Málaga 2121: Joyful Slow City

The Ecotopia 2121 project details the futures of 100 cities across the globe as though they've somehow overcome all environmental challenges and become super-ecofriendly. This week, we highlight the future of Málaga.

The Slow Movement is a cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better. The Slow Movement aims to forego speed and quantity within everyday life, and instead swap these in favor of enjoyment and quality. Time is turned from an enemy into an old friend.

In keeping with the ideals of the Slow Movement, welcome to Málaga 2121, a lovely bucolic sparkling Green verdant Málaga of the far future.

Málaga 2121 opts for a slow gradual journey towards both independence and towards the Slow City ideals as well--aiming to wander gently over toward 'Slowness' over a 100 year period. Eventually though, by 2121, three aspects emerge to make Málaga a Slow City exemplar:

1) The Slow Food movement in Málaga 2121 aims to preserve Málaga’s cultural cuisine and in so doing, to preserve the traditional crops and farming associated with the countryside around the city. The fish-salting industry; the original trade of the city some 2500 years ago, is also resurrected.

2) The Slow Trade movement in Málaga 2121 involves the manufacture and distribution of goods from Málaga in a way which is inexpensive, labor intensive, and craft-based. All of these are slow but they employ many people in enjoyable jobs and the end-products are of good quality and are long-lasting. Most Málaga goods are traded around the old Spanish provinces but some are exported on sailing ships to preferred Mediterranean trading ports.

3) The Slow Work movement in Málaga 2121 offers Málagans the chance of working a three day week, enabling them to devote more time to leisure, to family, to their community, or maybe to growing and cooking their own slow food. There’s maybe less income per person to begin with, but more jobs to go around. This means that there is a greater level of social equality and fewer social problems; all factors leading to an overall increase in the quality of life.