Wetropolis: A Floating City that Survives the Ebb and Flow of Shifting Tides

Bangkok-based architecture firm S+PBA recently unveiled plans for a self-sustaining floating city that can thrive with the ebb and flow of rising tides. Dubbed "A Post Diluvian Future", the "wetropolis" allows Bangkok to live with natural flooding instead of resisting it while creating a homeostasis that detoxifies the region's polluted waters.

S+PBA’s home city of Bangkok is rapidly sinking as it is eroded each year by floods of seawater that invade the city. A UN study claims that most of the city will become marshes by 2050. The city was built on marshy lands 300 years ago, but the grounds are rapidly deteriorating. The skyrocketing population and development of the city above has caused the underground aquifers to become over exhausted, making them unable to handle the flood waters.

The city is surrounded by polluted water fields, left over from the once burgeoning shrimp farm industry. The water fields are bought by developers, who in turn continue to build upon them, which has only worsened the city’s sinking state.

Bangkok has always been flushed with sea water, so S+PBA propose that the city learns to deal with it, and accept it as a constant, rather than a flood crisis. Embracing the water, they call their new Waterworld-style city plan a “Wetropolis.” The vegetation basis for the Wetropolis is a forest of indigenous mangroves, which the government is already trying to implement in Bangkok. The mangroves naturally filter water, and they also supply fresh oxygen and natural cooling. As the water is filtered, shrimp farming can flourish in a sustainable manner. The community will live above the water fields in a network of interconnected homes, walkways, and roads, with curvaceous lines that emulate the rippling water below.

S+PBA’s Wetropolis allows Bangkok to live with natural flooding instead of resisting it while creating a homeostasis that detoxifies the region’s polluted waters.

Source: http://inhabitat.com/spbas-wetropolis-is-a-floating-city-that-survives-the-ebb-and-flow-of-shifting-tides/

Looks cool. Too bad it's science fiction

My thoughts too ,something will have to be done

The Dutch know how to manage water

Looks cool. Too bad it's science fiction

Its going to be real...... its one of the goverments election promises...

Along with the minimum wage promise

Edited August 18, 201114 yr by Soutpeel

Now this is one of the mega-project pipe-dreams, made to sound as though they knew what they were going to do if-elected, which it would be good to see fall victim to shortage-of-funds.

So expect expensive further-studies, it's snoughts-in-the-trough time, with trips to Amsterdam or Hong Kong at the taxpayers' expense !

Why not attach the whole city to giant helium balloons and suspend it over the polluted swamp that Bkk will become? .....will be about as feasible.

All pigs refuelled and ready to fly.

All pigs refuelled and ready to fly.

Why? Is the feeding trough airborne?

Look nice eh. But it's not going to happen at all.

My favorite -The same stands on land or swims. This project is ready to go. It produces it's own clean energy, by using various technologies and has green house sections as well (for planting fruits and veggies)

... more images here

Looks like the same design as Swampy? Fitting I guess.

So much of Negativity in the comments...

Its a concept..... things get build from concepts... doesn't necessarily be exactly the same...

Good they are thinking about it... and instead of commenting on the idea the focus is shifting to politics...

In terms of possible future flooding. Some areas will be flooded beyond recognition while other areas will be dried up completely. In terms of our gravity shield our planet looks more like a potato, this why we'll see different effects arising., complete hot areas or completely flooded areas. There'll be no other options. An ark, kind of, maybe a good idea again. Below the original size of the ark of Noah, rebuilt by a Dutch man and open to the public in 2012.

more images here

Actually, I'm rather entrhralled with the idea. Somebody had best start planning on something sometime somewhere. Dutch ideas simply will not float (no pun intended). Mega dikes are futile solutions.

Unlike the the Pheu Thai party's megaproject to reclaim 300 square kilometres of new land in the Gulf of Thailand which they would sell to farangs at Bt 20 million per rai - they likely plan on selling this development to farangs at Bt 25 million per tarang wah, in advance of construction of course.

