Lower Cerulean

Lower Cerulean is a neighbourhood in the north Occrean district of Aaber Hill. It is best known for having the highest population of Moakandroids in Occrea. Before Occrea's Housing Space Act, the southern part of Aaber Hill including Lower Cerulean was one of the most expensive parts of the state outside Old Occrea City due to its sheltered location. When the Act was passed, many wealthy houseowners were forced to convert their oversized properties into lodgings. Some of these buildings were bought by Occrea City Council and became halls of residence for the influx of Moakandroid refugees at the time. Some of the halls later became cooperatives owned by the residents.

History

Lower Cerulean and Higher Cerulean were once two halves of one town built on Aaber Hill. Cerulean, as it was simply known at the time, was a small and secluded place, initially popular with wealthy artists who wanted to retreat from urban life. As the city of Occrea expanded, the town became part of the Occrean district named afer the hill it's built on.

Points of interest

Lower Cerulean Square is a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful statuary and fountain, and surrounding restaurants and entertainment venues.
The entrance to Aaber Hill Catacombs is located in Lower Cerulean, in a nondescript back street. Potential visitors to the catacombs not familiar with the area find it very difficult to locate!
The place has plenty of historical significance. The oldest buildings all claim at least one famous piece of art was created there, and in more modern times Lower Cerulean has been the home of many notable people, including scientists and polititians. The Sky Ripple Hotel, at the time a private home, was the birthplace of King Zani II.

Architecture

Lower Cerulean residences are typically four- to six-storey townhouses with small porticos at the front and large arched windows. The ceilings are high compared to typical architecture of the region, and the entrance rooms were often built double-storey with a balcony. With the implementation of the Housing Space Act, some double-storey rooms have since been converted. Most of the townhouses are built out of imported ashstone, with white or silver marble for the columns and cornices.

Context

Occrea

The largest and most powerful city on the planet of Naldu, Occrea expanded over the years to subsume surrounding settlements; each of its twenty-two districts are at least the size of a city in themselves. It is now an independent state.

Moakandroid

Sentient androids based on a design by the Moakan species (extinct). Once enslaved by an intergalactic empire, many were killed when the empire fell and most of the survivors are now refugees. Despite clear evidence, most governments refuse to recognise them as sentient and equal beings. Occrea is one of the exceptions.

Housing Space Act

Occrea borders were fixed post-independence, which meant eventually there would be a limit to the population it could support. During a time of mass refugees fleeing to Occrea, not wanting to compromise its principles, the state introduced the Housing Space Act that addressed the number of homeowners in Occrea with excessive empty rooms.
People who had second/holiday homes that were empty most of the time, and tiny households who lived in huge mansions, were given various options that included selling the property, converting large buildings into multiple units and renting them out, etc. It was an extremely unpopular bill with the priveledged and changed the wealthiest neighbourhoods of Occrea permanently.