The floating ecopolis, could this work?

[LLR]

Now this is a strange bit o news I came across today.

Source

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The concept may be radical, but it might just have to be if the worst predictions of climate change are realized.



 The Lilypad, a floating ecopolis for climatic refugees, is the creation of Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut.

"It is" he says, "a true amphibian, half aquatic and half terrestrial city, able to accommodate 50,000 inhabitants and inviting biodiversity".

Callebaut imagines his structure at 250 times the scale of a lilypad, with a skin made of polyester fibres coated in titanium dioxide which would react with ultraviolet light and absorb atmospheric pollution.

The Lilypad comprises of three marinas and three mountain regions with streets and structures strewn with foliage. "The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature," said Callebaut.

With a central fresh water lagoon acting as ballast, the whole construction would be carbon neutral utilizing solar, thermal, wind, hydraulic, tidal and osmotic energies.

With high density populations living in low-lying areas -- The Netherlands, Polynesia, Bangladesh -- the ecopolis, its creator believes, could be the answer to mass human displacement that global warming is predicted to cause.

In its most recent 2007 report the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted sea levels will rise by 60-90 cm during this century. Some climate scientists like James Hansen think that if greenhouse gas emissions aren't checked then those figures might be much, much worse.
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In practice, Callebaut envisages the Lilypad sailing the seas, following currents like a futuristic cruise ship. He also thinks that it could "widen sustainability in offshore territories of the most developed countries such as Monaco".

You can't help thinking that the well-heeled residents of the Principality might have a thing or two to say about 50,000 climatic refugees bobbing around in the harbour, but you cannot fault Callebaut's ambition.

His previous creations -- showcased on his website -- reveal an imagination working at full throttle with sustainable design lying at its heart.
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Anti-Smog -- a prototype of depolluting architecture and Ecomic -- an ecotower rising up from the foundations of Aztec ruins are two further examples of his eco design credentials. The Perfumed Jungle, Fields in Fields and The Fractured Monolith may sound like titles for various genres of novel but are, in fact, names for sustainable projects in Callebaut's growing portfolio.

A totally self sustainable city, getting all its energy from the world (wind and hydro power) and solar.  An amazing idea.  Also this would solve over crowding issues in citys.  Heres some pix..
















What do you all think?  good idea or bad idea?

[Witless]

How much would a sucker like that cost?

[LLR]

I would imagine about the cost of building a city.....      Those things are huge.  But if one was ever built and it worked the way it was suppose to..  I would guess it would pay off in the long run by it using free energy and being self sustainable.  Maybe?  If it wasn't for the cost of building the huge thing..  Reminds me of those Final Fantasy 8 Gardens.  Neat idea anyway! 

[Witless]

I would imagine about the cost of building a city.....      Those things are huge.  But if one was ever built and it worked the way it was suppose to..  I would guess it would pay off in the long run by it using free energy and being self sustainable.  Maybe?  If it wasn't for the cost of building the huge thing..  Reminds me of those Final Fantasy 8 Gardens.  Neat idea anyway! 

Indeed. But like everything else, it's a good idea, but our generation will never see the day of light of those things. ( sadly ).

[Negoogunogumbar]

I think the engineering and cost can be overcome eventually, even if it takes a long time to do so. The problem with a self-sustaining super city is that it has to be self-sustaining. Energy probably won't be a problem but you do need to feed people. Can one of these things really grow enough crops for everyone in the city? Will there be jobs and factories?

Most importantly, will people actually be able to stand live there? Is there enough room for people and can they stand living in some Rapture-esque city or will they feel trapped and want to leave?

[Fairy penguin]

So these things are supposed to have plants all over the place to fix polution? Why not just do that in a city thats already built? I believe people could live there easily. People alerady go on planned routes every day to work, usually in a small place. Those cities looked big enough for that. I think many people would like the simulated mountains and forests. It would offer something more alive than normal cities whih is quite nice. Food could be imported easily seeing as they look so close to large cities anyway. I'd prefer to live in one of these places compared to normal cities, but I doubt its forests (if any) could be like real ones because randomness cannot be simulated.

[Assault on Mind]

It would cost a lot to move and live there so meh looks cool but reminds me of Bioshock too much. But eventually even there it would get over crowded. I say it'd be better to move into space.

[darkscar888]

I think if we our lives were in danger we wouuldnt be worrying about money.

[chibimoon]

Why would our lives be in danger?

The concept is interesting but hardly ideal. As other people have mentioned, sustainability/self-sufficiency is the biggest issue. I imagine it'd be like living on a rig forever, only there'd be forests and other "civilized" aspects of life around instead of just a working rig. Floating around on one of those things for the rest of my life would be horrible if I can't ever get off.

I agree with AoM - move into space if global warming kills this planet or makes it unlivable.

[darkscar888]

Space would be eseier but were would we get food. We would need a protien resequencer or something like that. Sorry im a trek fan.

