FRENCH POLYNESIA — A fully autonomous floating city was once just a libertarian fantasy, but is now just a few years shy of becoming reality.
French Polynesia signed a deal with the Seasteading Institute on Jan. 13, agreeing to host the world’s first floating city, or seastead, in a tropical lagoon within its protected waters, the New York Times reported.
The seastead will be designated as a special economic zone that will develop innovative technologies for solar power, aquaculture, and wind energy.
Design-wise, the floating city will consist of interconnected square and pentagonal platforms made from reinforced concrete. The platforms will have a variety of structures built on them, from residential and commercial, to green spaces; with pricing per square foot reportedly on par with major cities like New York or London.
The project’s initial islands are expected to house a few dozen people, and will cost an estimated combined total of $10 million to $50 million.
With rising sea levels threatening many Pacific islands, seastead advocates believe floating cities may be a solution.
Seasteads are being touted as environmentally friendly and restorative, as the presence of floating communities could also spark recovery for the region’s dying corals by slightly lowering water temperatures in their vicinity.
The Seasteading Institute will have to complete environmental and economic feasibility studies, but construction on the project could start as early as next year.
French Polynesia signed a deal with the Seasteading Institute on Jan. 13, agreeing to host the world’s first floating city, or seastead, in a tropical lagoon within its protected waters, the New York Times reported.
The seastead will be designated as a special economic zone that will develop innovative technologies for solar power, aquaculture, and wind energy.
Design-wise, the floating city will consist of interconnected square and pentagonal platforms made from reinforced concrete. The platforms will have a variety of structures built on them, from residential and commercial, to green spaces; with pricing per square foot reportedly on par with major cities like New York or London.
The project’s initial islands are expected to house a few dozen people, and will cost an estimated combined total of $10 million to $50 million.
With rising sea levels threatening many Pacific islands, seastead advocates believe floating cities may be a solution.
Seasteads are being touted as environmentally friendly and restorative, as the presence of floating communities could also spark recovery for the region’s dying corals by slightly lowering water temperatures in their vicinity.
The Seasteading Institute will have to complete environmental and economic feasibility studies, but construction on the project could start as early as next year.
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