Floating city Lilypad for the future

October 12, 20182min read

In addition to the anthropogenic activity the climate of planet Earth is gradually becoming warmer and the water level in the oceans above. However, according to the law of Archimedes and contrary to preconceived theories, even the huge melting of Arctic ice may not affect the ocean as it will not affect the water level in the glass melt in it a piece of ice.

An obvious threat in this sense are ice reservoirs that are not in the water, whose melting and transfer of the accumulated volumes of the ocean will inevitably lead to its increase – the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland and continental glaciers. Another reason for the increase of the ocean level, not related to the ice melting, is the expansion of water molecules under effect of temperature.

According to alarming forecasts of the GIEC (intergovernmental group on the development of the climate) during the 21st century the ocean level should rise from 20 to 90 cm, These changes are overall for the planet will bring little impact, however, will be significant for countries such as Vietnam, Egypt, Bangladesh, Guyana, the Bahamas. The big danger is the rise in water level will play for residents largest coastal cities: new York, Bombay, Calcutta, Shanghai, Miami, Lagos, Abidjan, Djakarta, City Hu Chi Minh city, Alexandria – not less than 250 million potential climate refugees.

Looking to the future, trying to find a solution to the future challenges, the French Studio of design and architecture Vincent Callebaut Architectures has unveiled the incredible and grandiose in concept, the project Lilypad – half underwater, half of the earth, a floating city for 50,000 residents.

Like a flower of the giant water Lily from the Amazon, and named in her honor, the Lilypad is a floating island with three hills rising above the water surface. In the centre is a man-made lagoon, which plays the role of ballast to ensure the sustainability of the city in the ocean.

Marina and underwater garages for submarines. Apartments, offices, shops and entertainment. Autonomous renewable energy sources such as sun, thermal and photovoltaic energy, wind energy, tidal, osmotic energy, biomass processing. A variety of private flora and fauna, fishing and farming, the system of collection and purification of rainwater.

Fully self-sufficient city Lilypad solves four main problems voiced by the Organization for economic cooperation and development (OECD, OECD) in 2008: climate, biodiversity, water and health. However, the main problem towards the implementation of the project, as suggested by the designers Vincent Callebaut Architectures, is not even apparent to the high cost, and not the desire of governments to look so far into the future and recognize the gravity of impending threats.