While Elon Musk dreams of building a city on Mars for Earth’s settlers, the Japanese architectural firm N-Ark prefers to explore the ocean right here on Earth. This innovative startup is proposing the creation of floating cities to help humanity survive the ongoing climate crisis.
Japanese architects believe that with modern innovations, the ocean can be transformed into a new economic zone resilient to climate change. N-Ark plans to focus specifically on developing technologies for living in oceanic environments.
Innovative City in the Middle of the Ocean
Currently, N-Ark’s flagship project is the massive floating city called Dogen. It will have a diameter of 1.58 kilometers and stretch nearly 4 kilometers in circumference. Dogen City will be able to accommodate up to 40,000 people, with 10,000 of them being permanent residents of the floating metropolis.
According to the project’s founders, the innovative city in the ocean will be completely autonomous from its surrounding environment. It will house tourist and medical facilities, and even space rockets.
Dogen City will be designed to quickly adapt to climate changes. It will withstand any rise in sea levels and provide electricity, food, and water for up to 40,000 residents.
The circular design of the project will enable the floating city to withstand harsh weather conditions and even tsunamis. However, the developers of Dogen City have not yet provided additional information on how they plan to protect against natural disasters.
What Will Dogen Floating City Look Like?
It is known that the project will be divided into three distinct zones. There will be a so-called inhabited ring, which will contain the main residential area. The shape of this part of the city will resemble a vessel, enhancing its protection against tsunamis.
Additionally, there will be a data processing center. This facility is planned to house city management and medical research facilities. The data center will be naturally cooled by the sea, which will help reduce energy consumption.
The third separate zone will feature floating islands that can freely move within the internal artificial bay: the ring structure of the bay will protect the floating constructions.
Infrastructure of the Future Floating City
The Dogen project by N-Ark includes green spaces and food production facilities. Furthermore, this floating city will feature schools, sports fields, hospitals, parks, stadiums, hotels, offices, and even a launch and landing pad for rockets.
Dogen City will have a network of electric vehicles and autonomous drones to minimize traffic congestion and reduce carbon emissions. The project envisions an efficient infrastructure with smart transportation systems and intelligent power grids.
Significant attention will be given to the health care of the floating city’s residents. They will have access to telemedicine consultations and robotic surgery.
N-Ark estimates that residents of Dogen City will consume about 2 million liters of water per year. Additionally, they project that the residents of this future floating city will generate 3,288 tons of waste annually. Dogen will produce nearly 7,000 tons of food and 22,265,000 kWh of electricity.
Meeting all these needs is undoubtedly a complex challenge. The company has not yet disclosed the details of the project’s implementation. However, the visualizations presented to the public showcase numerous solar panels and facilities for food cultivation.
A Future That Is Already Close
N-Ark believes that this innovative floating city will have a significant social impact. Dogen City will be able to respond to natural disasters, improve the marine environment, and provide shelter for climate refugees.
Moreover, this project will also have an economic impact. For instance, innovative architectural technologies could complement traditional shipping.
According to Newatlas, there is currently no information on where exactly Dogen Floating City will be located. The budget for this innovative architectural project has also not been disclosed. However, N-Ark anticipates that it will be completed by 2030.
As for the likelihood of the Dogen project being realized, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions. However, in a world where change is constant and modern technologies are evolving rapidly, the possibility of an incredible floating city emerging in the ocean cannot be ruled out.