because the salt water is acid- can drive a turbine. The result: salinity Ttions for global problems such ic and there is more of it, but nature gradient power. The Norwegian ener- as climate change. Research into potential renewable energy is still in its infancy, but if researchers continue to come up with clever ideas, there should be a switch to low-carbon or carbon-free power plant technologies in the future. Scientists, engineers and technicians worldwide have taken up the challenge, with amazing results. One innovation comes from the Nor- wegian city of Sunndalsøra, where a new technology is being tested that could make the city famous, so-called “salinity gradient power.” The world’s first prototype is due to start operation in 2015 in Tingvollfjord with a capacity of two megawatts. That doesn’t sound like much, but when the system is fully developed, all 4,000 residents and the surrounding region will be supplied with salinity gradient pow- Statkraft Osmosekraftwerk in Tofte, Norway © statkraft er. Mayor Ståle Refstie is certain, “We will go down in history.” The prototype always strives for balance. If you artifi- gy company Statkraft estimates the seawater plant uses a natural pheno- cially steer this effect through a mem- worldwide potential for salt water pow- menon, osmosis. When fresh water brane and thousands of pressure pipes, er plants to be 1,700 terawatt hours,

33 Pelamis Wave Power, © Steve Morgan Photography Think Ahead

about half of the annual electricity lic pistons 10 m deep. The waves rock already play a significant role when it consumption of Europe. the tank back and forth, and the pistons comes to energy production from re- There are infinite ways to genera- below operate like a pair of bellows. newable energy sources. te energy besides coal, oil or nuclear Pressure builds up, which in turn can Alongside hydropower, wind, geother- power. Wave power is just one. An be transformed by turbines into elec- mals and biomass, solar energy seems experimental power plant called tricity. The Orkney Islands test facility to be one of the most likely renewa- “Oyster” went into operation off the has a power rating of just 315 kilo- ble energy sources. “Our region is Scottish Orkney Islands in 2009. This watts, providing electricity for around spoiled by the sun. This actually ma- mechanically hinged, mini-power 450 households, but the proof that the kes it an ideal source of renewable plant is a kind of tank sitting on the technology works has piqued interest. energy,” says Tidu Maini, chief of the water’s surface, connected to hydrau- Wave energy plants with a capacity Qatar Science and Technology Park. Unfortunately, desert heat, dust and high humidity make it extremely difficult to use solar power in the Arab world as temperatures of 50°C are not uncommon. However, Maini’s team is now researching a desert cell.

Scientists, engineers and technicians worldwide have taken up the challenge, with Islay Tidal Power Project © ANDRITZ HYDRO Hammerfest amazing results. of 19 megawatts are now planned voestalpine off the coast of Victoria in Australia The yield of solar cells in the Earth’s facts and the British “Crown Estate” has an- sunbelt is theoretically twice as high nounced ten projects with a capacity of as for temperate regions, halving pro- 1,200 megawatts. duction costs. That’s why Qatar has We are driving the shift to Marine current power, sometimes dub- big plans. “By 2020 we want to build alternative energies with high- bed tidal power, seems to be poised solar field with an 800 megawatt capa- performance components for a similar breakthrough. For exam- city,” announced government spokes- such as blade parts for turbine ple, underwater turbines at a depth of man Fahad Al-Attiya. Somewhat iron- construction. We are securing 22 m in the South Korean Seaturtle ically, its main use is for cooling. expansion of the worldwide Tidal Park generate power from the Qatar will be hosting the FIFA World pipeline network with powerful 8 m tidal range. With an output of Cup in 2022, and Fahad Al-Attiya heavy plate that we are 254 megawatts, the power plant, about guarantees “that the stadiums will be continuously further developing. 40 km southwest of Seoul, is as power- cooled down to 27°C.” And we are working together ful as a small nuclear reactor. It is esti- Engineers in Morocco are much with international partners on mated that about 15% of the world’s further along with their project. In solutions to optimize production energy needs could be provided from Ouarzazate, 200 km east of Agadir, a of energy. the power of tides, waves and cur- solar power plant with a capacity of rents. In countries such as Norway, 500 megawatts is being built. A dif- Canada and Brazil, water resources ferent technique is being used here

35 Think Ahead

than in Qatar: parabolic troughs. Cur- ter. The first part of the plant will go of just 7%. In comparison, standard ved mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays ongrid this year. solar plants, which currently produce and reflect them onto an absorber tube The newest craze in Germany is 1 m 5% of Germany’s electricity, run at 15 – 20%. The physicist is convinced his dye cells will have a breakthrough, however. “The simple production process makes them incredibly cheap,” he says.

The vision of a shared future beyond coal, oil or nuclear power can become reality

Dye-sensitized solar cell (prototype) © Fraunhofer ISE There are significant innovations in wind power as well. In the United where circulating oil is heated to 400° C. high and 60 cm wide, at least if you States, work is underway on a wind As in conventional power plants, this believe Andreas Hinsch. The physi- turbine that can generate electricity boils water, which in turn propels tur- cist at the Fraunhofer Institute for So- even when there’s no wind. The heat bines to produce electricity. As a por- lar Systems ISE has developed a new produced by the friction of the moving tion of the heat from the circulating oil solar module that uses organic dye. rotor blades isn’t lost, but is stored in is stored in huge tanks during the night, Combined with nanoparticles, it con- a liquid instead. This heat then brings the generators are never dormant and verts sunlight into electricity based on other liquids, such as water, to a boil, parabolic trough plants can produce the photosynthesis method of plants. and the vapor drives turbines to gen- electricity around the clock: “We want The nanoparticles make the solar pa- erate electricity. It is worth noting to be among the leading countries in nels transparent; you can see through that not one large power company is this technology,” explains Said Mou- Hinsch’s solar panels. This opens up working on this idea, just tech-heads. line, Managing Director of Morocco’s completely new possibilities for use, Apple, whose creator Steve Jobs was Renewable Energy Development Cen- as you no longer need to mount the well known for his “one more thing,” cells on a roof. For example, they can is developing the windless windmill. be successfully integrated into glass It’s just one more thing that speaks SHARE OF THE WORLD'S ENERGY NEEDS THAT COULD BE facades, used as noise screens and of the future, and here’s hoping there GENERATED ALONE phone booths, bus stops and even are many more. BY TIDES, WAVES AND CURRENTS: windows. Today, most of the world’s energy Unlike its silicon-based sibling seen supply is still derived from fossil fuels, on many rooftops, the dye-sensitized which release large amounts of carbon solar cell is cheap, environmentally dioxide and contribute to global war- friendly and easy to produce, because ming. Nevertheless, when scientists, the pathways are printed on the glass engineers and technicians the world using a silkscreen process. They can over continue to work on innovations even be painted on pavements be- that use the natural resources of their cause of the cell’s pliability. Hinsch’s countries, the vision of a shared future idea is still not mature, and the proto- beyond coal, oil or nuclear power can 15% types currently have an efficiency rate become reality.

36 Gemasolar, A 15 MW solar-only power tower plant, © Markel Redondo Photography Think Ahead The Circle of Steel

Illustration Rafael Varona

Steel is up to 100 percent recyclable. This is a material with not just one life, but many…

voestalpine facts 8

Each year, we spend some EUR 300 million so that our children will be able to live in an intact world. From recycling through promotion of renewable energies all the way to self-sufficiency of our sites. We are not just a step ahead when it comes to the environment, we are the industry leader. Steel is our greatest environmental credential – from its production and usage all the way to its 7 recycling.

38 Think Ahead

2 1

1 Steelworks: steel Roughly 250 kg of scrap are used in the production of one ton of crude steel.

2 Steelworks: special steel One tapping in the steel mill contains 60 tons of tool steel.

3 Coils

4 4 Special steel block: tool steel It takes 1,500 different tools to produce a new car model.

5 Pressing plant

3 For one tailgate we need about 30 kg of flat steel.

6 Tailgate One tailgate is split over about ten different pressed parts.

5 7 Spare part: tailgate We produce components for the latest car models as well as spare parts for the next 10 to 15 years.

