Floating cities of the future, National Geographic
National Geographic, Daily News, Jul 2012
FLOATING CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL
This 5-million-square-foot (490,000-square-meter) floating cruise-ship terminal could host three large vessels while providing passengers a novel offshore experience, complete with open-ocean hotel stays, shopping, and dining, according to designers.
An inner “harbor” would allow smaller vessels to dock and would provide natural light for the interior of the terminal. Ten percent of the roof would be covered in photovoltaic cells that harvest solar power, according to Dutch architect Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio.NL.
The terminal is just a vision now, but Olthuis’s firm, which is committed to buildings that both adapt to and combat the challenges presented by climate change and sea level rise, has made other floating fantasies come to life.
Waterstudio.NL, based in the Netherlands, has worked on a floating city near The Hague and has started projects in the Maldives, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
FLOAT HOUSE
Making the most of waterfront views, Dutch architect Koen Olthuis designed this floating single-family water villa in Amsterdam to maximize privacy and versatility.
Completed in 2008, the building’s bedrooms and bathroom are on the first floor, partially below water. Large sliding doors on the top floor open to a wooden deck, offering the illusion of being on a boat.
THE CITADEL
Scheduled for completion in 2014, the Citadel could be Europe’s first floating apartment building, according to architect Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio.NL. The 60-unit complex is to be built in the Dutch city of Westland, near The Hague, and is meant to protect people from flooding in a country that sits, to a large degree, below sea level.
Holland is home to more than 3,500 inland depressions, which can fill with water when it rains, when tides come in, or as seas rise overall. These so-called polders are often drained by pumps to protect residents.
Floating single-family homes are not uncommon in this soggy country, but the Citadel—to be built on a flooded polder—will be the first high-density floating residential development. The complex’s floating concrete foundation will be connected to higher ground via a floating road.
Olthuis predicts the Citadel—and its five planned neighbors—will consume 25 percent less energy over its life span than a conventional building.
GREEN SEA STAR
Slated to open in 2014, the Greenstar is to be a floating hotel and conference center off the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. The island nation is the world’s lowest-lying country, making it among the most threatened by anticipated climate change-induced sea level rise.
Designed by Waterstudio.NL to blend in with its ocean surroundings, the Greenstar will have room for 800 overnight guests and 2,000 conference attendees.
Intended to be highly efficient, the development’s small environmental footprint is a tribute to the country’s determination to fight global warming, according to Waterstudio.NL architects. Appropriately enough, organizers intend the Greenstar to be the number one meeting place for global climate change discussions.
Koen Olthuis, Konsept Projelerder
Konsept Projelerder, Jul 2012
Yüzer yapılar konusunda nasıl uzmanlaştınız? Sizi bu alanda çalışmaya iten şey neydi?
Koen OLTHUİS: Yüzer yapılarla ilgili beni çalışmaya iten birkaç farklı etken var aslında. Birinci neden ailem, annemin soyadı “Bot” ve ailecek gemi yapımıyla uğraşıyorlar, babam ise mimar, ev ve bot tasarlıyorlar. Tabii bir başka neden ise Hollandalı olmam. Hollanda suyla iç içe bir ülke, aslında suyla birlikte yaşamaya çalışan, biraz da çatışan bir ülke. Küresel ısınma ve kentleşme gibi nedenler de yer sorununu sadece Hollanda’da değil tüm dünyada oldukça ön plana çıkarıyor.
Yüzen yapılara çok tepki gösterenler oldu ama su oldukça açık bir alan ve biz de bu fırsattan yararlanmalıyız.
Yüzer yapılar yapmanın ne gibi zorlukları var, zamanla nasıl teknikler geliş tirdiniz?
Koen OLTHUİS: Karşılaştığımız iki çeşit zorluk var. Bunlardan birincisi, kulla nabileceğiniz çok fazla teknoloji çeşidi ve yüzen binalar yapmak için çok fazla alternatifin olması. Yaşadığımız ikinci zorluk ise insanların yerleşmiş olan algısı yani yüzen yapılara olan önyargıları. Bu önyargıyı kırmakla uğraşıyoruz. İnsanla ra göre kara suya göre çok daha güvenli, yüzen yapıların batacağını düşünüyorlar ve karadaki evler daha çok hoşlarına gidiyor. Yüzen evleri görüntü açısından da çok hoş bulmuyorlar. Oysa; eğer ülkeniz suyla iç içe geçmişse ve deprem veya
kasırga tehlikesi varsa su karadan çok daha güvenli.
