A joint Anglo-Italian architectural project has produced a concept of a ‘floating city’ – a collective of orb-shaped houses that would supposedly house up to 50,000 people in case global warming leads to massive flooding.
The concept was developed by an international team of architects and designers led by the Italian firm Luca Curci Architects and the British Tim Fu Design, who came together to design an eco-friendly village that adapts to future requirements. climatic.
Computer-generated images have revealed that the imagined design of the city is akin to the 2013 dystopian sci-fi film Elysium starring Matt Damon.
The city remains squarely in the virtual realm, at least for now.
But the architectural firms plan to present the developed plans of their eco-creation at this year’s Biennale Architettura – a world-renowned architecture festival and exhibition in Venice.
The concept was developed by an international team of architects and designers led by Italian firm Luca Curci Architects and UK firm Tim Fu Design.
The buildings are interconnected by a network of footbridges and green spaces
The designs show a range of different structures and houses of varying size, but all have minimalist yet luxurious interiors.
The designs of the floating city concepts are shown in these images provided by Luca Curci Architects and Tim Fu Design
The concept illustration of the floating city shows a network of smooth white structures interconnected by a series of curved streets radiating from the city center.
The futuristic, neutral aesthetic of the city’s buildings is dotted with lush green spaces, while in one design, a lush forest runs along the perimeter of the city.
The photos also show a mix of tall and low houses that offer spacious living with glamorous interior design.
Architects Luca Curci released a statement regarding the release of their design, created in response to the “threat of climate change”.
“The Floating City is designed to support the global response to the threat of climate change. Floating cities will shape our future.
The company added: “The sustainable city allows its inhabitants to adopt a healthier way of life, in connection with the natural elements, by rethinking the traditional concept of community and society.
The future community will include a total of 25 acres of interconnected platforms and various neighborhoods, said Luca Curci.
Each section will contain a mix of high-rise and low-rise buildings surrounded by a membrane of photovoltaic glasses that will supply electricity to the entire floating system, making it energy self-sufficient.
Photos show a mix of tall and low houses that offer spacious living with glamorous interior design
The futuristic, neutral aesthetic of the city’s buildings is dotted with lush green spaces, while in one design, a lush forest runs along the perimeter of the city
The future community will include a total of 25 acres of interconnected platforms and various neighborhoods, said Luca Curci.
“The Floating City is designed to support the global response to the threat of climate change. Floating cities will shape our future,” said Luca Curci Architects
It is difficult to pinpoint when the first floating city was conceived, as the concept has probably been around for centuries, especially in coastal communities where people have always looked for ways to adapt to rising waters.
However, in recent years there have been various proposals and designs for floating cities, with the aim of meeting the challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels.
One of the most notable floating city concepts was proposed in 2021 by OCEANIX, which received UN funding to build a network of interconnected platforms with enough living space to house 12,000 people in the city of Busan, South Korea.
Construction of OCEANIX Busan is estimated at $200m (£150m) and is expected to be completed by 2025.
“We are on track to deliver OCEANIX Busan and demonstrate that floating infrastructure can create new land for coastal cities looking for sustainable ways to expand on the ocean, while adapting to elevation. sea level,” Philipp Hofmann, CEO of OCEANIX, said last year.
The idea of a floating city may sound like a concept from the latest sci-fi blockbuster. But it should become a reality in Busan, South Korea, where UN-backed scientists are building the world’s first prototype floating city
The project, called OCEANIX, was announced in 2021, but new design images have now been unveiled. They show how the interconnected platforms will cover a total of 15.5 acres, with enough space to accommodate 12,000 people
The project aims to help people living in coastal areas, whose communities are at risk of being decimated by rising sea levels.
According to OCEANIX, two out of five people in the world live less than 100 km from a coastline.
“The OCEANIX Modular Maritime District will be a prototype for sustainable and resilient cities,” said Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director of BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, which is one of the project’s lead architects.
“As the first manifestation of this new form of waterborne urban planning, OCEANIX Busan will extend the city’s unique character and culture from the drylands to the water that surrounds it.
“We believe OCEANIX’s floating platforms can be scaled up to serve as foundations for future resilient communities in the most vulnerable coastal areas on the front lines of climate change.”
The floating city will be located on a beautiful blue lagoon and formed by 15.5 acres of interconnected platforms, connected by bridges.
The city will be divided into different districts – including the residential, research and accommodation quarters – covered in low-rise buildings.
All structures built in the city will be kept below seven stories to create a low center of gravity and resist wind, according to OCEANIX.