8 Recycling/crushing: tool steel Those machines have 50 to 100 special steel knives depending on the product.

6 9 Scrap cube

39 High-speed train in Beijing, China, © Qin Zong Tomorrow’s Tracks

Text Andrea Fenn and Richard Macauley PhOTOs Qin Zong, iStockphoto.com/pop_jop, iStockphoto.com/PhotoTalk, Mike Danneman, Bob Snyder, iStockphoto.com/WillSelarep

Trains – a thing of the past or the latest in mobility?

41 Think Ahead

started commuting to Shang- rails play a crucial role. economic output. A recent note by the hai in 2001, when there was In Guangdong province, China’s in- World Bank stresses that the economic “Ino high-speed train,” says Zhu dustrial heartland, there are plans to benefits of installing high-speed rail Geqi, 34, a business management consultant. Mr. Zhu lives in Hangzhou, a city 177 km southwest of Shanghai with a population comparable to that of London. “The commute used to take me three hours by car,” he says. “Since 2010 I usually take the high-speed train, and now it takes me 45 minutes.” China’s high-speed passenger rail network is being constructed at a frantic pace. In just approximately eight years, the country has laid more high-speed rail track than Europe and Japan have managed in the past 50. By the end of the decade, China will be connected by 16,000 km of high-speed track linking the frozen north with the sub- tropical southeast, and the arid west with the economic powerhouses of Map of China the east coast. The aim of the new passenger rail service is to ensure that ma- merge nine cities into one mega-met- to connect cities, “accrue to businesses jor cities in eastern China attract and ropolis of more than 40 million peo- and individuals even where they do disperse growth to satellite towns and ple. By adding 5,000 km of high-speed not themselves travel.” smaller cities nearby. China’s east coast intercity track to the area – an urban However, the boom of high-speed pas- is home to the country’s most develop- behemoth spanning an area 26 times senger rail also stems from the need ed cities. They were the first to get rich that of Greater London – no journey to find more space on regular-speed during the economic reforms that took between city centers will take more railways for the freight trains that haul place 30 years ago, and are now evol- than an hour. cargo around the country. Official fig- ving to form an increasingly intercon- ures indicate that after opening of nected urban tangle where high-speed China aims to high-speed connections, ordinary track running on the same routes is able to increase the take on more freight, roughly 20 million voestalpine tons a year on each city-to-city segment. facts economic mass Passenger transportation and freight- passenger track diversification are the of its cities through two main directions China’s railways Our heavy-load and highspeed are taking, and they may be leading turnouts make high speeds high-speed the way for future railway develop- possible all over the world. ment in the Western world. In Eu- With special components for passenger rail rope, freight trains currently carry the automotive sector, we 75% less cargo than road haul, and unite lightweight engineering China aims to increase the economic that amount actually decreased in the with safety. By developing new mass of its cities through high-speed decade between 2000 and 2010 des- materials, we are advancing passenger rail services. If more busines- pite the fact the rails are considerably aircraft engineering to facilitate ses can interact with a greater number more environmentally friendly than planes that can fly further and of partners, educational facilities and the road. The diversification of freight- consume less fuel. other economic activities, then the passenger rail could provide a more whole area will benefit from greater sustainable option for moving goods.

Train passing the city of Clay in Colorado, USA, © Mike Danneman Train in Philadelphia, USA, © Bob Snyder Think Ahead

As in China, the Western-Eastern Eu- cago could benefit greatly from the voestalpine rope divide and coast-to-coast distan- development of high-speed rail. The facts ces in the United States prohibit the great investment required and the development of a competitive passen- persistently low cost of fuel mean that ger railway system, but a stronger high- passenger rail is not high on the priori- With its top-quality flat steel speed rail would create better commu- ty list of U.S. policymakers, but China products, voestalpine is one nication between interconnected cities can offer the United States a notable of the leading European part- and increase the number of people and example of the benefits of developing ners to the automobile, resources businesses would have access a high-speed rail network. energy, household appliance to. In Europe, a small-scale example of Mr. Zhu argues that benefits the high- and consumer goods industries. this is the development of the Turin-Ly- speed rail also include the amount of In addition, it is the global on high-speed connection, which will work he can get done. “After the devel- market leader in turnout techno- shorten the 220-km transnational al- opment of the high-speed rail, I found logy, in tool steel and in special pine journey time by roughly 40%. I travel to Shanghai much more often,” profiles as well as the European Gary Click, technical director of he says. “Now I make about twice as leader for special rails. voestalpine’s U.S. subsidiary Nortrak, many trips to the city.” says that while passenger rail in the Mr. Zhu from Hangzhou, putting his United States is an oddity, there are a knowledge and skills to use in Shang- few exceptions. The Northeast Corri- hai, could just as easily be a Mr. Jones The United States might also learn from dor railway, linking cities like Washing- in St. Louis, who would find the ride to China: developing the mere 2,581 km ton D.C., Philadelphia and Boston, Chicago greatly shortened, and his proof high-speed passenger railnetwork currently in service there would create new connections between urban centers. Distance defines if passenger train development is feasable

Yet distance is crucial in determining whether development of passenger trains is a feasible and cost-effective option, both in China and in other countries. According to Professor Zhao Jian of Beijing Jiaotong University, the threshold at which high-speed rail becomes competitive with air travel is 500 km. On longer trips, it is simply connects city centers in times that can ductivity increased, by high-speed rail. more convenient to catch a plane. compete with planes. The air shuttles Not so long ago, we still thought the For example, Mr. Zhu comfortably tra- between Washington D.C. and Phil- future of transport lay in the air, but vels the 160 km between neighboring adelphia – for decades the preferred China shows us that the very opposi- Shanghai and Hangzhou on the fast option for business travelers – have te might be the case. Even the air-ob- train, but the advantages of taking a now largely disappeared thanks to sessed United States is jumping on the train from Beijing to Shanghai, a five- the development of a reliable rail bandwagon of high-speed rail. The hour trek spanning over 1,000 km, are network. developments on these different con- less obvious when a flight takes under Similarly, routes such as Los Angeles tinents offer a glimpse of how techno- two hours. to San Francisco or St. Louis to Chi- logy is changing the future of mobility.

47 Coast of Cape Town, South Africa Think Ahead Five Nations, One Vision?

Text Ana Carolina Minozzo, Judith Reker, Dr. Niklas Schaffmeister, Ksenia Stroganova, Ronita Torcato, André Uhl, Zhe Wang PhOTOs Christoph Dammast, Michael Jung, Maureen Barlin, Nickolay Vinokurov, iStockphoto.com/Izabela Habur

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – an insider’s outlook

ore than anything else, the nificance does this have in the lives Fraction of world concept of the BRICS coun- of the people in these countries, and population that Mtries has symbolized the what is its impact in promoting a live in brics countries change in the global structure of eco- shared future? nomic power. BRICS is an acronym for Five journalists who live in each of the- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South se countries reported for voestalpine Africa. Those who use it believe, as many on their personal perspective of the economists do, that these five nations challenges and opportunities facing lo- will decisively shape the 21st century cal people. They speak with Sewela, a with their population structures, natu- law student from Johannesburg, meet ral resources and strategic direction. European immigrants in Sao Paolo, ex- While experts already speak of the perience the everyday life of Sameer, “Next Eleven,” eleven countries that are a clerk at a shopping mall in Mumbai, expected to experience a significant learn about the life of logistics mana- economic boom in the foreseeable ger Maria in Moscow and explain the future, the BRICS have already estab- transformation of Chinese economic lished their place in the top ten global metropolises like Beijing. economic powers. However, what sig- 40%

