The Southern California Evolution: the San Onofre Arc - Engineering the Next Generation City

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) was decommissioned effectively costing the state of California upwards of half a billion dollars in lost electricity revenue, capital investment, and carbon emissions. Part of the idea of developing a new project in San Onofre is building the blueprint for a 22nd century human civilization - one that is economically viable, environmentally friendly, and state of the art technologically. The vision is ambitious yet we have started small. (Developing prototypes, working with international engineering firms, developing government contacts, IPO, networking, publishing, basic plumbing projects, etc.) By utilizing advanced supergrid engineering, medium density vertical architecture, and a national laboratory nucleus of operations, we can solve the triple threat of housing scarcity (ref. Harris) , scientific stagnation (ref. Smolin), and socioeconomic displacement in a. single master stroke (ref. Chomsky).

The bluffs around San Onofre offer stunning views and are destined for environmentally friendly and safe residential and commercial investment. Close by, the region of Corona Del Mar offers a distinct similarly developed architectural model. Here, on the cliffs of Corona Del Mar, there are tiers of infrastructure. Housing develops on the mesa tier, where in the San Onofre model, residences (multi-story multi-generational multi-family) can be built, commercial business and public private partnerships can develop, and laboratory startups can accelerate from the regional hub of the San Onofre National Laboratory nucleus. The base region, below the mesa, can provide the residents with aquatic activities, lounging, beach sports, and general relaxation. Clubhouses, catamarans, you name it, can make this region something like a hybrid Waikiki and Monaco development. Building with ecologically sound materials, low footprint designs, and undergrounded everything (parking, utilities etc), can make this landscape something of a vision of the future, with a natural look, green spaces, and clean lines.

The hillside engineering challenge arises from the notoriously difficult coastal erosion and fragile marine siltstone. Deep shaft retaining piles combined with hydrophobic polymer soil stabilization, avoiding unsightly concrete seawalls in favor of terraced, deep-rooted native landscaping that anchors the bluffside will help. Novel new seismic sensors, concrete monitoring, microcracking inspection with A.I. controlled by a civil engineering headquarters (perhaps at the national lab site), and lightweight building material will allow for this scaled architecture project. Structural modules ranging from 20-story mid-rises up to ultra-efficient 100-story supertalls, terraced back from the edge to preserve light and views are part of the plan. Suburbs with estates, a rancho throwback, villas, and parks should also be in the design.

The lifeline and spine of the city is the supergrid infrastructure network. Here superconducting YBCO or NbSn wires sheathed in liquid hydrogen offer the city lossless electricity (something the world should watch and follow) with a transport fuel system for FCEVs (fuel cell vehicles). Maintaining this grid will offer better high technology jobs, more of them, and an inspiration for cities of the future. Shipping corridors linked to the beach also connected to the grid, could be fueled by the liquid hydrogen and/or the electricity from the superconductors. A zero-emission light rail, automated and connected to the LOSSAN network-corridors needs to develop. Connecting the mesa sites of supergrid green streets (ample sidewalks, large drought tolerant trees with green parkways, benches, shelters, and bike lanes) to the lower beach level and then to the beach cities of legacy California should happen with the light rail. Desalination and utilizing the seawater intake channels from the old nuclear site upgraded with energy-efficient forward osmosis at the national lab location with new scientific experiments could provide a base for the future city. Gravity-fed, smart metered water channels drawing from the Santa Margarita and Santa Ana mountain watersheds, supplemented by 100% high-rise tower greywater reclamation loops could lead to something where water flows freely in the city.

Ecologically, green belts and tree plantings between the towers can provide shade and facilitate natural evaporative cooling to avoid urban heat island effects. Human integration from the programs - everything from multi-family luxury to homes for refugees and homeless - create the city fabric. Beautiful sites should be for all. Banning the micro-unit tenement model, towers are designed with flexible modular floorplans allowing for multi-family units to expand or contract. We are working on exactly how to create effective ten to twenty family housing structures located within the walls of a high rise. High-end finishes and smart home A.I. automation (similar to CODAC in fusion) generate an affordable luxury. Ash-crete, better steel, and 3D printing will assist in the region. We plan to study seismic survivability and robust engineering parameters in the new national lab site. Located throughout the city's buildings (usually on the lowers floors) are startup incubator spaces and commercial sector firms. This plan is also geared to a pay-to-play and saas ecosystem with novel IoT connections developing a future smart city.

The combination of the San Onofre National Laboratory site, which is a future home for the US DEMO project in fusion, new studies of neural networks/supercomputing, and advanced mathematics as the basis of our civilization, with a novel new paradigm of beach city will lead to a collaborative big picture future with a blue print for cities. At General Physics, we are advanced manufacturing beyond just consulting and theory. Our deep-dives are designed for a narrative leading to construction.