Actually, I'm rather entrhralled with the idea. Somebody had best start planning on something sometime somewhere. Dutch ideas simply will not float (no pun intended). Mega dikes are futile solutions.

....and they take all the nice chicks.

speaking of the photo of the boat for 2012, did anyone see this guy around the area?

So much of Negativity in the comments...

Its a concept..... things get build from concepts... doesn't necessarily be exactly the same...

Good they are thinking about it... and instead of commenting on the idea the focus is shifting to politics...

Dead right... they have only known that BKK is swamp land for 300 years, so glad that they are now thinking about concepts for a situation which has been here since the city was established. Thai mentality is about as solid as the foundation of the floating city itself.

Why build it over the city? The site, when flooded, will have toxicity that will last for decades - possibly centuries. If they're at all serious about the concept, they could try a sample area, perhaps one rai in the Sea of Siam, and see whether it's feasible with all the support infrastruture needed. How will the deal with trash and effluent? Dump it in the water alongside, or barge it elsewhere? If they choose to burn it for energy production and/or oil retrieval (it's possible, though a very expensive process, designed by farang). How to get to and fro the island - bridges? .....or the Thai way, which is using high tail boats (noisy and polluting) with no housing. No matter how much benefit of the doubt I put toward such a scheme, I see it as failing. There are just too many potential drawbacks - many of which relate to Thais' irresponsible (mai pen rai) ingrained attitudes.

In Holland they are building it already. They made the conclusion already 10 years ago that you can't fight the water. They plan complete floating towns.

http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/science-technology/floating-cities-the-dutch-might-have-the-answer-for-global-warming/

http://www.ecoboot.nl/artikelen/TelegraphNewsFloatingHouses.html.php

sorry the next link is in Dutch, but you can see some pictures

http://www.laetitiasvo.nl/artikelen/drijvende-stad.pdf

My thoughts too ,something will have to be done

The Dutch know how to manage water

Sorry; predictions are the Dutch will soon be swimming, as their Mega Billion Guilder Dikes & Tidal Gates are eventually breeched by the ever rising Atlantic Ocean. The melting ice caps are likely to melt ever faster. Geologic Ice Research indicates that previous melting(s) over the past several million years, eventually reached catastrophic melting rates. Should this happen, the Dutch will likely have to emmigrate to Germany. They are always welcome to emigrate to Canada.

Actually, I'm rather entrhralled with the idea. Somebody had best start planning on something sometime somewhere. Dutch ideas simply will not float (no pun intended). Mega dikes are futile solutions.

Can you explain this to the Dutch????

So much of Negativity in the comments...

Its a concept..... things get build from concepts... doesn't necessarily be exactly the same...

Good they are thinking about it... and instead of commenting on the idea the focus is shifting to politics...

Negativity and occasionally abusive and insulting comments is the trademark for many "debaters" at Thaivisa ...

Agree with you that it is a concept and without concepts and ideas nothing ever changes.

So much of Negativity in the comments...

Its a concept..... things get build from concepts... doesn't necessarily be exactly the same...

Good they are thinking about it... and instead of commenting on the idea the focus is shifting to politics...

Negativity and occasionally abusive and insulting comments is the trademark for many "debaters" at Thaivisa ...

Agree with you that it is a concept and without concepts and ideas nothing ever changes.

You forgot to add cynical & sarcastic.....the vast majority of abusive comments come from d*ckheads who take themselves/TV far too seriously

So see it for what it is...entertainment and occassional good advice

Dont forget for a vast number of TV members live in the wilds of Isaan, this is their only outlet to "talk" real English....

Looks like the same design as Swampy? Fitting I guess.

There has been rain falling and flooding in Siam & Thailand for millenia. Bangkok, the Venice of the east sans gondolas.

Recently, (within the last 5 years or so I believe) k.Thaksin floated and promoted the great Aerotropolis of Suvarnabhumi. Whoopee, the jet set at my doorstep, wow!

People from far and wide could buy super homes right next to the airport in super moobaans.

Terrific idea eh? Planes make a lot of noise and those who did buy homes under the flight path and nearby soon woke up and realized they'd been suckered.