49 Think Ahead

nuts for India’s new upwardly mobile India middle class. Still, many Indians, like Sameer, earn a fraction of the lavish — A country amounts raked in by those working in the thriving industries of entertain- of contrasts ment, information technology, real estate and politics. In other words, income and wealth distribution in India are ext to a major arterial road of hopelessly skewed. NMumbai, fringed by a slum in- India may be a member of the BRICS habited by migrants, a small cluster and on its way up, but not all is smooth of singlet-clad men build handcarts sailing. Lately India has registered a outside a compound packed with lux- significant slowdown in growth. While ury cars. Neither the slum dwellers a minimum of 7% growth is required to nor the handcart builders have heard create jobs, real GDP growth slumped of BRICS, the acronym of emerging to 4.9% in 2012 (after 6.8% in 2011); in national economies. Yet their country the same period, inflation averaged 8%, is experiencing radical change never- increasing the price of fuels like gaso- theless. line, diesel, and kerosene, and the cost Sameer works at the food court of an of food for the poor. The Asian Devel- upscale mall, one of the new tem- opment Bank (ADB) cut India’s growth ples of modern and resource-rich In- forecast to 5.4 percent for the 2012 – 13 dia. However, the food is “expensive, fiscal year shortly after projecting 5.6 way too expensive” for Sameer who percent growth for Asia’s third-largest subsists on home-cooked daal chawal economy. (rice and chickpea curry) or subzi roti Despite India’s outlook having been (vegetables and Indian flatbread). lowered from stable to negative, and fort in the absence of real reforms, de- There are long lines in newly-opened consequent downgrading of growth velopments in infrastructure and the upscale eateries such as the American forecasts by the IMF, the Indian econ- persistence, above all, of corruption Coffee Shop. A cup of coffee may cost omy has done better than expected. and poor governance. The IT indus- upwards of 100 rupees, but that’s pea- However, some see this as small com- try, headquartered in Bangalore, is the only area in which India is the clear leader; otherwise China is the undis- puted driver of growth in all sectors. In December 2012, even as the PM’s Economic Advisory Council cut the growth rate to 6.5 – 7%, Morgan Stan- ley forecast brighter prospects for India. Moreover, Goldman Sachs predicts that the joint GDP of the G4 countries (In- dia, Brazil, Japan and Germany) will exceed the G7’s current GDP by 2035, and that China’s GDP will surpass everyone else’s by 2040. So will India and its fellows Brazil, Rus- sia, China and South Africa really over- take the G7? Is this a realistic possibi- lity in a country of such contrasts and contradictions as India, a place where luxury cars and handcarts still coexist? All we can say is that Sameer – and Taj Mahal, India, © Maureen Barlin millions like him – are working on it.

50 Think Ahead

to accept any sort of job just to survive, and are opting for more specialized careers instead.” Housekeeper Janete Souza, 32, from Porto Alegre in southern Brazil, embodies these changes. “My husband bought a little house on the coast, I am going to the beach,” she confesses, thrilled with prospect of a holiday and excited to be bringing along her new flat screen TV, which she bought in twelve in- stallments, a very Brazilian habit. “It is for soap operas and the lads’ football,” she explains. Wellington, her husband, fixes washing machines after learning his trade and setting up a small company with his brother. He and Janete have seen their household income almost triple in the last decade. There is an overall sense of happiness and positivity, although some figures are less encouraging. Having become the world’s sixth largest economy, the predicted index of growth for 2012 was not achieved and the country struggled to reach a shy 1.75%, far less Ronita Torcato is a journalist and free- couldn’t be more tempting: in addition than any other BRICS nation. On the lances for publications such as The Free to the beach and the bossa – the fa- other hand, Brazil has been the most Press Journal and The Hindu. Born in mous Brazilian easy-going style – there successful nation among the BRICS in Goa, she lives and works in Mumbai. are plenty of opportunities. Is that why reducing social inequality. Slashing everyone is talking about Brazil? I came the once huge social gap has been back to find out. proving crucial to creating a stronger The soaring number of billionaires may internal market, a more educated so- attract tons of businesses, but the real ciety and even reducing crime levels. stars of Brazil are the C and D clas- There are, of course, many challenges Brazil ses – those earning around twice the on the road towards turning Brazil minimum wage – which now repre- into “the perfect land.” My French — The bossa years sent 54% of Brazilians. They have wit- friend admits there is a lot of tiresome nessed dramatic changes over the past bureaucracy. “But at least we are in ten years, rising out of poverty to join Brazil,” he confides, “and while you razil is the future,” a recent the middle class and boost the inter- wait in line, you can chat to whoever “BFrench migrant told me as we nal market with their purchasing po- is next to you like old buddies.” This walked around Sao Paulo’s affluent wer. The national minimum wage has is bossa, the capacity to work things Jardins district, strolling past its many also increased by 70% in the last dec- out and see beauty everywhere, and luxury stores. Luxury has always exist- ade – currently at R$675 a month or ap- Brazil has never had more of it. ed in Brazil, even before the country’s proximately US$330 (Dieese) – while name became synonymous with oppor- unemployment has dropped, falling to Ana Carolina Minozzo was born in tunity. However, six years ago when I as low as 5.3% (IBGE). Porto Alegre. The journalist divides left the country, fleeing to Europe or “Life here really changed for the work- her time between Brazil and London. the United States was practically the ing and middle-class people,” confirms Minozzo writes mainly about art and rule for anyone with ambition. Now, industrial policy analyst Cristieni Cas- fashion. the game has changed and life in Rio tilhos. “A lot of people no longer need

51 Think Ahead

While many well-educated young peo- China ple have become prosperous, others voestalpine face very rudimentary conditions. The facts — Confucius meets divorce rate is increasingly high, and many children suddenly have goals purchasing power other than carrying on the traditional “We will grow rapidly in parti- norms of previous generations. cular in Southeast Asia, in- In this respect, it comes as no surprise cluding China, in South America first went to Beijing to work for Han- that 77% of China’s urban residents and – in niche markets – as I delsblatt in the cold spring of 1998. say modernization often conflicts with well as in the United Stated and My wife, Zhe, is from Beijing and traditional values. Where the Confucian Canada. In Europe, our goal is spent her early life in this metropo- ideal of education meets purchasing to lastingly safeguard our lis of 13 million people. I lived in the power, three-year-olds are already current position. However, we center of Beijing in a small hotel just a shoehorned into mathematics and will already increase the non- stone’s throw from the moat of the Im- English classes. Where parents come European share of our revenue perial Palace. The air was thick with home late from work, Western tastes to approximately 40% over smoke from the coal-burning stoves take hold and chicken wings and mic- the course of the next five or people used to heat their homes in the rowave pizzas conquer market shares. six years,” says Wolfgang Eder, traditional Hutong neighborhoods. Since the beginning of the reform CEO of voestalpine AG. Today the city and life here are almost and open-door policy, Western obser- unrecognizable. Only the Imperial vers have waited for growth to ebb, Palace and the surrounding tradition- or for a financial crisis to derail the al neighborhoods have successfully country, but China has sidestepped trends and fashions – and that China’s resisted change. The “growth and de- the consensus that it can’t continue time has just begun. velopment” we experienced firsthand to thrive long-term. The political lead- in China over the past 15 years have ership has steered the country well Dr. Niklas Schaffmeister lived in Shang- re-invented the country. China is in- economically, provided stability and hai, Beijing and Hong Kong from 1998 creasingly slipping out of her narrow, even made entry into the “top league” to 2009, where he worked as a journalist authoritarian and planned-economy corset, and people are full of energy and creativity. Today, 86% of urban residents in China say they are better off than last year. China has broken one record after another in recent years. First, it replaced Germany as the world’s leading expor- ter and became the largest car market in 2011. It now produces even more vehicles than Europe. In addition, Chi- na now exports more research and development services to Europe than it buys, and the number of skilled workers is expected to rise by 58% to 180 million by 2020. This rapid transition is not without consequences. Besides massive environmental damage and the rapid upheaval of urban and ru- ral areas, society is under enormous pressure. The fast transformation and the sud- possible. There are many indications and consultant before starting his con- den struggle for social advancement that China will continue to set the sulting business, globeone. Today he have tested many established values. pace with developments, innovations, lives with his wife Zhe Wang in Cologne.

