Middle school innovators across Illinois gathered to showcase their futuristic city designs in an engaging competition focusing on sustainable urban development.
In Chicago, the Future City Competition brought together young visionaries from 16 middle school teams, each presenting their unique concepts for the cities of tomorrow. This nationwide event challenges students to integrate cutting-edge ideas such as vertical farming and renewable energy into their designs.
Exploring Innovative City Concepts
The atmosphere at the competition was electric, resembling a science fair but with a distinct focus on urban planning. Eighth grader Annabelle Kramer from Wood Dale Junior High introduced her team’s model, Maki Maki, inspired by the coast of Maroantsetra, Madagascar.
Teams were tasked with adhering to a farm-to-table theme, a concept that caught the attention of Monica Crinion, an engineer and judge at the event. Annabelle explained that her favorite feature of Maki Maki was the aesthetically pleasing vertical farms.
“On our model, the farms are orange. However, in reality, they are clear, which allows the plants to get equal sunlight,” she detailed, pointing to the glass silos with rotating crop levels.
Creative Solutions on a Budget
The competition imposed a strict budget of $100 for each team, prompting innovative use of materials. For instance, old computer parts became industrial parks, and PVC pipes were transformed into high-speed train tunnels. Annabelle’s teammate, Dominick Duzinskas, explained how they constructed plant-covered levels using milk jug caps, glue, and green-painted sawdust.
Joan O’Rourke, a proud parent, recalled how the competition inspired her son, now a college sophomore studying petroleum engineering, and hopes her daughter Siobhan will follow a similar path.
Achievements and Aspirations
Siobhan O’Rourke, representing St. Paul of the Cross, showcased a city economically reliant on mushrooms and powered by an innovative energy source called exowatts. Teammate Max Weber described it as a system using lenses to concentrate sunlight and generate energy from steam-driven pistons.
The competition concluded with a drumroll as winners were announced. St. Paul of the Crops secured third place, while Wood Dale emerged victorious, earning the opportunity to compete nationally in Washington, D.C.
Annabelle expressed her excitement about the upcoming challenge, “I’m so excited,” she exclaimed with laughter, as the team prepared for the next stage of the competition.
