AT Design Office Shares Images of a 10km2 Floating City on the Sea.
The design firm AT Design Office first introduced its plan for a floating city in 2015, intended to be located in the Dawan District of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, Sun reported on December 3rd. According to the design, the city will feature a precast concrete pillar measuring 150 meters long and 30 meters wide. Due to its distance from the mainland, the city will have a port for large passenger ships, a marina, and docking facilities for civilian submarines. Highways above and below the water will connect various sections of the floating city.
The floating city will be constructed from precast modules. (Image: AT Design Office).
AT Design Office, with headquarters in the UK and China, designed the 10km2 floating city in collaboration with the Chinese construction company CCCC-FHDI. CCCC-FHDI has previously utilized similar technology to build a 50km bridge connecting Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau. Part of the bridge includes an underwater tunnel, connecting to a 150-meter long precast concrete pillar, according to architect Slavomir Siska. The pillar is cast on a nearby island and floats to the construction site before being connected. Siska is working with engineers to plan the floating city using similar technology.
The initial design proposal for the floating city includes a series of interconnected hexagonal modules to create the largest floating structure ever built. In addition to a transportation network comprising ferries and submarines, the city will also feature a floating hotel and entertainment complex. The architects’ vision is to create a largely self-sufficient city with farms, fish cages, and waste collection facilities, enabling food production while sustainably managing waste.
The modules will be precast in a factory before floating out to sea. The design team promises to create two “public green belts” for sports and recreation, one above and one below the water. Natural ventilation and light will be provided through chimneys in the central vertical garden of the city. According to AT Design Office, the design aims to positively impact society and the economy by meeting long-term infrastructure needs and promoting sustainable development, while also offering new opportunities in education, recreation, employment, and business. However, the company has not disclosed when the project will commence or be completed.
With rising sea levels, many countries are planning to build floating cities to address risks in low-lying areas. For example, the Maldives has introduced plans for a floating city in the Indian Ocean, with a capacity for 5,000 homes. Located just a 15-minute drive from the capital, Male, this city could accommodate 20,000 people along with space for hotels, bars, and souvenir shops.