[Witless]

Floating around on one of those things for the rest of my life would be horrible if I can't ever get off.

I agree with AoM - move into space if global warming kills this planet or makes it unlivable.

But you can't exactly get off a space colony either. I'd rather have a lillypad than a spaceship.

[chibimoon]

But you can't exactly get off a space colony either. I'd rather have a lillypad than a spaceship.

Moving into space doesn't necessarily equate to a space colony. I'm assuming you mean living in spaceships or whatever, just floating through space. Making other planets habitable is one option. It's like Firefly or Star Wars (I can't believe I'm using Star Wars as an example) with many planets being populated and having to fly between them. Instead of flying over oceans to visit a country, you'd be flying through space.

I think this will be a reality in the future. Clearly not in our lifetime, of course, but it's inevitable that sooner or later, Earth will be unlivable and people would have to move into space.

[Link Reborn]

But you can't exactly get off a space colony either. I'd rather have a lillypad than a spaceship.

Moving into space doesn't necessarily equate to a space colony. I'm assuming you mean living in spaceships or whatever, just floating through space. Making other planets habitable is one option. It's like Firefly or Star Wars (I can't believe I'm using Star Wars as an example) with many planets being populated and having to fly between them. Instead of flying over oceans to visit a country, you'd be flying through space.

I think this will be a reality in the future. Clearly not in our lifetime, of course, but it's inevitable that sooner or later, Earth will be unlivable and people would have to move into space.

I think that this would happen eventually, but at the moment, and the FAR future, humans are blowing this global warming thing out of proportion. The furthest a human has ever gone into space was the moon, and that was 40 years ago.

I don't think the human race should waste their time worrying about global warming. I mean, Earth has its heating and cooling cycles, and some of which, we cant even trace back to.

Humans are assuming that like, One crushed ice cube in a pattern of cubed ice cubes is devastating when we don't even know if this is the way things are supposed to work.

The earth has a history in which is far bigger than our minds can imagine. Its not logical to assume and draw conclusions when your concluding with data based on one chocolate chip from an entire cookie of unearthed potential.

[chibimoon]

I think that this would happen eventually, but at the moment, and the FAR future, humans are blowing this global warming thing out of proportion. The furthest a human has ever gone into space was the moon, and that was 40 years ago.

Space travel hasn't been the focus because there isn't a need for it beyond wanting to see what it's like out there. It'd be too late if we leave space exploration to the last minute, when we do need to move into space. It's just like turning to renewable resources for energy - you can't wait until all the oil and gas reserves in the world are completely depleted before starting research into geothermal energy, for instance.

I don't think the human race should waste their time worrying about global warming. I mean, Earth has its heating and cooling cycles, and some of which, we cant even trace back to.

So you don't believe that global warming is occurring? It's not due to Earth's natural cycles, it's due to humans and the crap we've been doing to the environment.

[Link Reborn]

So you don't believe that global warming is occurring? It's not due to Earth's natural cycles, it's due to humans and the crap we've been doing to the environment.

Yes, humans are doing stuff to the environment, but I don't think that it in any way is contributing to global warming.

How do we know that all of these greenhouse gases are the reason for global warming? How do we know for sure that this hasnt happened 400,000 years back and time isn't repeating itself?

We don't.

[chibimoon]

Yes, humans are doing stuff to the environment, but I don't think that it in any way is contributing to global warming.

How do we know that all of these greenhouse gases are the reason for global warming? How do we know for sure that this hasnt happened 400,000 years back and time isn't repeating itself?

We don't.

We don't know for sure, but it's a pretty safe conclusion since global temperatures are the highest since records started. It doesn't matter if it's a cycle; the point is, we ARE contributing to it and we have a social responsibility to try to stop it. Or at least, do something to slow its progress.

Anyway there's another thread somewhere about global warming. I'm not going to talk about it here anymore.

[Link Reborn]

Yes, the thread I created.

Now, to this topic.

I don't think living on a huge lilypad is my idea of spending the rest of my life. I'd rather be on the mainland or at least somewhere thats not remote from the outside world, unless theres dyer consequences if i didn't.

[Korenshei]

I think this is actually a neat idea, but it's just one of those hypothetical ideas that will never garner any major support for one to be built. At least... for now. 20-30 years from now... maybe.

[darkscar888]

Half of the stuff you see in scifi will eventually exist.

example: Star trek had communicators. In the time of the creation of the show there werent even wireless phones yet. People laughed at it. Now look. Most people have cell phones now adays.

So i find it very ignorant to say something isnt possible. It should be more like " inprobable".
The lilypad could very well exist in our future.

[Link Reborn]

To be honest, this reminds me of WALL-E when I took my younger cousins to see it. An entirely environmental energy based home for humans, but except this one isnt in space. Life on opne of these would be depressing. Don't wanna end up fat...but this would only happen if robots did everything for us.