Floating cities coming?

[Brian G Turner]

French Polynesia is exploring the possibility of small "floating cities" off its coast, as Global Warming threatens to inundate some of its islands:

French Polynesia signs first 'floating city' deal - BBC News

 

[WaylanderToo]

given how much crap we dump into the sea anyway I can't see this being a good idea

 

[Harpo]

Coming Soon

 

[Dave]

Couldn't they just used the one built for the film Waterworld? it wouldn't have cost the whole of the $172 million spent, and I'm sure they could negotiate a knock-down price.

 

[Stable]

Floating cities have been coming for the last 25 years+. I'm still waiting. They feel like fusion power, always just a decade away.

 

[-K2-]

There already were floating cities in Hong Kong and elsewhere called Typhoon Shelters. Though I can only speak from a mid-70's reference, it was as much of an autonomous, independent and unique community as Hak Nam/KowloonWC and elsewhere.

Such places can be wonderful to live IF you accept the culture as is, with all the associated hardships. However, there is a considerable difference between a community that gradually grows out of necessity and one that is built intentionally. I'd expect what they're proposing to be more akin to a 'hippie Dubai' than a close knit community of people working together.

K2

 

[-K2-]

So, there is another (of I'm sure many) articles on this that can be found here: Can a proposed floating city really withstand severe weather? Here are 5 questions with the company's CEO ...and a few little tidbits are perking my ears.

First off, they mention locating these near megacities, of which they claim 9:10 will be coastal cities. They mention bad weather, climate change and 'affordable' housing. Instantly I'm struck with an image of 'The Marching Morons.' Not that low-income individuals are stupid, but, this seems like a great way for the 'elite' to perform their own little 'whoops we forgot about that... hehe' genocide. Consider this;

* Coastal city-- climate change-- sea rise... They're suggesting placing these near desirable/expensive real estate to push out the poor, to make room for a 'better sort' staying in the cities so as inland areas currently owned by the less fortunate become the new coasts, the poor will be relocated to 'brand new, special society and laws' floating slums. Yes, you read that right, slums. If they're relocating the poor there, they won't be palaces.

* Why near? That way the coastal city still has access to a labor force. A labor force that by the way is now 'at will.' Meaning, you work (likely back on shore) or you get kicked out of your home and become homeless... Homeless in the ocean, not on the streets of the city.

* They're speaking about the need for 'new rules/laws' that ONLY the poor now living there must live under. I suspect things like rationing, curfews, power conservation and so on will all apply. On top of that, the citizens will need to OBEY the ruling body, or, out you go... hope you can tread water.

* Last thought of many more I'll mention. They're not speaking about placing these in weather secure harbors. They're talking about just off-shore from these megacities... A 10' wave might grow to a 50' wave or more near shore. It also becomes no longer a nice rolling swell but a wall of water that drops you low first before thrusting you up and then crashing into you before 'flinging' you forward. Climate change is making storms even worse. So, imagine here are say 1,000,000 low income individuals 'relocated' off shore.

Hurricane Florence pushed in a 83' foot wave, Ivan-91'. Floating city-- if firmly anchored, the residents find themselves under 80' of water as the wave scrubs the platforms clean... Whoops! If the anchors can/do come loose, if just a few do it gets flipped over. If they all do, it gets flung a quarter-mile before crashing down... Whoops-whoops.

Unhappy?
No room to spread out?
Can't make enough to compete with the next guy?
Move to VENUS
Where the possibilities are limitless!
Where you are in control.
Wealth, power and fame assured!​

K2

 

[tinkerdan]

Having just watched a segment about how cruise ships are like small cities floating on the ocean--not hard to imagine real floating cities to be in the works.

With all the possible pitfalls one might imagine a forward thinking person naming one 'Gilligan's Island ' and leave it at that.

 

[AlexH]

I was going to mention cruise ships. The biggest can accommodate over 9,000 people and has a slide ten stories high. There are already floating farms, that would traditionally be on land.

 

[BAYLOR]

given how much crap we dump into the sea anyway I can't see this being a good idea

I agree.