Aquatecture

Posted by Big Gav in green buildings

Utopian green building fantasy of the week from Inhabitat is this floating city design - The Floating Aerohotel: A Modern Aquatecture Marvel. I find it hard to imagine them ever getting built, but then again, the man-made islands off Dubai always seemed like a fantasy too.

As fears of global warming induced population displacement are steadily realized, the allure of waterborne aquatecture becomes more and more enticing. Designed by Alexander Asadov, this incredible floating Aerohotel features a lighter-than-air aesthetic that sits serenely atop an elegant system of supports. Conceived as an elevated aquatic structure replete with hanging gardens, the space-age floating island preserves the entire extent of the ecosystem beneath it, contrasting with man-made islands that disrupt their immediate environment with tons of gravel fill.

2 comments

Anonymous says 10:41 AM

I love this sort of stuff, but just can't imagine it being economically viable. Surely building an eco-city in the desert, like Tim Flannery's "Geothermia" is safer and more economically viable than this? But I'm always glad to see engineers thinking outside of the box, because we never know where lateral thinking will take us in problem solving.

(However, this really is one of those "believe it when I see it" things.)

Phoebe Bright says 4:23 AM

I love these too, especially when they feature an Air Ship!