Floating Research City Designed as Manta Ray

Jacques Rougerie’s name is famous for his contributions in marine architecture and design. Having always been fascinated by the oceanic studies, he has lived most of his life on seas and wants to contribute towards the water research in an unprecedented manner. He wants to build a floating city offshore that will allow oceanographers and students to study the deep ocean closely while enjoying the facilities and exposure of an artificial island.

His latest project included SeaOrbiter, a floating marine structure for an integrated community and providing them with a research platform. It was meant to undertake long-term studies while the orbiter drifted on the ocean currents. It was such a great design that the crowdfunding campaign was successful and he was able to build it and lay a foundation for Meriens at the same time.

The new city will have living arrangements and study premises for about 7,000 people. Marine biodiversity and water quality are just some of the important things that will be studied over here. It will have plenty of labs, recreational facilities, food production areas and  living quarters for all of them so, it will be a massive design. With 900 meters length, five hundred meters in beam, 60 meters height above the sea and 120 meters below, it will easily be the largest artificial floating object on the surface of the seas surpassing the nearest length vessel by more than 500 meters!

The design is inspired from nature itself as Rougerie has stated that the design inspiration comes from Sea Rays. He was always fascinated by the sea creatures as they tended to fly underwater with their huge wing-type fins rather than float. It will have a central lagoon that will provide docking spaces for future sea orbiters as well as other vessels and submersibles. Roger’s design personifies the beauty, strength and diversity in the deep sea.