Yüzen bir şehir nasıl yapılır?
Koen OLTHUİS: Çevresinde sert bir yapı bulunan beton ve köpükten oluşan, 200 metreye kadar ulaşabilen büyük yüzen bir platform yapıyoruz. İki çeşit yüzen şehir bulunuyor. İlki elektrik, su gaz gibi ihtiyaçlarını başka bir şehirden karşılayan yüzen şehirler, ikincisi ise elektrik, su, gaz gibi ihtiyaçlarını kendi karşılayan yüzen şehirler. Maldivler’deki yüzen
şehir, ikincisi gibi, yani her şeyini kendi karşılıyor.
Yüzen yapıların maliyet, çevrecilik, güvenlik, ulaşım açısından avantajları nelerdir?
Koen OLTHUİS: Maliyet açısından baktığınızda karadaki bir binanın yapım maliyeti ile yüzen bir yapının maliyeti hemen hemen aynı. Hollanda’ya baktığınızda çok yumuşak
bir zemine sahip olduğundan karada bina yapmak zaten çok maliyetli, çok fazla çelik kullanmanız gerekiyor. Diğer ülkelerde maliyetler değişiyor, sadece yapının maliyetine değil,
metrekaresine de bakıyoruz. Örneğin İstanbul’da yüzen bir yapının metrekaresi çok daha pahalı olacaktır. Ama aynı yüzen yapıya Türkiye’nin güneyinde sahip olmak isterseniz
daha ucuz olacaktır. Karadaki yapılarla yüzen evlerin konforu aynı, yüzen yapılar daha güvenli, depremden, tsunamiden, fırtınadan etkilenmiyor
Doldurma zemini neden bir çözüm olarak görmüyorsunuz?
Koen OLTHUİS: Doldurma zemin kullanılırken dikkatli olunması gerekiyor çünkü deniz hayatına zarar veriyor. İkinci sorun ise kalıcı olmaması. Kumu suya koyduğunuzda çöker. Dubai’de 5-6 yıl önce doldurma yöntemiyle çok güzel görünüme sahip adalar yapıldı. Şimdi birçok adanın sular altında kaldığını görüyoruz. Görüntü olarak doldurma yöntemiyle çok güzel adalar yapmak mümkün ama kalıcı değiller. Uzun vadeli düşünmek gerekiyor.
İstanbul için kurguladığınız Symplegades’den (yüzen adalar) bahsedebilir misiniz?
Koen OLTHUİS: Eski çağlarda İstanbul Boğazı’nı geçmeye çalışan gemilerin aniden beliren, yer değiştiren kayalara çarparak battıkları ile ilgili bir efsane okudum. Bu efsaneyi oldukça ilgi çekici buldum,çünkü ben de yüzen adalar yapıyorum ve onlar da yer değiştirebiliyorlar. Bu efsane aslında bizim yaptığımız işi anlatıyor. Ben bunu mutlaka yapmalılar diye önermedim, yeni bir konsept önerdim. İstanbul’da karada binaları dip dibe yapmaktansa denizdeki alan mutlaka kullanılmalı.
Amacınız sadece yer sorununa bir çözüm bulmak mı?
Koen OLTHUİS: Sadece yer sorununa değil, kentleşme, yoksulluk, küresel ısınma gibi global problemlere çözüm olması için uğraşıyoruz, ana amacımız bu. İkincil amacımız ise tabii ki mimari açıdan güzel binalar yapmak.
Gelecek projeleriniz hakkında biraz bilgi verebilir misiniz?
