City of Meriens, a bionic and biomimetic concept shaped liked a manta ray, was born in 2009 from the concepts of the civilization of Meriens created by Jacques Rougerie. This International Oceanographic University drifting in the major ocean currents will aim to host researchers, teachers and students all over the world during very long periods. City of Meriens is designed to be a floating scientific city entirely dedicated to the observation and analysis of marine biodiversity, and is meant to follow the multidisciplinary programs developed by the SeaOrbiter’s network of sentinels in 2050. With a total length of 900 meters and a width of 500 meters, this mobile city can accommodate in its interior lagoon research vessels of different sizes (up to 90 meters long), as well as SeaOrbiters which would act as a hive that a number of marine and submarine vehicles and air navigation devices would use as a point of departure.
At a height of 60 meters – but the lowest level at least 120 meters deep - it could accommodate from 12 to 15 thousand people on several levels including lecture halls, classrooms, laboratories, living areas, cultural relaxation and sports zones.
Fully autonomous through the use of renewable marine energy, and respecting the principles of sustainable development with its zero waste program, City of Meriens is designed to integrate aquaculture breeding farms on both sides of its interior lagoon’s access channel, and hydroponic greenhouses at the ends of its wings.
City of Meriens will be under the aegis of UNESCO through the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
View Original