Real Utopia: The World’s First Floating City May Be Built in the Pacific – Sputnik International

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19:15 06.04.2017(updated 21:38 06.04.2017) Get short URL

People have always dreamt ofmoving toa better place forlife. Some prefer an easy way toescape noisy dusty cities and live inthe countryside, while others dream big and work onUtopia-like projects, such asthe resurrection ofthe Russian Empire inKiribati and the creation ofseasteading communities floating cities which will allow the next generation ofpioneers topeacefully test new ideas forhow tolive together. The term "seasteading" is a combination ofthe words "sea" and "homesteading."

In the spring of2013, TSI launched The Floating City Project, which proposed tocreate a floating city withinthe territorial waters ofan existing nation, rather thanthe open ocean. According tothe institute, this proposal had several advantages: it would be easier toengineer a seastead inshallow waters, easier forresidents totravel toand fromthe "mainland" and easier toacquire goods and services fromexisting supply chains.

Later year, TSI raised $27,082 throughthe IndieGoGo crowdfunding platform and hired the Dutch marine engineering firm DeltaSync, a leading specialist inthe field offloating urbanization.

Artisanopolis - Floating City Project Animation

Things got more serious in2016, when The Seasteading Institute representatives met withFrench Polynesian officials and discussed building a prototype seastead ina sheltered lagoon. Just recently, onJanuary 13, 2017, the government officially signed an agreement withTSI tocooperate oncreating a legal framework toallow forthe development ofThe Floating Island Project. The legislation will give the Floating Island Project its own "special governing framework" creating an "innovative special economic zone."

The creation ofa "special economic seazone" would give floating islands considerable autonomy, according tothe company's official website. In return, TSI is required toproduce an environmental and economic analysis beforeit can get started.

The institute's Australian ambassador Ashley Blake, who spoke atthe Myriad startup festival held betweenMarch 29-31 inBrisbane, described the project asa startup and a place totest new technologies and ways ofliving. However, this "social enterprise" is not foreveryone. "It's not a solution fora complete full stack ofsociety," he said. "Maybe the model that ends upworking is a floating aged care home, we don't know. Or maybe it's a place where young entrepreneurs can go."

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Real Utopia: The World's First Floating City May Be Built in the Pacific - Sputnik International