In the world of conceptual architecture, building on terra firma seems, well, just a tad passe. But on water? Aha! Now there’s a challenge… Eco-fabulous water houses, green floating hotels and now a sci-fi-tastic water city for 50,000 people that travels nomadically wherever the current takes it…
Whilst the relatively new found obsession with ‘aquatecture’ has resulted in numerous eco-friendly floating houses having been built and successfully inhabited, the floating hotels, villages and cities are mostly just at digital prototype stage.
In an attempt to provide solutions for the millions of predicted future ‘climate change refugees’ flooded out by potentially devastating rising sea levels (could be us in London peeps! and New York, Miami, Mumbai and millions living in developing countries too) these groovy, forward-facing metropolises are not only eco-intelligent, they’re pretty dam cool to look at too…
THE LILYPAD
After some fervent splashing around in his wildest imagination, award-winning Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut presents The Lilypad – a prototype of a totally self-sufficient floating ‘Ecopolis’ able to accommodate 50,000 people.
With a whole host of ecologic merits including renewable energies galore (solar, thermal, photovoltaic, wind energy, hydraulic, tidal power, osmotic energies, phytopurication and biomas) the free-floating structure would sustainably produce more power than it would actually consume, with zero carbon emissions. The result? A harmonious coexistence of the couple Human / Nature.
More info: www.vincent.callebaut.org
SUB-BIOSPHERE 2
Envisioned by conceptual designer Phil Pauley, Sub-Biosphere 2 is a sci-fi fanatic’s wet dream. Literally. This subteranean city from the future has been the fantasy of Pauley for the last 20 years – he’s even written a science fiction trilogy called The Moral Order based on it.
Completely self-sufficient, the 1,105ft aquatic wonderworld has the ability to raise and lower itself from sea level to sea bed and is created from eight ‘bio-dome’ structures housing dwelling pods for 100 people. Like that’s not impressive enough, each pod will incorporate individual eco systems, so no need to rely on air and food from the outside world.
More info: www.philpauley.com
THE FLOATING AEROHOTEL
With a landing strip for zeppelins, docking for boats, restaurants, winter gardens and cafes, The Floating Aerohotel architect Alexander Asadov really has thought of everything.
The space-age looking structure ‘hovers’ above the water, perched up on a combo of spokes and arms (which incidentally has significantly less costs for construction when compared with traditional man-made islands) and has apparently got certain Arab investors excited too. Could we be seeing this hotel for real on the shores of Dubai in the not too distant future?
More info: http://asadov.ru
NOAH’S ARK
Imagining a post-apocalyptic world of storms, tsunamis and war? Fear not, Aleksander Joksimovic and Jelena Nikolic have designed a super-protected, super-sustainable floating city. This nifty piece of aquatecture called Noah’s Ark, is powered by sun, wind and ocean energy, and can house not only the human race, but all species, in a series of terraced rings and deep underwater towers.
Featuring an external wall of 64 meters and residential air-filled bubbles, this island on the sea can withstand all kinds of attack, man-made or natural. Come hell or high water, this duo will have you covered.
More info: www.evolo.us
WATER DISCUS HOTEL
If all this talk of world destruction is cramping your style, take a look at this sexy beast. The Water Discus Hotel designed by Deep Ocean Technology, is a super-luxe 21-room alien spaceship about to drop anchor in the Indian Ocean. Yes, really. The dotted line has been signed and construction is due to start shortly…
It won’t be long before this futuristic oasis will be invaded by sun-worshipers lounge-lizarding on its upper discs, whilst spa-goers descend to the subteranean dreamworld, nodding off amidst the luminous marine life. It gives a whole new meaning to ‘sleeping with the fishes’.∎
More info: www.deep-ocean-technology.com