This proposal sounds like someones wet dream or someone who has been to Dubai and seen what the arabs can do with reclamation. Trouble is they've got lots of dollars and dinars. Thailand isn't in that fortunate position. There's lots of vacant land in this country suitable for building homes without destroying the marine environment.

Perhaps the brains trust now in government could try fixing what they already have instead of fantasizing about projects most people will never set foot on.

Edited August 19, 201114 yr by ratcatcher

So much of Negativity in the comments...

Its a concept..... things get build from concepts... doesn't necessarily be exactly the same...

Good they are thinking about it... and instead of commenting on the idea the focus is shifting to politics...

true, and likely actuality will be wooden boardwalks and salas, with the rest of the money budgeted for it having been 'diverted'.

This proposal sounds like someones wet dream or someone who has been to Dubai and seen what the arabs can do with reclamation.

Really, do you mean that someone with neither wit or imagination has seen what another nation can do with their resources, has a bag full of money and thinks 'that's a winner' without actually finding out if it could work or not in his homeland.

No, surely, that could never happen.

But it wins votes though.

So much of Negativity in the comments...

Its a concept..... things get build from concepts... doesn't necessarily be exactly the same...

Good they are thinking about it... and instead of commenting on the idea the focus is shifting to politics...

Negativity and occasionally abusive and insulting comments is the trademark for many "debaters" at Thaivisa ...

Agree with you that it is a concept and without concepts and ideas nothing ever changes.

You forgot to add cynical & sarcastic.....the vast majority of abusive comments come from d*ckheads who take themselves/TV far too seriously

So see it for what it is...entertainment and occassional good advice

Dont forget for a vast number of TV members live in the wilds of Isaan, this is their only outlet to "talk" real English....

Is that right? Why then are such a vast number of TV members so critical of the party that the vast majority of the people of Isaan has voted in? (and surely here, not even Rivalex can dispute my use of the term, majority). Could it be that PT has given some "power" to the people, making them feel more important and therefore threatening their (the farangs) previous comfortable existence of being the master of the house or moo baan that they live in?

So much of Negativity in the comments...

Its a concept..... things get build from concepts... doesn't necessarily be exactly the same...

Good they are thinking about it... and instead of commenting on the idea the focus is shifting to politics...

Negativity and occasionally abusive and insulting comments is the trademark for many "debaters" at Thaivisa ...

Agree with you that it is a concept and without concepts and ideas nothing ever changes.

You forgot to add cynical & sarcastic.....the vast majority of abusive comments come from d*ckheads who take themselves/TV far too seriously

So see it for what it is...entertainment and occassional good advice

Dont forget for a vast number of TV members live in the wilds of Isaan, this is their only outlet to "talk" real English....

Is that right? Why then are such a vast number of TV members so critical of the party that the vast majority of the people of Isaan has voted in? (and surely here, not even Rivalex can dispute my use of the term, majority). Could it be that PT has given some "power" to the people, making them feel more important and therefore threatening their (the farangs) previous comfortable existence of being the master of the house or moo baan that they live in?

I rest my case your worship...

Is that right? Why then are such a vast number of TV members so critical of the party that the vast majority of the people of Isaan has voted in? (and surely here, not even Rivalex can dispute my use of the term, majority). Could it be that PT has given some "power" to the people, making them feel more important and therefore threatening their (the farangs) previous comfortable existence of being the master of the house or moo baan that they live in?

"Why then ... "

Perhaps because the farangs, knowing more about the real world because they have lived & earned money in it, can see-through the hollow election-promises of PTP, which they're now rapidly back-tracking on ?

There's a difference between "making them feel more important" (my bold), and actually making them more important, I'd say. The real Reds are just beginning to realise this, and that they may need to continue their campaigning, despite having 'their' party in-power now ... this should be interesting to watch for the future.

As to becoming master of the house or moo-ban, perhaps i should consider moving to Isaan, must ask the boss what her view would be !

Edited August 20, 201114 yr by Ricardo

.....thread is about a propsed floating city and here we go again....My yellow shirts are better than your reds shirts.....