The main aspect of this research topic is the investigation of a theoretical branch of architecture, that of speculation. This is being achieved by analyzing at the same time the megastructures which in combination with the technological advancements of each era acted as a catalyst for the illustration and output of the hypothetical scenarios and visions that were put forward. In other words, Megastructures : how the speculation of those contributes to the understanding of modern technology.
Utopia today may be considered impossible as a social construct and its transfer to the physical world may be meaningless, however utopian speculation is crucial and necessary in order to enhance vision and improve reality. In the middle of the 20th century, the concept of a technological utopia merged architecture with technology with the aim of envisioning machine cities, capable of solving problems of living standards. With the examples of Yona Friedman’s and Constant’s urban proposals and later on the flying space capsules and moving cities of Archigram, architecture proposes its own scenarios influenced by emerging technologies. Through science fiction, speculations and imaginary illustrations are expressed as they were understood during the years they were put forward. The digital revolution of the late 20th century brought back forgotten expectations for speculation and with the rise of computers, they managed to turn architectural interest into being performed in the digital realm. While in the past megastructures as integrated nomadic systems sought to annihilate the then defined boundaries, technological development has nevertheless managed to transfer the urban experience of cities from the largest scale to the bare minimum through a computer screen. In this way, megastructures evolved from a project of ephemeral and nomadic habitation into an indefinite – sized network of global range.
The connection between future and imaginary scenarios is the coping mechanism for a reality that is uncertain and speculative architecture comes forward to awaken the architectural thought by igniting it in order to acquire the appropriate supplies to redefine the existing means. In other words, the goal is to tell stories about an augmented present in order to render certain things more comprehensive. The ultimate role of future predictions as a work in progress is to critique the present and lay the foundations for the future we want to create.