Think Ahead

posed the biggest weaknesses of the actor Gerard Depardieu was given a Russia Russian economy: structural deficien- Russian passport personally by Putin. cies in the economic and financial sys- Taxes were becoming too high for him — From profit tem, and disproportionate emphasis in France.” on the export of natural resources to strategy combined with insufficient economic Ksenia Stroganova was born in diversification. If the demand for na- Moscow. She works as an interpreter tural resources decreases, so does the and commutes between her hometown aria is 28, has a college de- prosperity of the country’s population. and Bonn. Mgree and lives in Moscow. Like The government is aware of the problem. many others, she moved to the capital Russian economic thinking is slowly in search of a better job. As a logistics moving away from pure profit to stra- manager at a multinational company, tegic, long-term goals and economic she now earns three times what she policies with structured budgeting. did four years ago, netting 72,000 rub- Despite these efforts, the West still les a month. That would be a good hesitates when it comes to investing salary in Twer, where she comes in Russia. In order for a constructive from and where she would probably economic dialogue to occur, and for struggle to find a job. In Moscow it’s foreign firms to invest in the country only just enough. She is slowly paying again, the government urgently needs off the mortgage on her small apart- to take action to combat the country’s ment, and manages to go on short va- political and economic isolation. The cations a few times a year. She knows long-awaited membership in the WTO “all about” the existence of the BRICS was a step in the right direction. If this countries. Her first association with course is maintained, Russia should economic growth is the “pervasive continue to transform and realize its economic crisis.” Then she pauses for enormous potential. a moment, “On the other hand, just ten “Oh, Moscow,” Maria sighs pensively, years ago all the things we can afford “there’s nothing you can’t have here. now would have been unthinkable.” But life is much more expensive and And she’s right. Since the turn of the stressful than elsewhere. In return we millennium, the Russian economy has have the world’s lowest income tax - 13 been one of the fastest developing in percent for everyone! Even the French the world. Thanks to huge increases in export earnings from the energy sector, Skyscrapers of the Moscow International Business Center it has maintained an impressive average annual growth rate of almost 7%. It is no coincidence that Jim O’Neill, Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, once considered Rus- sia the most promising BRICS country. That was until the economic crisis thun- dered over the world. Russia quickly fell in its wake because of its excessive dependence on foreign financial markets. Small and medium enterprises have had a hard time of it. They have struggled with financial difficulties and many are now bankrupt. After years of continuous development, GDP fell by 7.9% in 2009. This veritable slump in growth ex-

54 Think Ahead

onship with these countries is crucial to ensuring that it will play a role in these new economies.” Large corporations will not be the only beneficiaries of the billions South Africa is investing in infrastructure projects like ports and rail networks. Ordinary people such as Andy Nko- si benefit too. For the past two years, Nkosi has taken the new Rea Vaya express bus from the township of Soweto to Braamfontein, where he works in a hotel. “I pay half as much as I used to, and am at work twice as fast,” says the 30-year-old. The student Sewela Moshoma is looking forward to the future with mixed emotions. “I’m nervous,” she says, “I think it will be hard to find a good job.” Then 150,000 young people were studying she smiles cannily “But I’ll do it.” South at universities in the 2011/12 academic year thanks to government loans Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Africa and scholarships. since 2007, Judith Reker reports on pan- A lack of skilled workers and an of- African topics. The country is her third — The rising star ficial unemployment rate of 25 - per stop in Africa, after Kenya and the De- cent remain two of South Africa’s chal- mocratic Republic of Congo. lenges. Nevertheless, this country of ummer in the city, and the forecast just over 50 million inhabitants has Sis nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit. By the largest economy in Africa. With noon, people open up colorful umbrel- its rich deposits of gold, platinum, las to protect themselves from the sun coal and diamonds, and growth sec- that shines in the cloudless sky. In the tors such as tourism, commerce and These examples show that transfor- Braamfontein quarter of South Africa’s banking, this vast country between mation is determined by very different largest city, Johannesburg, there’s the the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at- factors. A BRICS designation is not nec hustle and bustle of newly opened ca- tracts trading partners from around essarily significant for the people in fes and small, freshly painted shops. the world. these countries. Much more important Sewela Moshoma stands in a group The same goes for Brazil, Russia, India is how progress is impacting on their of young women in front of a student and China, which invited South Africa lives. As different as the lives of these dormitory. The 21-year-old law student to become the fifth member of BRICS people and their challenges may be, from the distant province of Limpopo in late 2010. Trade between South Af- they are the ones who will shape the was drawn to South Africa’s economic rica and these four countries grew by future of a global society. hub. Students like her are streaming 29 percent in 2011. “However,” qua- in from all over the country. lifies Dr. Lyal White, “that was more In 1994 – the year the apartheid re- a result of the global economy than gime gave way to an elected demo- BRICS membership.” South Africa’s cracy – there were only 74,000 uni- membership is simply too new to be versity graduates. In 2009 there were put into concrete figures according to twice as many. Moshoma’s parents the Director of the Centre for Dynamic are teachers and can afford to pay for Markets at the University of Pretoria. their daughter’s tuition, but South Af- Nevertheless, BRICS is important: rica has made great efforts to enable “The fact that South Africa is in a cul- poor students to study. Approximately tural, economic and political relati-

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Revolution of Education

Text Carole Cadwalladr Photos Christoph Dammast, Luciano De Polo/123rf.com, MelindaChan/gettyimages, iStockphoto.com/AndrewRich

How the Internet is going to democratize education on a global scale

wo years ago, I sat in the back Times revealed that Thrun was the tion, retail – they’ve all experienced seat of a Toyota Prius in a rooftop head of Google’s top-secret experimen- the great technological disruption Now, Tcar park in California and grip- tal laboratory Google X, and was devel- says Thrun, it’s education’s turn. ped the door handle as the car roared oping, among other things, Google away from the curb, heading straight Glasses – augmented reality spectac- towards the edge of the roof. At the les. A few months after that, I came ac- There is no last second, it sped around a corner ross Thrun again. The self-driving car, without slowing down. There was the glasses, Google X, his prestigious doubt about it: no one in the driver’s seat. It was the university position – they’d all gone. prototype of Google’s self-driving car, He’d resigned his tenure from Stan- specifally higher and I felt a bit like Buck Rogers being ford, and was working just one day a catapulted into another century. La- week at Google. He had a new project. education is ter, I listened to Sebastian Thrun, a Though he didn’t call it a project. “It’s German-born professor of artificial my mission now,” he said. “This is the about to be intelligence at Stanford University, future. I’m absolutely convinced of explain how he’d built it, how it had it.” The future that Thrun believes in, revolutionized already clocked up 200,000 miles dri- that has excited him more than self- ving around California, and how he driving cars, or sci-fi-style gadgets, is “It’s going to change. There is no doubt believed it meant that one day there education. Specifically, online educa- about it.” Specifically, Thrun believes would be no more traffic accidents. tion free to all on a massive scale. The that higher education is about to be rev- A few months later, the New York music industry, publishing, transporta- olutionized. He has launched Udacity,

57 Think Ahead

an online university, and wants to pro- I was teaching 200 students and he How to Build a Search Engine, 200,000 vide high-quality education to both was teaching millions.” students have already graduated from students in developing countries who Thrun decided to open up his Stanford it. Although when I say “graduate,” I can’t get it any other way and those artificial intelligence class, CS221, to mean they were e-mailed a certificate. studying in the first world who can the world. Anybody could join, he an- Though it seems employers are taking it but may choose not to. Pay thousands nounced. They’d do the same course- seriously: a bunch of companies, inclu- of pounds a year for your education? work as the Stanford students and at the ding Google, are sponsoring Udacity Or get it free online? end of it take the same exam. CS221 courses and regularly cream off the Universities, of course, are about so is a demanding, difficult subject. On top-scoring students and offer them much more than the teaching. Meet- campus, 200 students enrolled, and jobs. ing life-long friends or your future Thrun thought they might pull in a In America, Thrun is not the only one to husband, learning how to boil water few thousand on the web. By the time have taken the Wonderland pills. Two and do your laundry. Things like these the course began, 160,000 people had of Thrun’s computer science colleagues are, or at least can be, part of the packa- signed up. There were students from at Stanford, Andrew Ng and Daph- ge. But this is the way disruptions tend every single country in the world – bar ne Koller, also took part, with equally to work: they disrupt first, and eve- North Korea. What’s more, 23,000 stu- mind-blowing results. They too have rything else gets figured out at some dents graduated. And all of the 400 set up a website, Coursera. And while unspecified time in the future. who got top marks were students who’d Udacity is developing its own courses, done it online. Coursera is forming partnerships with 23,000 students graduated, and all of 400 who got top marks were students who’d done it online

Thrun’s great revelation came just over a year ago at the same TED con- ference where he unveiled the self- driving car. “I heard Salman Khan talk about Khan Academy and I was just blown away by it,” he says. “And I still am.” Salman Khan, a softly spoken 36-year-old former hedge fund analyst, is the founding father of what’s being called the classroom revolu- It was, says Thrun, his “Wonderland” universities to offer existing ones – tion, and is feted by everyone from moment. Having taught a class of 33 courses so far, with 1.8 million stu- Bill Gates (who called him “the world’s 160,000 students, he couldn’t go back dents. Whatever the differences in favorite teacher”) on down. to being satisfied with 200. “I feel like their approach, both have the dyna- Khan Academy, which he set up almost there’s a red pill and a blue pill,” Thrun mic entrepreneurial change-the-world accidentally while tutoring his nie- said in a speech a few months later. quality that characterizes the greatest ce and nephew, now has 3,400 short “I’ve taken the red pill, and I’ve seen and most successful Silicon Valley star- videos or tutorials, most of which Khan Wonderland. We can really change tups. “We had a million users faster made himself, and 10 million stu- the world with education.” than Facebook, faster than Instagram,” dents. “I was blown away by it,” says By the time I sign up to Udacity’s be- says Koller. “This is a wholesale change Thrun. “And frankly embarrassed that ginners’ course in computer science, in the educational ecosystem.”

