Marin Project: Netherlands prepares for sea level rise

Throughout its history, the Netherlands fought with the sea. They built reclamation canals, installed windmills for pumping water, created artificial islands and erected grand dams that could protect the land during storms. But with the constant rise in water level in the oceans, which has been observed over the past century, the inhabitants of this country had to think about the fact that the sea will soon become their home. It is sad, but at the current rate of sea level rise, the Netherlands will have to say goodbye to part of its territory. Just in this case, engineers and offer to build a floating city Marin.

The future city on the water will consist of separate fragments that can be collected in random order. The project involves the placement on floating platforms of not only residential buildings, but also all other urban buildings - from office buildings to supermarkets and sports complexes. Universal segments of the same type can dock with each other in any order and in a free configuration. In addition to convenience during assembly, this design will ensure the safety of the inhabitants of the floating island. Despite the apparent lightness, the sea city will be resistant to waves and able to withstand the gale, which is not uncommon in the North Sea. For added stability, the floating island will be attached by cables to the seabed.

Engineers have already begun testing the new model, which is being conducted in an experimental pool. More than 80 platforms interconnected with each other, equipped with special sensors to assess the load on the plates during collisions with waves. According to the engineers, the tests are successful, so the project can count on further implementation. Such a floating island can be attached to the shore to increase the land area, or exist in an autonomous mode, representing a separate city block surrounded by the sea.

At first glance, such urban models may seem like science fiction. But in fact, the problem of reducing land area due to rising sea levels is already very relevant for some countries of the world, such as the Netherlands, Japan or Bangladesh. And most likely, the concept of a floating island will find its application in the very near future.