#Industry News
vincent callebaut architectures envisions 3D printed oceanscraper
belgium-born and paris-based archibiotec vincent callebaut is in the research and development stages of a 3D printed oceanscraper called ‘AEQUOREA’.
the futuristic underwater farm is situated at the the rio de janeiro shore and aims to find sustainable solutions to climate change by promoting sea life. the project proposes to recycle the ocean plastic pollution and to transform the floating garbage patches into building materials for the naval architecture and engineering.
‘aequorea’ provides a sustainable housing to climate change refugees by creating a new water civilization. the complex is energy self-sufficient, recycles all waste, and fights ocean acidification. the structures continue to self-build through eco-friendly, natural calcification in the same way sea shells do — by fixing the calcium carbonate contained in water to form an external skeleton.
each ‘aequorea’ village can welcome up to 20,000 aquanauts. their main access is on the water surface, through four marinas covered with a mangrove rooted on a floating dome 500 meters in diameter. modular living, co-working spaces, fab labs, recycling plants, science labs, educational hotels, sports fields, aquaponic farms and phyto-purification lagoons stack up layer by layer. the twisting of the towers is ultra-resistant to hydrostatic pressure. its geometry allows it to fight marine whirlpools and thus reduce motion sickness.
there’s no more need for coal, oil, gas or nuclear energy to get light, as it will be produced by bioluminescence thanks to symbiotic organisms that contain luciferin which emits light through oxidation. in order to produce drinking water and fresh water for aquaculture, the OTEC power plant uses the in-depth pressure to counteract the osmotic pressure, and to separate the water from the salt via a semipermeable membrane. as for food, algae, plankton, and mollusks will be grown, rich in minerals, proteins and vitamins.
