RanulfC said:8) No Pets! That's got to be one of the worst "suggestions" for an Acrology there ever was! People as a general rule LIKE to be around animals and there is no practical reason why they could not be accomodated easily and safetly into an Arcology.
OK, I accept that point. Not having any pets of my own, and being conscious of the way dogs crap all over the place in my town (despite laws against it) and that cats slaughter a significant percentage of the wild life every year, I'm not exactly pet-friendly. However, there would be no reason why small cage pets could not be kept, or at the other end of the scale horses (stables could be provided on the ground floor so horsey folk could walk down to them in a few minutes and ride straight out into the countryside - probably a damn sight more quickly and easily than they can at present, unless they live on a farm). I'm still not sure of the practicalities of keeping dogs and cats, though - I understand it is not unusual for them to be banned from apartment blocks, which is a comparable situation. If they were allowed (as some would be anyway - guide dogs for the blind, for instance) they'd have to be thoroughly house-trained and regulated (as guide dogs are).
I agree with the other points you make. The fact is, every type of place and way of living has its pros and cons, and so far we've been hearing a lot of about the potential cons of an arcology (generally exaggerated). Just consider the following for a moment:
Most people in the First World live in urban areas. These often consist of sprawling residential areas without much else within walking distance (including any countryside). So if you want to get anywhere, you generally have to get the car out. You are likely to live several miles from where you work, and on average spend several hours a week sitting in your car, commuting. You also need to use the car to visit shops, restaurants, cinemas, to take the kids to school or to get to any recreational activities. If you don't want to use a car you either have to take public transport (assuming that there is any) or ride a bike (and risk getting crushed by vehicles) or, if you do live close enough to your destination to walk, you're liable to face the constant proximity of noisy and smelly traffic, the hazards of crossing roads, and the delights (depending on location and season) of rain, ice and snow, very hot weather or darkness.
In contrast, consider a well-designed arcology like my Torus. The living accommodation will all have windows to the tall and wide circulation space which has fresh air pumped through it at a comfortable temperature. You don't have to worry about the weather, you just wear whatever you wish and stroll for a few minutes, without any traffic around, to get to a coffee bar in a large, open square with a window wall to the outside. A few more minutes stroll and you're at your workplace or school. Afterwards, there will be a choice of bars, restaurants, cinemas and other recreational activities, all a few minutes walk away. Or you can just as quickly get to the outside of the building and into the recreational park. Or if the weather's bad, go to the huge central park under a transparent roof.
To me, a well-run arcology like that sounds a damn sight more attractive than living in car-dominated suburbia.