South Korea floating city will be built with UN support to combat climate change

With climate change causing a worldwide rise in sea levels, coastal areas are having to create new living areas to replace threatened land. In South Korea, a plan has already been constructed: a floating coastal city that will house thousands of people.

South Korea and The Floating City

Via NBC, South Korea will start building its first floating city on the ocean surface. Along the coast of Busan, a new city will be constructed to hold a first generation population of 12,000 Koreans. If successful, this could lead to more floating cities.

Backed by the United Nations Human Settlements Program, the coastal city will be built to “withstand 100-year storms”. Additionally, the city’s foundations will be able to rise over the century to match further increasing sea levels.

Interestingly, the city will be split into districts, each having their own platforms. For example, one district will be designed for civilian living, another will be designed for activities such as schools or cinemas and another will house research and development labs.

These platforms will be constructed with a biorock coating, a buoyant limestone that can rest in the water and take considerable damage over time. However, the buildings that make up the city will have to be created with light and sustainable objects. At the time of writing, timber and bamboo will be used.

Due to the need for a light load, civilians on the floating city will not be able to drive or take trains. Instead, residents will have to walk or cycle to and from areas. After all, you don't want to drive a bus on what's essentially a huge raft; take a boat.

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The country of architectural innovation

South Korea is no stranger to cutting edge architecture. While Busan’s $600 million city may be a new development for the country, other cities also have their own technological oddities, making them great tourist attractions.

For example, Korea’s Songdo International Business District has long been praised as the smartest city on Earth. The estimated $40 billion development was designed to have technology integrated into every aspect of its design. This includes sensors for everything from traffic to water and computers built into houses, cafes and outdoor streets.