Prototropic 0.1: Honolulu and Rio

New Epicenter(s) | Prototropic 0.1 / Dimitri Damiel Kim 8
Old Epicenter, a prologue
As globalization becomes normalized, the physical epicenters 1 of the old world: Rome, New York, London,
Paris, and Tokyo, will wane its dominance and influence; like the end of an era, from empire to colonialism,
from socialism to globalism; the mystique and glamorized fascinations of the wealthy, industrial, firstworld
will be homogenized across a new boundaries and find new hosts. Rapidly shifting economy, uneasy
geopolitical landscape, and superfluous public consent and perception (of the old first-world), will give rise to
a new, global civilization under the fray of digital media, social currency, and ubiquitous technology.
The Roman empire relied on shipments of grains from Egypt to feed the capitol; the ‘Empire of Tea’ (Great
Britain) would not have its treasured past time without the import of Earl Grey from China; the resource
stricken “epicenter” depended on resource-rich serfdom nation to feed, fuel, and maintain their hegemony.
But in the era of intellectual-capitol based economy, emerging nations compete with their former imperial
and colonial rulers, now rivals. With relative control of their own natural resources and economic agenda, the
newly industrialized nations like Brazil and China are demanding their place at the table.
The next evolution for these emerging cities will be towards the establishment of their own contemporary,
global culture, and identity of their own; art, fashion, design, and consumerism will become the new status
quo; an initiation ritual to baptize the new, first world; new epicenter.
New Epicenters
Old cities are perpetually in the state of flux; with decay and growth, boom and bust economics, mass
migration, and inevitable conflicts, the physically landlocked cities can only divide and re-develop. Granted
with precious resources (natural and intellectual) coveted by old epicenters, new cities in the emerging
Emirate, South America, China, and tropical regions of Asia and the Pacific and are exploding and multiplying;
like a teenager, kicking and screaming for their independence and place, the 21st century will be the age of
emerging, global, resource-rich, and diverse cities.
1. Common usage and term for center of human activity