58 Think Ahead

Meanwhile, over at Massachusetts a mobile instant messaging platform. people asking – and answering – ques- Institute of Technology, Anant Argar- More than 30,000 primary and high tions about dominant mutations and wal, another professor of computer school children have registered for recombination. And study groups had science, has launched edX, featuring content from MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, and the University of Texas System. Argarwal is not a man prone to un- derstatement: “It’s going to reinvent education. It’s going to transform universities. It’s going to democratize education on a global scale. It’s the biggest innovation to happen in education for 200 years.” The last major one, he says, was “probably the invention of the pencil.” In a decade, he’s hoping to reach a billion students across the globe. “We’ve got 400,000 in four months with no marketing, so I don’t think it’s unrealistic.” More than 155,000 students took the first course he taught, including a whole class of children in Mongolia. This is the year, Argarwal says, that everything has changed. There’s no going back. “This is the year of disruption.” the service across South Africa. What spontaneously grown up: a Colom- sets it apart is the personal touch: de- bian one, a Brazilian one, a Russian spite the fact it’s a mass online tool, one. There’s one on Skype, and even It’s the biggest students are coached one-to-one. some in real life too. And they’re so A month ago, I signed up for one of diligent! If you are a vaguely disil- innovation the Coursera courses: an introduc- lusioned teacher, or know one, send tion to genetics and evolution, taught them to Coursera: these are people to happen in by Mohamed Noor, a professor at who just want to learn. Duke University. Unlike Udacity’s, education for Coursera’s courses have a start date and run on a timetable. It’s just me, Number of students at the Khan 200 years Noor, and my 36,000 classmates. Online Academy We’re from everywhere: Kazakhstan, Udacity, Coursera and EdX are the Manila, Donetsk, Iraq. Even Midd- three big players, all based in the lesbrough. And while I watch the United States and with the resour- first videos and enjoy Noor’s smiley ces of large, prestigious and wealthy enthusiasm, I’m not blown away. Is institutions and companies behind this really the future of education? them. But elsewhere there are more They’re just videos of lectures, really. grassroots-style initiatives that are There’s coursework to do, but I am a demonstrating the power of allying journalist. I am impervious to a dead- technology to education. In South Af- line until the cold sweat of impending rica, for example, Dr. Math is a pio- catastrophe is upon me. I ignore it. neering initiative aiming to empower And it’s a week or so later when I go 10 young people by providing high-qua- back and check out the class forum. lity math tutoring on the move. Vol- And that’s when I have my being- unteer counselors sign up to answer blown-away moment. The traffic is questions and provide help via MXit, astonishing. There are thousands of million

59 Think Ahead

Four weeks in, Noor announces that storm. It’s like hurricane Sandy, all he’s organizing a Google hangout, these things have come together at voestalpine where a limited number of people can the same time. There’s an enormous facts talk via their webcams. Richard Her- global need for high-quality educa- ring, a train driver from Sheffield, is tion. And yet it’s becoming increa- there, bright and alert and wanting to singly unaffordable. And at the same tell Noor how much he’s enjoying the time, we have technological advan- With nearly 1,300 young people, course. And then Aline, a high school ces that make it possible to provide approximately 800 of them student in El Salvador, comes on. She it at very low marginal cost.” There at sites in Austria, voestalpine took the course, she says, because she are so many intangible benefits to is the country’s largest goes to a Catholic school where they going to university. But they’re the industrial trainer of apprentices. don’t teach evolution. “And you’re the things – making life-long friends, join- In addition, we have already best teacher I’ve ever had!” she tells ing a society, learning how to operate established our own training Noor. a washing machine – that are free. It’s centers at international sites the education bit that’s the expensive such as England. part. But what Udacity and the rest Universities may are showing us is that it doesn’t ne- We consistently invest in con- cessarily have to be. tinuing education, as well offer “blended” One of the latest universities to join as actively using various online the fray is Edinburgh in Scotland. It’s media to network our 45,000 models: a mixture done a deal with Coursera and star- employees worldwide. What’s ting in January will offer six courses more, we have human resources of real life and for which 100,000 students have al- programs to promote talent, ready signed up. Or, to put this in con- support families, facilitate online teaching text, four times as many undergradu- individual work-life balance and ates as are currently at the university. much more. This time, however, I am off to see an There are still so many issues to figure actual lecture rather an online one: out with online education. Not least it’s in Edinburgh University’s old ana- the fact that you don’t get a degree tomy theatre, a steeply raked audito- may offer “blended” models: a mix- out of it, although a university in the rium that’s been in use since the ture of real-life and online teaching. United States has just announced that 19th century when a dissecting ta- These websites are barely months old. it will issue credit to their online stu- ble used to hold center stage. Today They’re still figuring out the basics. dents. At the moment, most people are there’s just Mayank Dutia, professor Universities aren’t going anywhere doing courses for the sake of simply of systems neurophysiology, talking just yet. But who knows what they’ll learning new stuff. “And a certificate, about the inner ear. He’s one of the look like in ten years’ time? A dec- basically a pdf, which says this person first academics signed up to co-deliver ade ago, I thought newspapers would may or may not be who they say they one of the Coursera courses begin- be here forever. That nothing could are,” says Noor. And while computers ning in January, although he defends replace a book. And that KITT, David are excellent at grading math ques- the real-life version too: “Universities Hasselhoff’s self-driving car in Knight tions, they’re less hot at marking Eng- are special places. You can’t do what Rider was nothing more than a work lish literature essays. There’s a pre- we do online. There’s something very of fantasy. ponderance of scientific and technical special in being taught by a world lea- subjects, but the number of humani- der in the field. Or having a conver- ties courses is increasing with what sation with someone who’s worked on Koller says is “surprisingly successful” a subject their whole lives. There’s no peer assessment techniques. Most substitute for this.” crucially, at the moment, Udacity, EdX There isn’t. But what the new web- and Coursera courses are all free. sites are doing is raising questions When I ask Koller why education has about what a university is and what suddenly become the new tech mirac- it’s for. And how to pay for it. Argar- le baby, she says, “It’s like the perfect wal sees a future in which universities

Stay Curious

Turning ideas into reality.

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64 Inventions That Haven’t Really Made It ... and why. The devil is all in the details!

66 Trends in Visual Effects The Dark Knight, Avatar and Co.

70 Little Details, Big Impact Unseen inventions that make our lives easier

72 The Humanization of Space How a new spacesuit makes commercial space travel possible

74 Expo 2015 Do Expos really serve as a sign of the future?

63 Stay Curious

Inventions That Haven’t Really Made It

Text Remo Bitzi Illustrations Benedikt Rugar

It is truly amazing how inventive people are. In the United States alone, more than 1,000 patents are registered every day. In China it’s three times as many. Yet not every bright idea becomes a mass- produced product. The following examples provide clues as to why some inventions fail.

