Floating bridge in Angkor Wat, Cambodia near completion

A temporary floating bridge is being constructed in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, that will allow local visitors and tourists to continue visiting the famous temple while reconstruction work on the original bridge gets underway. The repairs require total closure of the original Spean Harl bridge so that experts from APSARA Authority and Sophia University can restore it.

The floating bridge is nearly 200 metres long and 10 meters wide and will be able to support a total of over 6000 people at any given time. Made of polyethylene airbags, the material is strong enough to withstand use for up to 20 years. The plastic bridge will have six viewing areas where visitors can stop to take photographs and admire the ancient temple and should be ready for use before May.

Image source: APSARA Authority

World’s first floating city to be developed in French Polynesia

French Polynesia has signed an historic agreement that will allow for the development of the first floating city in a lagoon in French Polynesia. During a visit to The Seasteading Institute in California on the 13th of January a memorandum of understanding was signed by Mr. Jean Christophe Bouissou, Minister of Housing and the government’s official spokesperson on behalf of French Polynesian President Edouard Fritch. Blue21 co-founder Karina Czapiewska was there on this memorable occasion.

The floating city is to be developed in a lagoon off the island of Tahiti. Suitable locations will be sought in sheltered waters behind a reef break so that the island will be protected from large waves. Environmental and economic impact studies will then be conducted to ensure that it will benefit the local economy and avoid damaging the environment.

The special governing framework needed to realize the development will be completed by the end of 2017, studies into the project should reach completion by 2018. Construction of the pilot project based on Blue21’s sustainable modular platform design, will hopefully start in 2019 and is estimated to cost between US $10 million and US $50 million.

This exciting new development has been picked up by media around the world with BBC News and Global Construction Review reporting on the news. Visit The Seasteading Institute’s website for more information on the collaboration with French Polynesia.

Image source: The Seasteading Institute

The Blue Revolution featured in TōTen

Independent international online newspaper TōTen is helping us to spread the word on our Blue Revolution. Journalist Tenley Elliot interviewed Blue21 co-founder Karina Czapiewska on water-based development and the realization of floating cities with positive impact on the environment.

“As land for urban development along with land for farming is getting harder to come by, what other opportunities are there for growth? And is it possible to develop in a sustainable, even positive way?” According to Blue21 the answer is yes! Read the full article here to find out how.

Cartoonist draws Floating Pavilion

Cartoonist and politician Wietske Jonker-ter Veld recently made these beautiful watercolors of the Floating Pavilion and the floating forest in the Rijnhaven.

She was visiting Rotterdam with a grandchild from her village to show her the city and was positively surprised by this sight. Jonker-ter Veld is passionate about water and nature since she was a little child and has ever since been very active in politics and environmental issues.

Thank you Wietske for offering us a new perspective!

About Wietske Jonker-Ter Veld (interview in Dutch)

 

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Copenhagen will build three floating classrooms

The capital of Denmark will soon get a new multi-purpose waterfront development. The Scandinavian architecture firm, C. F. Møller Landscape, won the “Nordhavn Islands” international competition to design part of the waterfront in the Nordhavn district, a harbor area in Copenhagen.

It will be “an innovative learning, activity and water landscape” adjacent to a planned international school which C. F. Møller is also designing. Three floating classrooms would give students opportunities to learn outside, even fish and kayak. The design blends a range of concepts – the urban park, the educational classroom, and the recreational community center – right on the waterfront.

Source: www.archpaper.com

Courtesy images: C. F. Møller

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