I recently facilitated a futures thinking workshop with a team of engineers and technical specialists aptly named “Imagineers”. Our aim was to craft four distinct infrastructure scenarios to serve as springboards for tackling future infrastructure challenges.
We began as a group by scoping the task, where we delved into the technologies behind physical, information and energy infrastructure. To guide our exploration into the future we employed the STEEPLE framework, projecting our vision into the years 2040-2060 and the pull of a future world yet to unfold.
We then split into pairs, with each team taking on the challenge of crafting a distinct infrastructure scenario. The four chosen were diverse and ambitious: underwater colonies, smart cities, structures made from natural materials and fully automated transportation and logistics hubs.
The underwater colony challenged us to think about extracting resources from beneath the seabed. The smart city concepts challenged us to imagine urban landscapes that integrated cutting-edge technologies for enhanced living experiences. Inspired by the resilience of fungal networks, we conceptualised self-sustaining adaptable structures powered by natural energy sources. Lastly, the automated transportation and logistics scenario pushed the boundaries of efficiency as we sought to redefine how goods and people would move in the future.
Each pair brought a unique perspective to the table and were then challenged by other pairs to not just dream about future environments but to push the boundaries of what is possible and to strengthen and harden their ideas.
Collectively the group envisioned a vivid world of artificial intelligence, smart materials, quantum communications and sustainable power.
The future, it seems, is not just something to anticipate; it’s something we have the power to shape and redefine.