Chicagoon

Chicagoon is a fictional metropolitan area created for urban-planning studies and speculative fiction. It is described as a mid-sized city that blends a lakefront with an extensive canal network, drawing on a mix of historic port-city influences and modern green infrastructure.

Geography and urban form: The city centers on a large artificial lagoon called Mirror Lagoon, fed by a network of canals that connect residential, commercial, and civic districts. The waterfront is lined with promenades, parks, and mixed-use blocks, with transit over water and on land.

History and development: Conceptualized in planning discussions during the 2040s as a model for waterfront redevelopment and climate resilience, Chicagoon emphasizes flood-adaptive design, compact development, and pedestrian-friendly streets rather than sprawling suburban growth.

Governance and economy: In the fiction, Chicagoon operates under a mayor-council system with twelve districts. The economy combines logistics and distribution, higher education and research, healthcare services, and creative industries, with tourism centered on the lagoon and canal districts.

Demographics and culture: The metropolitan population is depicted around two million, with neighborhoods that blend industrial heritage and water-oriented living. Public art, maritime heritage, and sustainable design are emphasized, along with events, markets, and architectural tours.

Notable features: The central Mirror Lagoon, Arch Bridge, and the Civic Spine are recurring landmarks in descriptions of Chicagoon, which also includes the Waterfront Conservatory and a network of green corridors.