Quartz reports that underwater habitat architect Jacques Rougerie has unveiled a bold concept for a floating city that can house up to 7,000 people.
The vessel, dubbed “City of Mériens,” takes the form of a manta ray and is designed to be completely self-sustaining, run on marine energy, and produce no waste. ("Mériens" is a word Rougerie created to mean "people of the sea.")
Most of the inhabitants will be scientists and students studying the ocean, and they'll be able to use the facility's laboratories, classrooms, living quarters, and leisure activity space. The City of Mériens will be 3,000 x 1,600 feet.
This isn't the first roving laboratory designed by Rougerie. His SeaOrbiter ship is currently under construction. The first section of the vessel was completed in May 2015. Microsoft and National Geographic are among the project's financial partners.
Related Stories
Industrial Facilities | Aug 18, 2015
BIG crowdfunds steam ring prototype for Amager Bakke power plant project
The unusual power plant/ski slope project in Copenhagen will feature a smokestack that will release a ring-shaped puff for every ton of CO2 emitted.
Sponsored | Industrial Facilities | Aug 17, 2015
California wastewater agency wins with radiant technology
The Big Bear Area Regional Wstewater Agency tried several different methods to dry the sludge with only marginal success, so they decided to devise a new system that would be more effective, more efficient and would reduce the odor complaints.
Contractors | Jul 29, 2015
Consensus Construction Forecast: Double-digit growth expected for commercial sector in 2015, 2016
Despite the adverse weather conditions that curtailed design and construction activity in the first quarter of the year, the overall construction market has performed extremely well to date, according to AIA's latest Consensus Construction Forecast.
University Buildings | Jul 21, 2015
Maker spaces: Designing places to test, break, and rebuild
Gensler's Kenneth Fisher and Keller Roughton highlight recent maker space projects at MIT and the University of Nebraska that provide just the right mix of equipment, tools, spaces, and disciplines to spark innovation.
Architects | Jul 20, 2015
New York design competition looks to shed the sidewalk shed
New York, which has nearly 200 total miles of sidewalk sheds, is seeking a concept that is practical but that also looks good.
Industrial Facilities | Jul 14, 2015
Tesla may seek to double size of Gigafactory in Nevada
Tesla Motors purchased an additional 1,200 acres next to the Gigafactory and is looking to buy an additional 350 acres.
Industrial Facilities | Jul 10, 2015
Multi-million dollar vertical farm project breaks ground in Newark, N.J.
The vertical farm by commercial grower AeroFarms will be the world’s largest indoor vertical farm.
Green | Jul 7, 2015
Philips sheds new light on growing fresh food indoors
A research center in The Netherlands is testing the latest techniques in urban farming.
Industrial Facilities | Jun 26, 2015
Google to convert an Alabama coal-burning plant to a data center running on clean energy
The $600 million conversion project will be Google's 14th data center globally, but the first it has committed to in eight years.
Industrial Facilities | Jun 24, 2015
5 trends that will shape the future of scientific labs
Scientific research is increasingly focusing on data collection and analytical analysis of that data, meaning the "lab of the future" will more closely resemble contemporary tech spaces, writes Gensler’s Erik Lustgarten.
