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Lilypad City Floating Island Concept
Lilypad City is a concept design of a permanent refuge for those who have lost their homes to the rise in ocean levels caused by global warming.
(Lilypad City)
Renewable energy sources would provide power in the central hub, including wind turbines and solar panels; the lake at the center is purified collected rainwater.
The design was created by award-winning Belgian architect Vincent Callebau.
Mr Callebaut said: 'The design of the city is inspired by the shape of the great Amazonia Victoria Regia lilypad. Some countries spend billions of pounds working on making their beaches and dams bigger and stronger.'But the lilypad project is actually a long-term solution to the problem of the water rising.'
'It's an amphibious city without any roads or any cars. The whole city is covered by plants housed in suspended gardens.
'The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.'
Science fiction fans have seen this future before. In his novel Saturn's Race, published in 2000, author Larry Niven writes about floating islands.
Readers may also recall the 1995 film Waterworld. The film is set an unspecified number of years into a future in which the polar caps have melted. Rather than wait, and be stuck with jerry-rigged floating cities like the one pictured below, maybe we should work on a nicer Lilypad City.
(Waterworld)
Take a look at a dramatic view of the Lilypad Cities next to a coastline. Via Ddaily Mail; thanks to Moira for pointing this one out.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 7/6/2008)
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