It sounds like something out of a sci-fi paperback: climate change has wreaked havoc on the planet, and a community’s only hope of survival is to build a floating utopia. And in a way, that’s what’s taking shape. “Maldivians will go from climate refugees to climate innovators,” Koen Olthuis, founder of the architecture firm Waterstudio, told CNN. Waterstudio had designed about 300 floating homes, workspaces, hospitals, and schools before taking on the currently-nameless Maldives project.
But the idea for the floating city was born more from necessity than anything else. Most of the 1,190 islands’ land area sits just a few feet above sea level. Researchers believe that by the end of the century, most of the islands will be underwater. While this particular city will “only” house about 20,000 people (about one twenty-fifth of the Maldives’ population), it will act as a proof-of-concept for what could become an entire floating country.
(Photo: Dutch Docklands)
The city will include 5,000 floating buildings. These will include colorful homes, shops, restaurants, and schools, all connected by canals. Residents will be able to use the canals to hop between branches of the city by boat (though the city will be interconnected, meaning walking and biking will still be options). Most of the city’s power will be solar-generated, and the buildings’ temperature will be regulated via deep water sea cooling rather than air conditioning. Sewage will undergo local treatment to be used as plant fertilizer.
Environmental solutions have the unfortunate tendency to beget new environmental problems—a puzzle reportedly pre-considered by the city’s planners. Coral researchers and government authorities measured the potential impact on marine life during the initial development phase. The underside of the floating city will feature artificial coral banks made of glass foam, which are said to help stimulate natural coral growth. The city’s new utility infrastructure will ideally help reduce carbon emissions as well.
The developers of the floating city plan on unveiling the first finished housing units later this month. Residents will be allowed to move in as early as 2024, with total project completion slated for 2027.
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