Floating gardens, #CleanEnergy, and #CommunityFirst: Why '#solarpunk' #architecture gives us #ClimateOptimism
Dec 12, 2025
"Imagine floating towers teeming with lush greenery that look out over clean waterways overflowing with wildlife. As you glance down, you realize pedestrians outnumber cars — which fly on renewable energy — and people mill about in community gardens and meeting spaces as plants and solar panels alike drink in sunlight.
"Welcome to the dream world of a 'solarpunk' city.
"Solarpunk is derived from #cyberpunk, a genre of speculative fiction that was coined by author #BruceBethke in 1983 with the release of his sci-fi short story of the same name, which follows a group of young #RebelHackers.
"From there, cyberpunk spawned a slew of futuristic aesthetics, ideals, and stories. But solarpunk — a term which first sprang up online in 2008 — goes a step further than cyberpunk, and its fantastical subgenre steampunk, by encapsulating not just a style or genre, but an entire #SocialMovement.
"#JaySpringett is the co-administrator of solarpunks.net, a website that curates articles, stories, and artwork that are representative of the movement. Spend a minute scrolling on the site and common themes will emerge: #rewilding efforts, #gardening methods, #rainwater harvesting, #VisibleMending practices, and so much more. [Hey, that sounds a lot like what we cover on #SolarPunkSundays!]
" 'I have always considered solarpunk to be focused on the practical as opposed to the wishful thinking,' Springett told Built In, a Chicago software company. 'And it’s a discussion that’s becoming more and more prominent.' "
Read more:
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/solar-punk-green-architecture-futuristic-design
