The last time we checked, water occupied around 71 percent of our precious Earth’s surface. And with the serious instigations of global warming, it is clearly beginning to dawn on some of us that we are running out of ‘ground’ for our mega-cities, grand settlements and expansive conurbations. But before we press our panic buttons, there has been progressive yet credible proposals to design and build human habitats in the seas itself! Surely the “Bioshock” fans can somewhat identify with this, but its high time we typical folk familiarize ourselves with the 10 most amazing albeit convincing concepts of floating cities – to be built in the seas.
Embassy of Drowned Nations: Floating City
One of the winners at Sea Change 2030 + competition, this radically conceived man-made refuge known as the Embassy of Drowned Nations, in Fort Denison, Australia, is specifically designed for people who have lost their homes to rising sea levels. But it not all about the ‘poetic justice’; this innovative conception also incorporates the inverted design which causes it to sink deeper into the harbor when the water level rises, while at the same time exposing new land in the center of the refuge.
BOA – A sustainable floating city:
Contrived by E. Kevin Schopfer, AIA, RIBA, the Boston Arcology (BOA) will be designed to provide safe and most importantly dry living space to over 15,000 people after the ‘post apocalyptic’ scenario of rising ocean levels washing away our cities. The floating city will provide housing along with other services such as hotels, offices, retail, museums, condominiums and a city hall.
Green Float – A carbon negative floating city:
A motley crew of scientists, engineers in Japan have embarked upon this momentous project, which aims to build a tower that is 1km tall and has a vertical farm counteracted on a floating concrete pad! But before we put on our skeptical faces, the team believes that by the year 2025 the necessary technology should be ready to start the building process itself.
Lilypad – A green safe haven of the future:
Conceived by the reputed architectural firm Vincent Callebaut, this state-of-the-art recyclable design dubbed as the Lilypad will be constructed as a luxurious retreat for climatic refugees in the year 2100. Though inspired by Noah’s Ark, nothing will be ancient about the advanced green technology used here. The lower half of this floating city will be submerged in water, while the upper half will protrude above to harness the abundant solar energy.
Harvest City In Haiti”
Thought of as solution to house the affected people of the recently earthquake ravaged Haiti, this innovative, gem of an idea by architect E. Kevin Schopfer and Tangram 3DS, is much more than damage control. The idea promotes the ambitious vision of – a number of floating island cities constituting of a 30,000 strong self sufficient community, all regenerated by several imbued agricultural and industrial facilities.
Floating City in Russia:
Proposed by Russian architect Orzunova Eduardovna, The Eco-Techno City is conceived as a floating mega city built on an elaborate framework of numerous small man-made islands. The main residential hub will be located in a central 500 ft ‘green’ skyscraper featuring vertical farms, solar panels and even rainwater collectors. This skyscraper will be surrounded by recreational and service zones on the outer perimeter.
Gyre- A Floating City Concept for Modern Human Civilization:
Contrived by home design studio Zigloo, this enterprising design would incorporate a ‘sky’-scraper, named as the Gyre at a depth of 400m under water. The arduous conception will cover an area of more that 40 football fields with completely self-sufficient working and living zones.
Freedom Ship City concept:
Fundamentally this concept calls for a moving city-vessel in the sea albeit with gargantuan dimensions. This mobile floating behemoth will have a length of 4,500 feet, a width of 750 feet, and a height of 350 feet. The city will feature ostentatious living conditions, a duty free shopping mall and a commercial zone encompassing an area of more than 1.7 million sq ft!
Water-scraper – A Self-Sufficient City at Sea:
Brilliantly conceived by Sarly Adre Bin Sarkum as a self-sufficient under water city, the Water-scraper epitomizes the very evolutionary end result of green technology. The city will generate its own electricity by using wave, wind, solar power and even kinetic energy. Moreover there will be farms, a small forestland along with well defined quarters for working and living of people.
Floating City Concept by Ahearn Schopfer Architects:
Designed by Ahearn Schopfer Architects and located in New Orleans, this impressiveconception is a perfect ‘floating’ amalgamation of residential and commercial zone. The grandiose design features 20,000 housing units at an average of 1,100 sq ft, three hotels, 1,500 time-share units and 500,000 sq ft of retail space. Also included are three casinos, 500,000 sq ft of commercial condominiums, parking for 8,000 cars, a school, 100,000 sq ft of cultural facilities and a 20,000 sq ft health facility.
