Maybe
something like The Ocean Spiral -- an underwater metropolis that
generates energy from the seabed and is capable of providing homes and
accommodation for 5,000 people.
Sure,
such blue-sky thinking may only seem plausible in the world of Hollywood
CGI, but this is the futuristic concept proposed by Japanese
construction firm Shimizu Corp.
According
to literature released by the company, expertise is being sought from
Tokyo University, Japanese government ministries as well as energy firms
to bring the project to life.
Shimizu
also say projects like the Ocean Spiral may be necessary in the future
to confront increasing global problems such as rising sea levels and the
need to create new, clean energy sources.
Divided
into three distinctive zones, the structure will stretch all the way to
the crushing black depths 2.8 miles under the sea off the coast of
Japan.
A
giant sphere with a diameter 500 meters (1,640 feet) situated just
below the surface will form the first section and house residential
zones, businesses and hotels.
This
inhabited area will be connected to a nine-mile spiral (section 2) that
that descends to the seabed where a deep-sea submarine port and factory
(section 3) will create the energy required to power the sphere by using
micro-organisms that turn carbon dioxide into methane.
If
that's not high-tech enough, power generators situated along the spiral
will then use differences in seawater temperature to create additional
energy by applying thermal conversion technologies.
Technology wait
Shimizu has a history of imaginative, high-concept projects including a space hotel and floating botanical cities.
The company says the Ocean Spiral would take five years to build and the technology required will be ready in 15 years.
Funding for what is likely to be a cash intensive exercise will also have to be secured.
Until
such times arrive, all we're left with is a series of cool artist
renderings to whet (or should that be wet?) our appetites.
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