Shell unveils permanent 'Future Cities' exhibit
The Mind Museum, in partnership with Shell Companies in the Philippines, unveiled its newest permanent exhibition entitled “Future Cities: Planet-friendly Technologies” as part of the Future Worlds Project, which aims to bring to the public educational strategies that inspire sustainable technologies.
Shell is a founding donor of The Mind Museum and “Future Cities” is part of its continuing thrust and support toward the country’s first world-class science museum, located in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig.
“Future Cities” is housed in the Technology Gallery of The Mind Museum and features a large-scale exhibition with three related exhibits. The first is a model city, an expansive 3-D representation of a Filipino metropolis envisioned by architectdesigner Job Bernardo, which features major planet-friendly technologies such as a geothermal plant, solar-powered infrastructure, bike lanes along a hydropower plant that also serves as a recreational park, and underground farming, among others. QR codes enable visitors to summon a related video or additional information on the featured technologies.
The second is Planet You, an imaginative interactive exhibit which asks visitors about lifestyle preferences in designing the energy identity of his or her very own planet. The third is City Quiz, another interactive feature which will give visitors an idea of the archetype of the city they prefer, based on answers to certain questions and lifestyle preferences.
These engaging exhibits were first featured early this year during Shell Companies in the Philippines' centennial celebration that culminated in the Shell Eco-marathon Asia held at the Rizal Park in Manila.
“Future Cities is in line with Shell’s belief that innovation, whether technological, systems or process is key for a sustainable future,” said Ed Chua, chairman of Shell Companies in the Philippines. “Cities, being the largest human habitat of the future, should therefore be an essential target of innovation. We partnered with The Mind Museum because innovation requires inspired understanding and this museum has proven itself up to this challenge of inspiring the citizenry to understand what science and engineering can do for a sustainable future city.”
For its part, Manuel Blas II, Head of Commercial Operations of Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and also managing Director of Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. (BAFI), the foundation that runs The Mind Museum said:
“Urban populations now make up more than half of the planet and by the year 2050, this will rise to 84 percent according to the United Nations,” affirmed Manuel Blas II, head of commercial operations of BGC and managing director of Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. (BAFI) which runs The Mind Museum.
“Perhaps a leap in imagination is required in order for us to break free from how we currently think we can design cities. This Future Cities exhibition will hopefully seed that kind of imagination among those who will interact with this exhibition,” he said.
According to Maria Isabel Garcia, curator of The Mind Museum, “Future Cities was conceived and created to inspire citizens and professionals to harness and incorporate natural systems in designing and living in cities. It was made not only to give shape, color and texture to a city that we all want to live in but also provide information on what kind of technology and engineering will be required to give us livable and empowering cities.”