Too Risky – The Jet Pack

Way before RnB hero R. Kelly believed he could fly, a ground-breaking gadget was invented to enable individuals to soar through the air: the jet pack. However, this product has never really taken off – literally! Just imagine how the city you live in would look if everyone was using a jet pack… frightening, right? So it’s not surprising that no insurance company in the world wanted to underwrite the risks involved in making jet packs available to those who fancied a more exciting ride to work in the mornings. Too Heavy – The Amphibious Bicycle

Speaking of individual transport, how about a bicycle that you can ride on water and in the streets? A prototype of an amphibious bicycle had already been invented by the 1930s. To this day, however, engineers have not managed to create a vehicle of this kind that is not overweight. An amphibious bicycle by two Chinese design students made it into the International Bicycle Design Competition but not into mass production. The gadgets that enable the bicycle to float made it too heavy to ride ashore and vice versa.

64 Stay Curious

Too Unsound – The X-Ray Shoe-Fitting Machine

X-ray technology was developed during the 1920s. Adapting it for use in shoe shops seemed to make sense. Imagine: You discover this gor- geous pair of shoes…the price is okay…they fit nicely…but you still can’t make up your mind. Take the X-ray shoe-fitting machine and be convinced – a truly genius product! Not quite. Un- fortunately, scientists discovered the potentially harmful effects of X-rays on the human body in the 1940s, so shoe-lovers still have to make those agonizing shoe-buying decisions alone.

Too Costly – Square Watermelons

Supermarkets are all about stacks. Things that cannot be stacked waste space, and therefore money. Waiting for evolution to take care of this issue was not an option for Japanese food technologists, so they developed square watermelons in the early 1980s. The only thing needed to grow this more efficient version, which was also easier to peel, was a square plastic box in which the melons were forced to grow. Ironically, the melons were now too expensive and did not sell.

Too Annoying – The Perpetual Machine

Back in the 8th century, an Indian astronomer conceived of a machine that could keep going forever without any external energy source – a perpetual machine. Many others also took up the challenge. Universities were flooded with dissertations on the topic despite the fact that, from a technological point of view, perpetual machines are actually impossible due to friction loss. The French Academy of Sciences for example, has officially ignored any submissions related to perpetual machines since 1775.

Trends in Visual Effects

Text Ari Stein PhOTOs David James/Warner Bros/David James/Bureau L.A. Collection/Corbis, ScanlineVFX

The Dark Knight, Avatar and Co.

hey say the best way to remem- tions courtesy of current VFX technol- Number of gallons ber a dream is to try and write it ogy, which all make Space Odyssey used to create parting Tdown as soon as you wake up. 2001 look very much outdated. of the sea Those spectacular alternative realities In the 1956 film The Ten Command- seem like tiny moments in time. How- ments, there’s a scene where Charlton ever, there are people out there who Heston parts the sea. Cecile B. Demil- turn those dreams into reality – they le, the director, created this shot by are called visual effects (VFX) super- pouring 300,000 gallons of water into visors. a tank and then simply playing the The 1902 film A Trip to the Moon by shot backwards. George Méliès is noted as the first And think back to the 1970s, when piece of celluloid that included min- VFX pioneer John Dykstra and his iature models, essentially the first team on Star Wars had no such tech- use of real visual effects. Méliès set nology to make their ambitious film, so the bar high for generations to come. they just invented it. This is why the If he could see the world of movies motion stop camera, which made it right now, he’d be very proud. possible to film several elements using Fast-forward 110 years, and it becomes the same camera motion, was coined clear exactly how far VFX has come. the “Dysktraflex.” Avatar, Inception, Dark Knight and As it stands today, the VFX industry Hell Boy are all examples of epic crea- is a flourishing and complex beast, 300,000

67 Stay Curious

full of hard-working, passionate and an ocean that breaks in a certain way, Timeline fearless renegades. People who push or in the case of Prometheus a universe the limits but understand that they built with a large-scale fluid simulation.” are bound by constraints such as time Fluid simulation is one of the most and money. Without them, no matter spectacular effects on screen, as it how invisible, most movies wouldn’t re-creates the look and feel of liquids, 1982 be made. gasses and fire, just like the universe “One has to be super highly creative in Prometheus. Underlying all those and as unique as possible to survive,” jaw-dropping scenes, however, is a First full computer- says Paul Butterworth, co-founder of lot of intricate mathematics. Tradition- generated image shot Australian VFX company FUEL VFX ally one of the most difficult effects to in a feature film and the VFX supervisor for films like achieve due to the unique physical (Star Trek II Genesis Effect) Prometheus and Thor. properties of fluids, decades of mathe- Butterworth moved to Australia from matical modelling where needed be- the UK twenty years ago. When he fore computers even became involved. started there were only a handful of Early attempts at computer simulation 1990 VFX people working in the country. were entirely unrealistic. Semi-reali-

First attempt to use motion capture for a feature film, finally replaced by rotoscoping (Total Recall)

1995

First fully computer- animated movie (Toy Story)

Now there are thousands. Regarding stic simulation only came about with 2009 the changes in the industry Butterworth huge increases in computer processing says, “Even though there is a lot of power in the 1990s. Since then, tech- technology, it’s still handcrafted and nology has accelerated to such an ex- Full performance requires a lot of skill. The biggest cost tent that packages can be bought off capture (Avatar) of a film is therefore always the man- the shelf and plugged into a VFX suite, power.” but they still need an extremely skilled What of the technology that enables operator to get the most out of them. VFX supervisors to create their equi- As Butterworth recalls, “The very first valent of parting the sea? Butterworth time that David (Michael Fassbender) says, “You still need rocket scientists presses the button, fires up the uni- and their sort to develop the more verse and steps up into it is special. high-tech tools used in our industry. In You see all the stars, gases and nebu- unusual circumstances we might need las come on, and it was the first time

68 Stay Curious

we saw Moon Zeta II spinning into position. We all looked at each other and said, ‘Wow, that’s the orrery!’” And what of the future? The technology is impressive nowadays, but the search for perfection goes on with constant gradual improvements and a quest for the next great leap forward. One of the facilities responsible for these improvements is German VFX house Scanline. It is home to the minds behind some of the most striking visual effects in movies this century, such as 300, Roland Emmerich's 2012 and Avengers. It is also a leader in fluid simulation.

Cloud Atlas before: filming in front of green screen, © ScanlineVFX One has to be super highly creative and unique to survive

Scanline is conscious of the changes in the industry and understands that VFX have become imperative for every movie. According to Ismat Zaidi, the CEO, “There is no movie that doesn't use these effects. Some have very simple stuff while others have lots of it, such as Cloud Atlas, which we also worked on. You couldn't have done a movie like that 15 or 20 years ago.” Technology drives the industry for- Cloud Atlas after: animated background placed into green screen ward and has freed it to a degree, but paradoxically it has left a lot of peo- it will be a strange place, but it’s also me was being [...] at the Toronto pre- ple scratching their heads. How much certain we will always need humans. miere of Cloud Atlas when everyone more real can a movie get? Where is We count on them to make, create and gave us a thirty-seven minute stand- all this “radical VFX rocket science watch the movies. ing ovation.” technology” heading? For these fantasy-makers it’s not about With all this talk of digital actors and The phrase that most unnerves people the latest turnkey solution, Flame soft- futuristic technology, it’s an unusual in the industry is the term “uncanny ware or rendering speed, it’s about point in time to be at. However, Zaidi valley.” This is a place where humans real people and real emotions. They fondly reminds us of the perks, “Hav- don’t fit, a place where CGI and live truly are the unsung heroes of movies. ing Johnny Depp on our monitors for a action blend so seamlessly that digital When was the last time you left a mov- few weeks while working on Pirates of actors replace humans. It has already ie theater complementing the VFX the Caribbean was really enjoyable.” been tested to a degree in Benjamin team instead of an actor or director? It would appear that the “valley” is Button and Polar Express. If we ever Glass recalls a moment in the spotlight, still a little ways off, at least for now. do get to that point, there’s no doubt “One of the most amazing moments for

69 Stay Curious

Little Details, Big Impact

Text Lucas Frost PhOTOs M.Rummenigge/fussball-raritaeten.de, nikeinc.com, Plotnikov/Dreamstime. com, STEVENS Bikes, Stöckli, iStockphoto.com/David Morgan, www.guitarvillage.co.uk, www.guitarbitz. com, Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Branch, Port of Seattle Photograph Collection

Sometimes the smallest things end up making the greatest difference, but often their apparent insignifi- cance belies the enormity of their effects on our everyday lives. In this article, we look at five brilliant innovations that we all probably take for granted. Soccer Boots

From their origins in Tudor England to today’s streamlined designs, soccer boots are an amal- gamation of many minute innovations. Materials

Nike Mercurial Vapor IX, Christiano Ronaldo changed from heavy cow leather to lighter kan- © nikeinc.com garoo leather in the 1950s. After that, the pursuit of lightness led to plastic or carbon-fiber soles. Nowadays, each inch of the boot is optimized in order to improve very specific functions. For example, special rubber ridges on the inside dorsal German player M. Rummenigge's surface increase friction and ball spin, resulting first pair of soccer boots by Adidas, style "Uwe Seeler", 1970 in greater precision when shooting. Future de- © M.Rummenigge velopments, like the snap-off stud, are likely to make boots lighter, customizable and safer.