Koen OLTHUİS: Bangladeş’te ve Çin’de projelerimiz var. Biz değil onlar bizi seçiyorlar. 10 yıl önce bu işe başladık ve şimdi insanlar, hükümetler bize ulaşıp yüzen yapı yaptırmak istiyorlar. Maldivler ve Dubai hükümetleri de bize ulaştı. Bu bölgeler için de yeni projeler geliştireceğiz
Workshop to explore $150M art center proposal
Pall Times.com, Janet Rebeor-Dexter Jun 2012
OSWEGO — A $150 million exhibition center floating in Oswego’s harbor is the vision an Ohio-based company wants to bring to the Port City, and the mayor has opened the floor to begin discussion.
Calling it “the construction of the most unique edifice and program in the United States to date,” Joe Pilotta and Samuel Oasis, of Digital Financial Group, in Columbus, Ohio, sent Mayor Tom Gillen a letter of intent and proposal offer dated May 9. The proposal outlines the details of a $150 million project, designed by Waterstudio, of the Netherlands.
“Basically, what it is, it’s a construction that would be out on the water and will house a floating theater and concert hall … there’s nothing that’s been done like this,” Gillen said. “I don’t know where we’re going with it. … If nothing else, it will get people talking and thinking about the potential. People from outside.”
Pilotta, formerly of Oswego, contacted Gillen after learning through a fraternity newsletter of the mayor’s recent election to office. “They’re coming here next week,” Gillen said. “Joe Pilotta is from Oswego. What started this is, he contacted me — we were fraternity brothers — he called me up and said, ‘I need to talk to you about some ideas I have for the city,’ … the proposal is this: construction of a world-class design by the internationally known design firm Waterstudio.”
According to the letter of intent, the project — named IN-NOVA Oswego — would be designed as a 65,000-square-foot exhibition/trade center with another 40,000 square feet of office and lab space to accommodate 25 companies. Other features of the project proposal include 20,000 square feet for aquarium and aquatic gardens, 15,000 square feet for a multimedia center and another 15,000 square feet to accommodate 20 luxury apartments.
The company is requesting consideration by the city to locate the project on the water near the International Marina and the water parcel to the north of the marina. The proposal letter further requests “first refusal or option for lease of International Marina and northern boundary for 99 years to Digital Financial Group, in exchange for upgrading and extending the marina dock as well as incorporating the yacht club into this innovative water complex.”
The development of Oswego’s potential as a unique and thriving destination has been one of Gillen’s stated objectives as a candidate while running for office and since he won the election. He has said the kind of transformation he sees Oswego is capable of would require investment from sources outside the community. Pilotta’s is one of the projects that has crossed his desk which he believes has that kind of potential. “Financing is always the hardest part. Their financing is available,” the mayor said of Digital Financial Group.
The proposal states the total $150 million would be financed through private equity bonds. Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy, USA/Germany and Citic Guoan Group, Beijing, China, are listed as potential partners. While privately funded, the group indicates it would welcome “additional monies and tax credits.”
The design partner in the proposal is Waterstudio, a Netherlands-based creative design studio that, according to its website, is devoted to creating large-scale projects for cities. “Given the fact that about 90 percent of the world’s largest cities are situated on the waterfront, we are forced to rethink the way we live with water in the built environment. Given the unpredictability of future developments, we need to come up with flexible strategies — planning for change. Our vision is that large-scale floating projects in urban environment provide a solution to these problems that is both flexible as well as sustainable,” the company’s website states.
Gillen said due to the scale and scope of this project, it would have a far-reaching impact, beyond Oswego and central New York. “People would come here just to see this marvel. There will be naysayers who’ll say, ‘Who the heck would want to live on the lake in the wintertime?’ The bottom line is, not too many people. But then again, the people who can afford to do that don’t really look at it like that,” the mayor said. “What it would do is provide us with a venue that would attract people to our city. To have a concert hall (and) a floating IMAX Theater would be pretty remarkable stuff.”
In addition to attracting visitors from around the country and perhaps the world, Gillen noted the facility would also bring temporary construction and full-time jobs to the area as well as a base for support businesses from downtown to throughout the county.
