Quartz reports that underwater habitat architect Jacques Rougerie has unveiled a bold concept for a floating city that can house up to 7,000 people.
The vessel, dubbed “City of Mériens,” takes the form of a manta ray and is designed to be completely self-sustaining, run on marine energy, and produce no waste. ("Mériens" is a word Rougerie created to mean "people of the sea.")
Most of the inhabitants will be scientists and students studying the ocean, and they'll be able to use the facility's laboratories, classrooms, living quarters, and leisure activity space. The City of Mériens will be 3,000 x 1,600 feet.
This isn't the first roving laboratory designed by Rougerie. His SeaOrbiter ship is currently under construction. The first section of the vessel was completed in May 2015. Microsoft and National Geographic are among the project's financial partners.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Aug 22, 2022
Top 200 Contractors for 2022
Turner Construction, STO Building Group, Whiting-Turner, and DPR Construction top the ranking of the nation's largest general contractors, CM at risk firms, and design-builders for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 22, 2022
Top 45 Engineering Architecture Firms for 2022
Jacobs, AECOM, WSP, and Burns & McDonnell top the rankings of the nation's largest engineering architecture (EA) firms for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 22, 2022
Top 80 Engineering Firms for 2022
Kimley-Horn, Tetra Tech, Langan, and NV5 head the rankings of the nation's largest engineering firms for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 19, 2022
2022 Giants 400 Report: Tracking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
Now 46 years running, Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report rankings the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. This year a record 519 AEC firms participated in BD+C's Giants 400 report. The final report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Industrial Facilities | Jul 26, 2022
As industrial sector sizzles, investors watch impact of inflation and interest rates
Demand continues to top supply, especially on the coasts, according to latest CommercialEdge report.
Urban Planning | Jul 19, 2022
The EV charger station market is appealing to investors and developers, large and small
The latest entry, The StackCharge, is designed to make recharging time seem shorter.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 21, 2022
Two birds, one solution: Can we solve urban last-mile distribution and housing challenges at the same time?
When it comes to the development of both multifamily housing and last-mile distribution centers, particularly in metropolitan environments, each presents its own series of challenges and hurdles. One solution: single-use structures.
Industrial Facilities | Jun 17, 2022
A new Innovation Center in Wyoming focuses on finding sustainable ways to use coal
The 10-acre site is part of the area’s R&D push.
Self-Storage Facilities | May 19, 2022
A steady increase in new self-storage space is meeting growing need in large metros and their suburbs
Rent Café’s study projects a 9 percent bump in the nation’s existing inventory.
Adaptive Reuse | May 18, 2022
An auto plant in Detroit to get a retread as mixed-use housing
Fisher 21 Lofts could be the largest minority-led redevelopment in the city’s history.
