Telosa: BIG’s Bold Vision For Sustainable, People-First Urban Living

What happens when the fate of a new city is handed to its inhabitants? This is the overarching concept behind City of Telosa, a project from Danish architecture firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) and entrepreneur Marc Lore. Set to rise in the American desert by 2050, Telosa’s vision is to house around five million people. Critically, the scheme serves as a blueprint for future urban planning, merging cutting-edge technology with a commitment to environmental sustainability and social equity.

There are so many new cities in development around the world, all with their own agendas. Yet while these shiny new constructions are mostly concerned with being an emblem of the nation’s wealth and technological knowhow— symbols of all sorts and not always positive—Telosa is grounded on human-centered design with health and quality of life central to the project.

This “people-first” approach is interwoven within Telosa’s fabric with a city effectively designed around the concept of equitism—addressing social issues such as wealth inequality, resource distribution and affordable housing. To achieve this, the city will experiment with a community-focused system, combining public and private elements to ensure citizens benefit from its growth and success.

In BIG’s masterplan we see the tried-and-tested 15-minute city model, where everything needed for daily life is within a short walk or cycle ride. Nature is a priority with plenty of public green spaces, and there are lots of inventive green and clean infrastructure ideas. I like the city emblem as what BIG is calling the “Equitism Tower”—a futuristic skyscraper designed to function as a symbol and a vertical community space, integrating greenery, water management, and renewable energy.

The project is planned in phases, starting with an initial population of 50,000 by 2030, scaling up to millions over the next few decades. Critics have raised questions about its feasibility, costs, and potential environmental impacts on the desert location, yet the team stand by the scheme’s realistic vision.

BIG has long explored outside traditional architectural paradigms with work that is often surprising and almost always exciting. As far back as 2010, the firm’s work has delved into concepts of sustainability, community and creativity. An early career project, 8 House outside of Copenhagen in Denmark for instance, rethought affordable housing developments to be a place that encourages a sense of community with its accessible green roofs and bicycle paths that snake through the building.

I spoke with Alana Goldweit, BIG Associate, and Telosa’s lead architectural project designer, to understand more about this latest project. I asked her to explore this “people-first” approach, and to see realistically how she feels Telosa can be a blueprint for future developments.

Nargess Banks: What were the physical challenges of imagining a new city such as Telosa for the American desert?

Alana Goldweit: Instead of seeing physical conditions on a site as challenges, we turn them into opportunities. For example, access to resources like clean water in an arid climate and how to get resources reliably to the site are challenges to solve for. Further, we need to plan for city population growth and look at ways to reuse, recycle and reduce waste to support sustainable design and development.

Water, for instance, is channeled into a central greenway and buildings are oriented to maximize shading and channel wind, naturally cooling the city streets that would otherwise bake in the desert sun. From day one, the city can be built around environmentally conscious site systems. Without having to renovate and revive outdated infrastructure and buildings, it opens the possibilities for innovation.

Banks: You’re envisaging this as a blueprint for future urban environments. How easy would it be to replica the Telosa model in other contexts?

Goldweit: The urban planning framework we developed can adapt to the physical features of any site, harnessed by principles that ensure it is embedded in the context to channel natural resources like sun, water and wind.

Banks: To my mind the “people first” concept also plays a critical role in how Telosa can be translated to any location, anywhere...

Goldweit: Yes, Telosa will be built with intention, as a place for “people first,” in contrast to primary focuses on technology, different modes of transportation, or building layouts based solely on topography. By emphasizing the connection of people with their environment and each other, it establishes a new benchmark for urban living, one that meets the needs of people and creates a higher quality of life.

Banks: Is this where the 15-minute city concept comes in?

Goldweit: The 15-minute city approach focuses on utilizing sustainable forms of energy as we move away from a reliance on fossil fuels, and also prioritizes walkability, micromobility and the use of autonomous electric vehicles. This will contribute to cleaner air, reduced noise, less congestion and a healthier environment overall.

Banks: You’ve spoken of the ultimate vision for Telosa is to accommodate five million residents. How are you involving the inhabitants in the design and planning, or is the project being completed with a certain population in mind?

Goldweit: Two years ago, we unveiled this vision at a public townhall at the Brooklyn Museum, where we engaged with potential residents and various thought leaders with expertise across many different disciplines. Since then, we have continued to foster dialogue through community forums, inviting future pioneer residents and many others to actively participate in shaping the city's development.

Banks: How sensitive can a development such as Telosa be in maintaining a sense of place while being a blueprint for other developments?

Goldweit: The design of Telosa is a flexible framework, shaped by the natural environment and the people of its chosen site. It is focused first on how to create a higher quality of life and greater opportunities for people, with culture and tradition playing an important role.

Once a pilot location is selected, local consultants and community members will be integral to the design process, ensuring a deep understanding of the site’s history, culture and traditions—an essential factor for the city’s success. Telosa is committed to minimizing its impact on natural resources and preserving habitats, supported by a dedicated fund focused on wildlife preservation and restoration of the greater region.

Banks: What are the challenges in keeping a unique design without looking too futuristic, generic and risking homogenization?

Goldweit: In order for Telosa to have a varied and vibrant urban fabric, we must leave room for individuals to make their mark on the city. We see the design vision as a flexible framework that evolves over time, enlivened by the character, culture and creativity of architects, artists, builders and more. While certain elements are fixed—efficient circulation, sustainable systems and parcel boundaries—what arises within the city blocks will continue to evolve.

We are focused on a design that will help bring people from different backgrounds and experiences together. Creating a city with “soul” and vibrancy has been a big part of the conversation from day one. As we design for the next 50 years, we anticipate innovations in materials and construction, and we aim to create space for these advancements to shape the city’s future.

Banks: What are the challenges and opportunities for architects and urban designers to truly rethink how we live more healthily and equitably in the urban environment?

Goldweit: Our most unexpected design solutions are breakthroughs that come when we take risks—like proposing a ski slope on a power plant or sending Copenhagen’s most iconic statue to be the centerpiece of the Danish Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo. These bold moves led to groundbreaking designs and experiences.

Building a city from scratch is certainly a big risk, and one that pushes us to innovate in ways we otherwise wouldn’t. Marc Lore, the visionary behind Telosa, isn’t afraid to take risks and challenge the status quo. By reimagining the economic model upon which a city is founded, Marc lays the groundwork for a more equitable urban environment, prompting us to reconsider how accessible and healthy urban spaces can enhance this vision. By maintaining this “people first” design as the city evolves and grows will help ensure that Telosa contributes to a more equitable and sustainable future.