Futuristic concept sees humans living in mini floating cities in the Pacific
November 12th, 2010 - 6:48 pm ICT by ANILondon, Nov 12 (ANI): A Japanese technology firm has come up with a concept that sees humans in the future living in giant skyscrapers on floating water lilies in the middle of the Pacific.
Technology firm Shimizu came up with the new concept, which has been designed as a way of harnessing green technologies and creating carbon-neutral cities, the Daily Mail reported.
The Green Float concept involves a number of cells, each one kilometre wide, and will house between 10,000 and 50,000 people, surrounded by lush green fields.
The central towers would be surrounded by grassland and forests and be self-sufficient in terms of food, while livestock and other farming would take place in “plains” also surrounding the tower - all built on a lattice of 7,000-tonne honeycomb pontoons.
The towers would be built from super-light alloys with the metal deriving from magnesium in seawater.
The imaginative plan is designed to create a future carbon-neutral society and the Shimizu developers claim that living on cells in this way would cut carbon emissions by 40 percent.
The cells would create zero waste and recycle every product and covert waste into energy using new green technologies. Islands of waste would drift around the ocean and could be ‘harvested’ to provide energy
Each group of cells would be near the equator where the climate is at its most stable and a range of technologies would be used to protect the floating cities from tidal waves and extreme weather.
To protect the inhabitants from large waves, strong elastic membranes would be attached to the lagoons around the outer edge of the cells, with the shallows above the membranes standing 30 feet above sea level.
Lightning rods would be fitted around the circumference of the towers and mesh lightning conductors will be placed on the exterior walls to protect against lightning strikes.
Shimizu wants to develop the first cells by 2025 and is concentrating on developing the technologies to make it happen.
The concept was displayed at a recent Japanese university conference. (ANI)
- Humans could live on floating mini cities in future - Nov 12, 2010
- Waste water can generate electricity - Mar 04, 2012
- Floating golf course in Maldives to counter threat of global warming - Mar 12, 2010
- Taiwanese tech-tree skyscraper complete with floating 'leaf' observatories - Nov 20, 2010
- Policy makers should rethink renewable energy strategy, say scientists - Feb 12, 2010
- Energy technologies are not enough to reduce carbon emissions: Expert - Sep 10, 2010
- Costa Rica eyes tie-up with India in green tech, aerospace - Oct 19, 2010
- Rubbish to provide green fuel for planes by 2014 - Feb 16, 2010
- Pressure-cooking algae into a better biofuel - Apr 23, 2010
- Now, foam car that can float on water - Jul 27, 2010
- Indian innovator harnesses sea waves for power - Jan 10, 2012
- Soon, vaccinations at the speed of light - courtesy lasers - Jul 30, 2010
- Be ready for future challenges, Kalam tells IIT graduates - May 25, 2012
- Edible bottles could replace plastic waste - Feb 23, 2012
- Cellular operators to draft emission cut plan in three months - Jun 11, 2011
Tags: carbon emissions, daily mail, exterior walls, extreme weather, feet above sea level, future living, futuristic concept, japanese technology, light alloys, lightning conductors, lightning rods, lightning strikes, outer edge, pacific technology, shallows, shimizu, technology firm, tidal waves, water lilies, zero waste