Orchid City | Except Systemic Design

Orchid City is the world's first future-proof and regenerative real estate development framework, using proven practices to build resilient communities anywhere in the world at any size. It combines decades of research and design with the experience of over 25 partners, using systemic data and analysis tools to generate development blueprints that solve infrastructure and systemic challenges. The framework addresses clean energy generation, industry and job creation, waste management, mobility, finance, food production, and housing affordability. Healthy and vibrant ecosystems directly benefit residents while strengthening regional economies and enhancing resilience to climate change.

The Problem

Cities consume up to 80% of global energy production and emit over 70% of global CO2 emissions. Over 25% already experience severe water shortages, and by 2030 an additional 40% of the world's population will face inadequate and affordable housing. Conventional urban development perpetuates these crises rather than solving them.

The challenge was to create a replicable framework, not a single project, that integrates hundreds of regenerative solutions into location-specific blueprints. Each deployment had to be financially viable while achieving net-positive environmental outcomes across energy, water, food, and materials.

Process

Systemic research and partner integration

Except combined decades of research and design with the experience of over 25 partners, building a framework that integrates systemic data and analysis tools. The result generates location-specific development blueprints rather than generic sustainability checklists.

Data-driven blueprint generation

The Orchid City framework uses extensive databases of proven solutions, cross-referenced with local conditions, to calculate optimal configurations for each deployment. This produces specific recommendations for energy, water, food, waste, mobility, and social systems.

Multi-scale application

The framework scales from individual buildings to neighborhoods, towns, and full cities. Each scale benefits from the same systemic approach while adapting to local governance, climate, culture, and economic conditions.

Outcomes

Carbon reduction: 140%; Net-positive per capita reduction in carbon emissions
Sustainable jobs: 8,000+; Per city of 15,000 residents
Trees planted: 1.1 million; Per city deployment
Partners: 25+; Multi-disciplinary global partnership network

Gallery

Orchid City concept

OC artist impressions-2 — Artist impression

House with agriculture — Residential with agriculture

sustainable agriculture — Sustainable farming

OC artist impressions — Neighborhood render

OC-metabolic diagram — Metabolic diagram

Credits

Lead: Tom Bosschaert.

Except team: Emma Westerduin (Architect and Project Manager), Jacob Verhaart (Head of Science, Industrial Ecologist), Eranda Janku (Head of Urban Planning), Chi Nguyen (Regional Director Asia), Mykola Liasovskyi (Research and Business Development), Ruben Bosschaert (Technology and research specialist, physicist).