According to the less alarming forecasts of the GIEC (Intergovernmental group on the evolution of the climate), the ocean level should rise from 20 to 90 cm during the 21st Century with a status quo by 50 cm (versus 10 cm in the 20th Century). As a solution to this alarming problem architect Vincent Callebaut came up with this ecotectural marvel. He called this project “Lilypad“, but this ecotectural marvel is also called as “Floating Ecopolis for Climate Refugees”. The idea of Lilypad Project is to create a series of floating self-sufficient ocean-going eco-city islands. Each one would be able to house 50,000 residents and would support a great deal of biodiversity. Collecting pools located in their centers would gather and filter water for use on board. These would be places for adventurers and refugees alike as water levels rise around the world and threaten many, particularly island, habitats. Vincent Callebaut hopes that Lilypad will make the transition from design to reality around the year 2100.
The main deck with three marinas, the submarine performing arts center and the gardens of phytopurification.
The three mountains are ecological niches, aquaculture fields and biologic corridors.
The floating structure in “branches” of the Ecopolis inspired of the highly ribbed leave of the giant lilypad of Amazonia Victoria Regia.
Entirely autosufficient, Lilypad takes up the four main challenges launched by the OECD in March 2008 : climate. biodiversity, water and health.
Aerial view of the Principality of Monaco.
Night view of the Lilypads from Monte-Carlo.
20 comments
These pictures remind me of fairy tales 🙂 They are lovely. Though I cannot imagine how one can live there. Or am I missing something? I have read some interesting essays on this topic provided by superiorpapers.com but being able to see them in pictures is completely different. Wonderful.
And NoW THE PROBLem… * earth floods * Milions of people need to get on that Lilypad. only 50.000 Residents a lilypad. >:D
It kind of looks like something out of AVATAR. Pretty darn cool
IM BUILDING THIS IN MINECRAFT
please let me know about the evacuation system in case of any calamities…
awesome!!! i had seen many projects but this is one of the
best projects i have ever seen……….
i wish,i could work with him :/
Very resort-ish. I wonder the level of unmet sociological expectations of the inhabitants. They will be required to be part of a floating crew of sorts. I doubt there will be as much freedom aboard as it appears. Except for primarily utilitarian use, the marinas will be superfluous unless there is an oligarchy of privileged leadership who will be able to make use of them for their leisure. Except that maybe only the wealthiest could afford to live aboard them depending on if they are private endeavors or run by land-based governments who have natural resources elsewhere to support the material needs (replacement parts, for example, or fuel for various watercraft and powerplants for the facility). The airspace doesn’t seem large enough to take in enough sunlight for the layers of agricultural, power and health requirements for all on board.
So, nice concept, but I’m skeptical of its self-sustaining viability and ultimate desirability. Most would find it more economical and desirable to head for the hills if the oceans swelled like some say they will.
I just love these pictures. I wish they could start building them now. They beat cruise liners by far.
Not sure how popular these will be. I can see it happening way in the future, as they are just little islands… but the cost for energy will be high and expensive and growing communities are going to need necessities like grocery stores, fuel, etc. It’s a really awesome idea though. I’m sure they are making it better.
These building look so eco cool. I want to live in one how. No i want to have my own one now!!
where do you get the energy to power these things or the water and food for the inhabitants?
as you can see on the images above, there are lot of wind turbines around, i saw solar panels too. maybe they’ll be using water energy too and convert it into energy. hydroelectricity!
Very cool.
Nice idea we may need to build tons of these so we have more areas to plant trees.
So, how would these fair in a severe storm… say, a hurricane?
Lilypad nice design man stumble deserve it
Beautiful designs, I just hope they’re ecofriendly.
I think that, the lilly pads were sent by aliens
What’s up with the Mercedes symbols all over the lilypads?
they are actually WIND TURBINES! forget those MB symbols whatever!