They just need to build a floating city.
ㆍRising sea levels and other natural disasters pose a significant threat to the existence of island nations.
ㆍJapan-based startup ‘N-ARK’ suggests constructing an ocean farm to address this issue.
ㆍDeveloping urban infrastructure at sea provides humanity with more opportunities to connect with the planet.
Tomatoes Growing in the Sea
Consider building a floating farm, a method of growing plants in structures that float on water. This approach can be a solution for island nations and cities at risk of sinking due to climate change or those facing a shortage of land for crop cultivation. N-ARK, a Japanese maritime architecture startup, has introduced the ‘Green Ocean,’ which is developed with proprietary technology. This innovative maritime farm leverages both the upper and lower levels of the ocean to grow high-performance vegetables using seawater farming technology on the upper level, supporting soil improvement and fish farming on the lower level. In other words, it is now possible to eat tomatoes grown in seawater!
Sea vegetables are strong
After a year and a half of testing, N-ARK successfully grew radishes, tomatoes, and lettuce. The farm’s design technology is the key, as it is tailored to the ocean environment. The floating farm is constructed using CO2-absorbing wood and salt-resistant joints to withstand high salt concentrations. The unique “V”-shaped roof efficiently captures rainwater, which is then mixed with seawater to adjust the pH and used as fertilizer in seawater agriculture. The stable seawater helps regulate the farm’s temperature, acting as a natural air conditioner. This results in nutritious vegetables enriched with the minerals and nutrients from seawater.
Next up: Floating City
Solving the food problem at sea is crucial for enabling life at sea. N-ARK’s next objective is to construct a city on the sea. Let’s explore a new floating city called ‘Dogen city’. This small city, with a diameter of 1.58 kilometers and a circumference of 4 kilometers, will feature modular structures for single-family homes, hotels, food-growing areas, hospitals, schools, substations, and communication facilities. The focus of this futuristic city is “smart healthcare.” Residents will consume medical food grown in seawater farms, utilize smart healthcare devices for remote medical care, and establish data centers on the seabed to address the cooling issue. The island will not sink. Instead, maritime cities that integrate green energy and technology are looming large in our future.
