After a After a seven days’ march seven days’ march through woodland, the traveller directed towards through woodland, the traveller directed towards Baucis cannot see the city and yet he has arrived. The Baucis cannot see the city and yet he has arrived. The slender stilts slender stilts that rise from that rise from the ground at a the ground at a great distance from one another great distance from one another and are and are lost above the clouds lost above the clouds support the support the city. You climb them with ladders. On the ground the city. You climb them with ladders. On the ground the inhabitants rarely show themselves: inhabitants rarely show themselves: having already everything they need up therehaving already everything they need up there, they prefer not to come down. Nothing of the , they prefer not to come down. Nothing of the city touches the earth except those city touches the earth except those long flamingo legs long flamingo legs on which it rests and, when the days on which it rests and, when the days are sunny, a pierced, angular shadow that falls on the foliage.are sunny, a pierced, angular shadow that falls on the foliage.

There are three hypotheses about the inhabitants of Baucis: that they hate There are three hypotheses about the inhabitants of Baucis: that they hate

the earth; the earth; that they respect it so much they avoid all contactthat they respect it so much they avoid all contact; that ; that they they

love it was before they love it was before they existed and with spyglasses and existed and with spyglasses and telescopes telescopes

pointed downward pointed downward they never tire of they never tire of examining itexamining it, leaf by leaf, , leaf by leaf,

stone by stone, ant by ant, contemplating with stone by stone, ant by ant, contemplating with

fascination their own absence.fascination their own absence.

Baucis is a city of advanced beings, above and beyond material possessions and gain, Baucis is a city of advanced beings, above and beyond material possessions and gain, more interested in the preservation and rejuvenation of a nuclear war torn world. more interested in the preservation and rejuvenation of a nuclear war torn world. They are self sufficient in the sense they grow their own food, generate heat and water They are self sufficient in the sense they grow their own food, generate heat and water within the main dome, and oxygenate the dome with clean, breathable air via plant life. within the main dome, and oxygenate the dome with clean, breathable air via plant life. There are multiple bioThere are multiple bio--domes within the main dome of the city. These contain a wealth of domes within the main dome of the city. These contain a wealth of different plant life, some ornamental and to preserve plant species, others more practical and different plant life, some ornamental and to preserve plant species, others more practical and controlled as a food source. controlled as a food source. This city was designed with the specific purpose of sustaining life after the nuclear fallout, it This city was designed with the specific purpose of sustaining life after the nuclear fallout, it is built simply but strong with all structures having a honeycomb hexagonal structure, and sustainability is built simply but strong with all structures having a honeycomb hexagonal structure, and sustainability is a large factor of the city. is a large factor of the city. Water is generated on the inside face of the city main dome through condensation, this runs down and is Water is generated on the inside face of the city main dome through condensation, this runs down and is collected in the canal running the edge of the city platform. The platform is slightly dipped in the centre, allowing the collected in the canal running the edge of the city platform. The platform is slightly dipped in the centre, allowing the water to flow inwards through the network of canals, separating the city into six districts. They also provide not only water to flow inwards through the network of canals, separating the city into six districts. They also provide not only hydration throughout the city but also emission free transport for the inhabitants via small boats. Excess water flows hydration throughout the city but also emission free transport for the inhabitants via small boats. Excess water flows into a storage tank within the city platform, as a reserve, and if the reserve overflows water is filtered out of water into a storage tank within the city platform, as a reserve, and if the reserve overflows water is filtered out of water tunnels on all sides of the platform, helping replenish the damaged world below.tunnels on all sides of the platform, helping replenish the damaged world below. In the centre of the city is the main terminus building, this acts as the main hub for surveillance on the world below, In the centre of the city is the main terminus building, this acts as the main hub for surveillance on the world below, with the city’s leaders’ headquarters also situated here, and also has twelve large struts, two for each district, that run with the city’s leaders’ headquarters also situated here, and also has twelve large struts, two for each district, that run gravity controlled cable carts, allowing quick and again emission free transport to the outskirts of the city.gravity controlled cable carts, allowing quick and again emission free transport to the outskirts of the city. Three of the districts, the eastern most districtsThree of the districts, the eastern most districts——to allow best sunlight coverage, are reserved for the bio domes, each to allow best sunlight coverage, are reserved for the bio domes, each district holding different selections, one for food, one for plants growing in cold environments, and one for warm en-district holding different selections, one for food, one for plants growing in cold environments, and one for warm en-vironments. The temperature of the domes are controlled by glass thickness, dome insulation and a dome shading sys-vironments. The temperature of the domes are controlled by glass thickness, dome insulation and a dome shading sys-tem. tem. The westernmost districts house the inhabitants accommodation buildings, tall and compact, making use of the lim-The westernmost districts house the inhabitants accommodation buildings, tall and compact, making use of the lim-ited space in the city dome, with small windows to conserve glass for the domes, and topped with further biodomes, ited space in the city dome, with small windows to conserve glass for the domes, and topped with further biodomes, so as not to waste4 sunlight availability. so as not to waste4 sunlight availability.