The mayor said he met with Pilotta several times over the last few months, the letter of intent was issued and the men met again last weekend and decided it was time to take the project to the public for input and discussion. Gillen would like to have Pilotta and his partner present the preliminary plan to councilors and the public “in vivid and graphic detail” perhaps as early as Monday, prior to the Common Council committee meetings.
Territorial expansion, Architekton
Architekton, Marko Stojcic Jun 2012
When we talk about understanding territory and its needs, and the new opportunities in architecture, an unavoidable issue is the extension of the building territory to the surfaces where no architecture had been created before and which had not been considered a potential building area. When creating architecture, it is a good thing to have something to grasp at, something that will make the project qualitatively better and more interesting, and, that, certainly, is an atypical building surface – water for example.
Netherlands example, its ventures of the expansion of the building area, is a well known project. So far the only recognized method of creating new building grounds has been the method of drainage. Contemporary architecture is looking for more attractive and less expensive solutions – building on water could be one of them.
Land growth at the expense of water surface is a response to the process of global warming. Considering reduction percentage of the land territory in the next 200 years, it is completely reasonable to take away at least as much from the water territory for building, especially because the need for the building area increases with time. The disproportion of the process reflects in the fact that the forming of the new territory will happen in already developed urban areas as a result of the need for expansion, while today’s undeveloped areas will stay as they are.
In this issue we present the most interesting projects of the Dutch bureau Waterstudio who specializes in this type of architecture, and who has, so far, come closest to realizing projects the life of which is based on water surface.
Urbanisation and climate change put a lot of pressure on available space for nature in city centres. New initiatives for adding extra park zones to a city are rare. Yet these kind of additional habitats for birds, bees, bats and other small animals could bring a lot of positive green effects to the environment of a city.
Waterstudio has designed a new concept for high density green spots in a city, the sea tree. This sea tree is a floating structure that hold in many layers green habitats for only animals. This structure is not accessible by man. The sea tree is built by offshore technology quite similar to the oil storage towers which can be found on open seas. The idea is that large oil companies donate a sea tree to a city showing their concern for a better city environment by using their own intellectual property. Space for this sea trees can be found on rivers, seas, lakes and even harbours. The height and depth of this sea tree can be adjusted depending on the location. The sea tree moves a bit along with the wind and is moored to the sea bed with a cable system. Under water the sea tree provides a habitat for small water creatures or even when the climate allows it for artificial coral reefs. The beauty of the design is that it provides a solution and at the same time does not cost expensive space on land while the effect of the species living in the sea tree will effect a zone of several miles around the moored location.
For as we know this floating tower will be the first floating object 100% built and designed for flora and fauna.
This revolutionary concept for a cruise ship-terminal consists of a floating construction in a triangular shape measuring 700 by 700 meters – enough to simultaneously host three of the world’s largest cruise ships. The floating terminal is situated outside the mainland shore to allow enough draught for even the largest cruise-ships to moor. It’s simple iconic shape is like an elegant and natural sculpture outside the shore.
The basic triangular ring is lifted up at one point creating a smaller inner harbor with a spectacular entrance arch. The lifted point acts as a landmark – a beacon marking the terminal. The inner harbor allows smaller vessels to moor in enclosed water. From here water-taxis and ferries connect the cruise ship-terminal to the mainland.
The whole structure is rigged to a foundation in the seabed by means of anchoring cables with dampers, allowing flexibility in vertical sense while ensuring stability in the horizontal plane. At nighttime the cruise ship terminal is lit in a subtle blue light, so as to bring out the bluish tint of the aluminum surface. The outside of the sculptural shape is accessible to pedestrians offering a surprising landscape amidst the open waters – a sparkling island of sculptural quality. Around the inner harbor the central circulation area leads around modern retail space. Three large foyers provide entrance to the inner harbor from which ferries leave for the mainland. The corners of the triangular shape house three larger functions. The 180 room hotel features rooms at both the waterside as well as rooms at the inner courtyard and harbor. The conference center measures a total of over 24.000 square meters, offering around 30 meeting, conference and lecture halls of various sizes. The 12.000 square meter restaurant is situated in the raised point, looking out over the open water as well as the cruise terminal itself and the inner harbor, providing a spectacular dining experience.