Dutch ​Engineers ​Design 'Floating Mega-​Cities' To ​Fight Rising ​Sea Levels ​

Dutch engineers from the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) have unveiled their new concept of floating mega-islands.

In the decades to come, they hope these islands could reach up to 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in area, stationing a city-sized settlement of homes, farms, parks, recreational areas, and ports. It would also be extremely helpful for sustainable energy projects that require access to the sea, such as offshore wind farms, tidal energy, wave energy, floating solar panels etc. 

MARIN has created a prototype of the design out of 87 large floating triangles made out of wood and polystyrene that are connected to each other.

Just as they would in the real-world, these triangles are tethered to the floor below. In a bid to entice investors this week, they tested it out in a water tank, complete with simulated wind and waves.

"In a time of rising sea levels, overpopulated cities, and an increasing number of activities at sea, raising dikes and spraying of sand may not be the most effective solution. Floating ports and cities are an innovative alternative that fits the Dutch maritime tradition," Olaf Waals, project manager and designer of the concept at MARIN

Read more: IFL Science

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• Technology
• Integrated Urban Water Management
• Flood Management
• Climate Change
• Urban Water
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Climate Change Resilience
• Urban Resource Management
• Urban Water Supply
• Infrastructure
• Urban Water Infrastructure
• Flood management
• Flood damage
• Flood Risk Management