Floating City - (26/01/2015) CHENNAI - Fast-forward to 2025 and you will find a city that grows and floats just like a lily floating on the water — completely self-sustainable and carbon-negative — called Green Float . Designed by Shimizu Corporation, the Green Float concept involves a number of cells, each walk able and one kilometer wide, that will house between 10,000 and 50,000 people. Each individual cell could float freely or attach to other cells to form larger towns, cities or even countries, spreading out like the water lilies they resemble, not fixed in place but floating slowly on the ocean currents. At the center of each circular cell, a one kilometer high ‘City in the Sky’ skyscraper would house the majority of residents, while additional ‘Waterside’ residential zones comprising low-rise townhouses would be located on the outer edge of the structure’s outer circumference. An area rising 700-1,000 meters above the equator, ‘City in the Sky’ is an energy-conserving compact city that is pleasant and peaceful, with no strong winds and a temperature of about 26-28 degrees throughout the year. The city will be made of light alloys from magnesium in sea water. It is a city that absorbs carbon dioxide like a plant and will be carbon negative. The compact nature of the city itself and efficient transportation systems will result in 40 per cent reduction of carbon dioxide. Energy savings through an increased thermal insulation and next-generation technologies will provide a further 30 per cent reduction. The use of solar power, ocean thermal energy and wind and wave technologies will add to carbon negativity by another 30 per cent. The ocean will also be used for carbon sequestration. The Green Float is a zero waste city with properly laid out recycling resources and converting waste into energy. Any garbage found in oceans will be used to generate energy, thus helping in cleaning the oceans. Green Float is designed as a botanical city, intertwining terrestrial and marine forests — a mix of forests, fields, waterways, reservoirs and grasslands on land outlined with shallows and natural water purification systems around the coastal perimeter. It will be 100 per cent food and water sufficient. Living in the ocean comes with its own dangers. Every 100 meters of height in the tower is segmented for disaster prevention and has its own emergency shelter, thus preventing spread of fire. Due to its location on the equator, it will not see typhoons. But if they do arise, active control vibration dampers will decrease the effects by using sensors currently employed in airports to measure the force of the wind and estimate its influence on buildings. Very strong elastic membranes and 20-30 meter high sea walls are attached to the lagoons at the perimeter to counter any strong waves. Lightning rods and mesh lightning conductors will be installed on the tower. The construction will start on a specially designed light and wave resistant honeycomb deck — the ultra-high-rise tower with ‘Smart’ system float-over deck marine construction, employing the unique properties of marine construction. The idea of living off shore is not new, and neither is the use of renewable energy to create a net zero society, but such a design is new. The design was announced in 2008 and the technological research started in 2010. The research is being supported by 14 universities under the Super Collaborative Graduate School project. Construction will begin 2025.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 00:39:38 +0000
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