Bicycle Wheel

Bicycles may seem banal, yet each contour, screw and spoke has a very specific function. Take the wheels, for example. They might look similar to old-fashioned, wooden wheels with the spokes under compression, but modern suspension wheels reverse this system by putting all the spokes under constant tension, making them much lighter. In a reversal of common logic, the hub of the wheel is actually suspended from the top of the rim, while the wheel’s shape is main- Bike by STEVENS, official sponsor of Stefan Nimke, world champion in team sprint in 2011 and time trial in 2012 tained because the spokes pull the rim towards © STEVENS Bikes the hub. By changing just one detail, the wheel has literally been re-invented. Boneshaker, ca.1870 from France © Plotnikov/Dreamstime.com

70 Stay Curious

Skis

Used for centuries for transportation and sports, skis have always had the same basic shape: long and thin. However, the binding, which affixes the ski to its wearer, has undergone radical change. Intended to reduce the number of ski injuries, modern “DIN-style” bindings work by releasing Stöckli Ski, official sponsor of Mike Schmid, the ski when sufficient sideways torque is olympic champion skicross in Vancouver 2010 applied by a falling skier. The shape of the ski has © Stöckli also been adapted. The parabolic ski, with its pro- nounced “side-cut,” thin waist and wide ends, has far more efficient turning capabilities. This not only makes it easier to control, but also increases speed over slalom courses. Antique ski, wood and metal, ca. 1930s © iStockphoto.com/David Morgan

Gibson 70th anniversary Electric Guitar John Lennon J160E Museum © guitarvillage.co.uk In the 1920s, jazz guitarists had a problem. They were being drowned out by horns and drums in the bands popular at the time, which were getting increasingly louder. Conventional microphones were unable to capture the full frequency spectrum of guitars. The solution came in the form of the electro-magnetic pickup. By wrapping fine copper wire around magnets, it’s possible to in- duce an electric current when a steel string vi- brates over it. This electric signal can then be passed through an amplifier, resulting in a richer and louder sound, and a variety of effects. A tiny piece of metal was the birth of electric music. Fender, Kurt Cobain Jaguar: modelled on 1965 Jaguar that Cobain wielded during the early 90s © guitarbitz.com Container Transport Smiths Cove Terminals, Port Seattle, about 1919 © Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Branch, Port of The explosion of trade in the 20th century ne- Seattle Photograph Collection cessitated a complete re-structuring of transport logistics. The “intermodal container” can move between water, rail and road transport. This feat would be impossible without one crucial element - the Twistlock. This mechanism forms a secure connection to unite the container with its transport medium or to other containers, enabling them to be stacked. It works by dropping a steel pin into a hole in the container’s four cor- ners, which locks into position when twisted ninety degrees. A remarkably simple solution to a truly global challenge. Container ship, Netherlands 2012 © Christoph Dammast

71 Stay Curious

The Humanization of Space

Text Johanna Bloomfield Illustration Benedikt Rugar

How a new spacesuit makes commercial space travel possible

3 1 Flame and wind-retardant exterior The suit consists of a single layer of 1 heat-sealable nylon that is flame and wind-retardant.

2 Internal bladder The internal bladder inflates with oxygen 2 during re-entry or reduced cabin pressure to put pressure on the abdomen and maintain blood circulation.

3 Webbing restraint straps The webbing restraint straps minimize the change in volume and expansion of the suit under maximum pressure to permit enhanced mobility.

4 Portable ventilation unit This is the O2 inlet. The portable ventilation unit is a handheld device that supplies O2 to the suit and is used 4 for cooling and recirculating oxygen.

72 Stay Curious

ith the recent release of craft and rocket-powered lifting body, Minimum velocity in a not-so-distant timeline Virgin’s craft will carry six customers miles per hour for a Wto relocate humans from and two pilots into five minutes of edge- spacecraft to enter Earth to extraterrestrial colonies on of-space bliss. At a much steeper climb into orbit the moon and Mars, the average per- than conventional planes, passengers son might be wondering: “Am I living will experience “eye-watering accele- in a science fiction novel?” The rea- ration” followed by a short yet rewar- lity is that the demand for commer- ding period of weightlessness. cial space exploration is being met So what is the catch? Besides the by a new source of wealth from a US$200,000 price tag, medical and burgeoning club of entrepreneurs. psychological training is required for Known as the “New Space” indust- these ambitious journeys. Motion sick- ry, its aim is to provide access to ou- ness and a lack of psychological read- ter space through privately funded iness might be difficult to overcome in 17.5 k companies. The focus is not only on three days’ time, however. After all, offering a weightless playground for astronauts typically spend thousands aspiring cosmonauts, but implemen- of hours in training before their space customer is Zero2Infinity, which of- ting the use of innovative and cost- flights! fers a high-altitude helium-propelled efficient aerospace technologies. As balloon designed to carry four passen- funding for government agencies gers to altitudes of 118,000 ft. such as NASA has continued to eva- So the question Another recruit from the special effects porate, involvement from external industry, Chris Gilman founded Orbital sources has risen dramatically, giving is… how far are Outfitters in 2006 after working in Hol- birth to a small yet substantial com- lywood building costumes for film and munity of companies determined to you willing to go? television. OO’s Industrial Suborbital transport human beings to the depths Space Suit (IS3) is an emergency crew of outer space. One of the most crucial elements that suit that Gilman claims should “not Before we can imagine an exodus of the will enable passengers to traverse the only be able to save a person’s life in masses to lunar colonies, however, atmosphere is the Intra Vehicular Ac- an emergency, but needs to make him it is important to understand what tivity (IVA) pressurized suit: a portable or her look and feel good at the same these companies are actually offering. survival system that is worn inside the time.” What is referred to as “space” actually craft to provide emergency protection What does this mean for the immedi- begins 60 miles above the Earth’s sur- from cabin depressurization. It con- ate future of the New Space industry? face. In order for a spacecraft to enter sists of a flame and wind retardant While SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk is into orbit, it must reach altitudes of exterior, an internal bladder, webbing talking about establishing self-sus- 100 to 200 miles and achieve a mini- restraint straps and a portable ventila- taining human civilizations on Mars, mum velocity of 17,500 mph or Mach tion unit. The bladder restraint coun- we’ll get started with the arrival of 23 (23 x the speed of sound). Alter- ters the G-forces and can be adjusted the first commercial vehicle at the In- natively, a sub-orbital flight offers an via knobs on the exterior. Gloves and ternational Space Station in May of ascent to the “edge of space” where helmet are connected to the suit by 2012. With sensational talk of Orbi- you will experience weightlessness metal flanges. tal Hotels and space elevators, there and enjoy stupendous views of Earth’s Final Frontier Design and Orbital is an undeniable reality to the future curvature and the infinite blackness of Outfitters are two companies develo- of privately funded space travel. From space. So the question is…how far are ping advanced IVA suits. Founded by the involvement of Richard Branson you willing to go? Ted Southern and Nikolay Moiseev in to former Apollo flight directors, New You can opt for Space Adventure’s 2010, FFD is a collaboration between Space promises to find unconven- “Zero-G” flight where you will remain a Russian spacesuit engineer and a tional alternatives that will enable us within the confines of Earth’s atmos- special effects and costuming expert. not only to live out our sci-fi fanta- phere while still experiencing weight- Their 3G Next Generation suit inte- sies, but to advance our capacity for lessness. The more intrepid cosmonaut grates the bladder and restraint into discovering energy sources that could will be enticed by Virgin Galactic’s a single-layer pressure garment with replace those on the finite Earth we Sub-Orbital flight. A fusion of jet air- a price tag of US$50,000. Their first currently inhabit.

