Our planet earth is also called the “Blue Planet” due to its inexhaustible water resources. It’s interesting to note that life exists on earth due to availability of water which generates oxygen as a by product, by chemical reactions, which is mandatory to sustain life.
Astronomers are relentlessly studying and exploring other planets with water sources for any traces of life. Mars has however come closer in this direction and might harbor life due to some traces of water found on it. The abundance of water on earth which accounts for about 70% of the total surface area and the rising sea levels have made environmentalist and architects to toy with the idea of designing underwater self sustaining structures if need be.
1. The Neptune Society
Death is a term most of us repel and do not wish to discuss about. Different religions and traditions follow varied procedures such as burial or cremation. The Neptune Society, a cremation company in the U.S. has designed a 16 acre coral reef structure underwater to dispose off the ashes. This structure built along the coast of Miami, Florida boasts of being the largest artificial coral reef in the world. The Neptune Memorial Reef is a well designed structure, with two bronze lions installed at the entrance and many chambers inside, the ash remains are segregated from any harmful materials like mercury, converted in molds and then affixed in one of the “lost city structures” inside the chamber. A bronze plaque is then installed to identify the individual. Divers or relatives of the family are allowed to scuba dive and visit the memorial. This memorial is certified as being ecofriendly, promoting marine life which has seen an increase of about 60% and being devoid of any harmful materials.
2. Sustainable waterscraper resort
A technological marvel and a treat to look at with breathtaking architecture, this self sustainable water resort designed by Orlando De Urrutia Architecture functions by deriving energy from renewal sources such as sunlight, air, and water. The building is lined with glass phovoltaics on one side to absorb sunlight and thus power the structure, while on the other side air is passed through many levels to provide clean drinking water involving a technology called Teex Micron, and it also generates air for ventilation.
3. Sustainable underwater Skyscrapers
Out of a science fiction, this concept put forth by Sarly Adre Bin Sarkum, is indeed a giant leap toward shifting our base from land to sea considering the rising sea levels. The skyscraper will not only generate electricity by utilizing wave, solar, and water energy but also will produce food by aquaculture, farming and hydroponics. Not only this, the structure will generate kinetic energy as well by tethers installed over the ballasts used to keep the system upright.
4. Self sufficient underwater tower
A concept developed by Zigloo, Gyre is another underwater skyscraper utilizing renewal sources of energy such as solar, tidal, and water and making the system self sustainable. Delving at a depth of 400 m, this structure is being touted as a convenient escape from land into the sea with space for restaurants, shops, gardens, and underwater museums. The structure is more like a seafloor scraper with four arms around a glass reinforced vortex.
5. 1000 semi submerged luxury hotels
Designed by the Giancarlo Zema Design Group, the Amphibious resembles a “jellyfish” and culminates the beauty of both the worlds land and sea. Residential buildings, offices, four semi submerged hotels represent land on one hand while the underwater exhibition galleries, interactive museums on marine life and underwater aquarium with glass tunnel represent the water on the other. The structure is indeed a super luxurious ecofriendly marvel.
6. Largest underwater turbine
The first of its kind turbine, designed by Marine Current Turbines is installed in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Narrows. This turbine with twin bidirectional 52 feet wide blades would move irrespective of the direction of the tide to generate electricity from the fierce sea current SeaGen. However, being ecofriendly the speed of the movement of the blades is slow enough to let the aquatic creatures to pass through without causing any harm.
7. Poseideon underwater hotel
It reflects a massive technological brilliance on the island of Fiji. It is a unique hotel with restaurants, bars, dive shops, sports centers boutiques, libraries, theaters, conference rooms, golf course, and private suite with utmost privacy will also provide the delight of being able to feed fishes with the press of a button.
8. Underwater Florida Hotel
Making the headlines for its aesthetics and customer delight is yet another underwater hotel in Florida, the Jules Undersea lodge. The most promising and adventurous feature on offer is that the guests have to scuba dive 21 feet through a lagoon to enter the hotel besides of course the view of underwater flora and fauna through ones room window.
9. Underwater city Australia
Designed by Arup Biomimetics the Syph or the “ocean city” is a cluster of underwater cities that can be built in Australia. Every unit is specialized in a special function such as power generation through renewable energy sources and food production thus forming a part of the city working as a whole.
10. Underwater cities
Some other concepts and ideas on underwater cities and self sustaining structures include, the Hydropolis Hotel of Dubai’s world class and the first of its kind, 220 suite self sustaining hotel with a submarine leisure complex, a water land station and a tunnel connecting the two, was very ambitious for its construction and had to be shelved due to financial crunch.
