Gaby
As the global sea level continues to rise, humanity is being forced to seek out unexpected places to call home.
The concept for the latest floating city comes from the Italian studio Luca Curci Architects and Canadian designer Tim Fu, who works at London-based Zaha Hadid Architects.
With the support of artificial intelligence, an international team of designers has visualized an eco-friendly project for a sustainable city designed to accommodate 50,000 residents. If necessary, it can be expanded to house over 200,000 people.
According to the developers, the project responds to the looming threat of a global climate crisis, as reported by the New York Post. It was created to help coastal cities adapt to the consequences of global warming, particularly those that are most vulnerable to rising sea levels. Among the cities named by the team are New York, Miami, New Orleans, Jakarta, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Currently, the project does not have a specific geographic location.
What the Floating City Will Offer
The 3D visualization showcases sleek white structures, curved lines, whimsical spheres with translucent roofs, and mesh-like frameworks. But the city promises more than just looks. The most important aspect is that it is entirely eco-friendly.
In this city, harmful emissions will be reduced to zero. Various forms of renewable energy will be harnessed alongside technology for energy storage. Systems for desalinating water and producing food using zero-waste methods will also be implemented.
According to the Luca Curci Architects website, the floating city will cover more than 10 hectares and consist of interconnected platforms. Buildings will be wrapped in a photovoltaic glass membrane, which will generate electricity for the city’s independent power system. Transportation will also be completely eco-friendly.
The platforms will house offices, shops, medical and educational institutions, as well as spiritual and cultural centers. The floating city will feature plenty of green spaces and vertical gardens. Tourism and related infrastructure will be actively developed, including hotels and facilities for wellness, sports, and entertainment.
The city will be accessible by both sea and air, with docks for boats and helipads for helicopters.
The Rationale Behind Its Relevance
As architects have noted, currently half of the Earth’s population (four billion people) lives in cities. By 2030, this number is expected to reach five billion. Although cities occupy only three percent of the Earth’s land, they account for about 80 percent of energy consumption and carbon emissions. Scientists predict that by 2100, the global sea level will rise by at least 30 centimeters. If emissions are not reduced, it could rise by more than two meters.
The floating city project will be officially presented by the team this November at the “Laboratory of the Future” architecture biennale in Venice.