Expo 2015

Text Paul Sullivan PhOTOs Paul Furst, Victoria and Albert Museum/London, Cheng Min/Xinhua Press/Corbis, Wojtek Gurak, Expo Milan

As the plans for the 2015 World Expo unfold in Milan, Paul Sullivan looks at the evolution of one of the planet’s greatest global platforms for dialogue and innovation… Stay Curious

magine an existence where the of All Nations,” and attracted six mil- The most recent World Expo took modern wonders of the world didn’t lion visitors from 25 nations. A royal place in Shanghai (2010) and drew Icome to you via your laptop, smart- success, figuratively and literally, the 73 million visitors, from 200 coun- phone or other technological device, fair formed the foundation for those to tries – 98% of whom were Chinese. In but you had to go to them. Until fairly follow (Philadelphia, Sydney, Barce- 2008, the BIE members met in Paris recently, this was actually the case: lona, Paris), right up until today’s fairs, and voted for the location of the 2015 starting with the first World Exposi- which are spread across countries as Exposition. The winner was Milan, tion in 1851, citizens of the globe had diverse as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy’s northern-most metropolis, with to travel by train, boat or even on Japan, South Korea and China. 86 votes as compared to 65 for the foot to be among the first to witness main rival Smirne in Turkey. such revolutionary marvels as Bel- An apparent gian waffles, the electric toothbrush or An evolving concept computers. confrontation of “An apparent confrontation of pro- The evolution of the World Expo has ducts, in reality a confrontation of products, in reality not been without hiccups. The 1984 utopias,” enthused Victor Hugo in the New Orleans Fair, which faced strong introduction to the catalogue for the a confrontation competition in the shape of the 1984 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, a Summer Olympics in Los Angeles statement that has rung true for the of utopias and lacked any major exhibits, ended in bankruptcy and had to be bailed out by the U.S. government, which has been notably less involved in the World Expo scene ever since. But successes have far outweighed failures. In Europe and the United States, the fairs created thousands of jobs throughout the post-war years, with cities like Seattle being put on the map by its 1962 Expo. The city’s now-famous Space Needle, built for the Expo, bears testimony to the event’s architectural legacy, which began as early as 1889 with the construction of the Eiffel Tower for the Paris Expo.

Number of visitors at the Expo 2010 The Crystal Palace, Great Exhibition of 1851 in Shanghai

World Expo since its inauguration in Following the establishment of its 1851 at Hyde Park’s Crystal Palace in governing body, the Bureau Interna- London. tional des Expositions (BIE) in 1931, Inspired by the French tradition of the World (or Universal) Expos have national exhibitions (especially the settled into a natural five-year rhythm, 1844 French Industrial Exposition), each lasting for six months. The BIE the London Expo was the first of its also supports International Expos, kind in terms of ambition and global which are more “minor” events las- 73 reach. Organized by Prince Albert ting three months and taking place (Queen Victoria’s husband), the event between the Universal Expos. The was given the grandiose title “Great 2012 Expo in Yeosu, South Korea, is Exhibition of the Works of Industry the most recent example. million

76 Stay Curious

The perspective and concerns of the Expo tradition have evolved over time, shedding their 19th century co- lonial aura to focus on issues related to culture and national image while at the same time facilitating dialogue between nations about current challenges facing the world. Since 1994, the official spotlight has been on the environment and sustainable development: the 2010 Expo in Shanghai, for example, centered around the theme “Better City, Better Life” and examined the current problems of ur- banization, while Yeosu 2012 focused on “Oceans and Coasts”.

The idea that Shanghai Expo 2010 Opening Ceremony, © Cheng Min/Xinhua Press/Corbis everyone on the planet should have access to healthy, safe and sufficient food and water

Expo Milano 2015 will tackle the global theme “Feeding the Planet, Ener- gy for Life”. Approximately one billion people suffer from hunger, while an equal number are obese or overweight. Expo 2015 aims to increase awareness of these issues and foster commitment to overcoming them; it will examine nutrition and the idea Denmark Pavilion, Shanghai Expo 2010, © Wojtek Gurak that everyone on the planet should have access to a healthy, safe and suf- Food and Agriculture Organization repeatedly confirmed its support of ficient supply of food and water. (FAO), World Food Program (WFP) Expo 2015, an event that will bring Italy is the ideal country for such a and the International Fund for Agri- further modernization to the area. discussion. The Italian food industry cultural Development (IFAD). “Italy and its government, its local (the nation’s second largest) includes Expo Milano 2015 clearly represents authorities, its people and its com- no fewer than 36,000 family firms Italy’s investment in the future. It panies are fully committed to Expo and medium-sized companies, half a will be the first large-scale event in Milano 2015 with their renowned million workers, and an annual turn- the country following the prolonged organizational skills and creativity,” over of over €100 billion. It is also global economic crisis. It is a unique commented Italian Prime Minister the headquarters of the three United opportunity to boost the financial sys- Mr. Mario Monti during the Interna- Nations agencies active in the fields tem and propel the economy into the tional Participants’ Meeting in Octo- of food, agriculture and hunger: the future. The Italian government has ber 2012. “There is a full commitment

77 Stay Curious

to the success of the event and the im- tors will be encouraged to use electric be constant dialogue in the form of portance of the Expo theme which is cars and car/bike sharing. workshops, presentations and debates. basically: do not waste.” What’s more, the site will become the One big question is whether the Ex- hub of an innovative network of soft pos reflect the way we think about the A landmark expo and sustainable mobility, connecting future or if they actually serve as signs it to the center of Milan and the sur- of future development. Both could be So far, a record 113 countries have rounding area. This will include 22 said to be true. In Shanghai 2010, a already declared that they will take miles of cycling and walking paths, Pavilion of Future depicted images of part in the 2015 Expo, and 18 coun- parks and canals. To facilitate state- various futures imagined by past vi- tries including China, Russia, Turkey, of-the-art ‘smart city’ technology, the sionaries ranging from Blade Runner Germany, Switzerland, United Arab Expo has signed partnerships with lo- to Metropolis. These may not have Emirates and Thailand have signed cal companies that will provide fixed materialized, but plenty of others have, the participation contract. Germany mobile and IT infrastructure networks, including the telephone, the high- has promised an investment of €45 mil- enabling the latest technological so- powered steam engine, light bulbs, lion. China, spurred on by the success lutions such as mobile payment and nylon and motion pictures. The focus in Shanghai, has said that more than ticketing services. There will also be on new inventions is as strong today as one million Chinese people will visit smart solutions for visitors and public it was at past Expos, as illustrated by Expo 2015. Switzerland, which has administration, development and ma- the violin-playing robots at the Japan already exhibited its pavilion, and nagement of the website, operational pavilion in 2010. the United Arab Emirates, will invest management, maintenance and pro- Attendance statistics and the general around US$100 million each. viding of voice and data connectivity enthusiasm for today’s World Expos and traffic. suggest they are still important in the In keeping with the Expo commit- 21st century. They might not always The site of the ment to entertain as well as educate, provide the answers to the problems there will be a biodiversity park of they examine, but they do represent Expo 2015 will over 150,000 square feet, an open air a global dialogue that much of the amphitheater for 11,000 spectators, a world can take part in onsite and off- become the hub lake arena with an extra capacity of line – a refreshing and perhaps even of an innovative network of soft and sustainable mobility

Current forecasts anticipate some 20 million visitors, the majority from European countries. The site, built in an area northwest of the city center, will be designed in conjunction with renowned architects such as Stefano Boeri, Ricky Burdett and Jacques Her- zog. The objective is for it to become a landmark in the field of environmental sustainability. 80% of the materials used to build the pavilions will be recycled. More than 10,000 species of plants and shrubs will be planted 20,000 visitors (standing) for water essential novelty in the age of online on-site. The site will be linked to both shows, concerts and performances, and interaction. train and subway systems, and visi- a children’s park. In addition, there will

78 “We know how to combine realiability with courage.” Joe Gantley, Transport Manager, England

As a perfectly coordinated team, we can react in seconds without losing sight of our goal. It is this perseverance, this pleasure in taking on a challenge that sets us all apart. We’re taking the future into our own hands.

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