Artificial reef being built in Dubai will have one BILLION corals
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They may look like giant silver water lilies in a pond, but they could be the future of life.
New concept images show ‘the world’s largest artificial reef’ at 77 square miles being built in Dubai.
Dubbed Dubai Reefs, the floating living lab will consist of a series of interconnected islands that will house people in luxury eco-lodges surrounded by millions of mangrove trees.
Beneath the islands will be an artificial reef ecosystem created using 3D printing and other methods that will provide a home for 1 billion corals, as well as turtles, fish and other marine life.
Dubai Reefs will be stationed just off the coast of the Persian Gulf city, which is home to pre-existing man-made man-made islands, home to luxury hotels and bars.
From above, they look like giant silver water lilies floating in the water. These artificial landmarks are surrounded by pieces of solar panels that provide power
While they’re just concept images for now, creators could get the first part of the reef city built by the second half of this decade — though the undisclosed cost for the entire project is likely to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The ambitious venture is led by URB, a Dubai-based real estate company that describes itself as a ‘world leader in developing sustainable cities’.
“We need an entrepreneurial spirit in the planning of coastal cities and the types of infrastructure as well as developments related to the ocean,” said Baharash Bagherian, CEO of URB
“As an innovative coastal city, Dubai is best positioned to lead such a transformation.
“In addition to creating a unique, resilient destination for ecotourism and marine research, Dubai Reefs aims to become a blueprint for ocean life while mitigating the impacts of climate change.”
Dubai is just one city threatened by rising sea levels and flooding caused by global warming and resulting ice melt.
URB said that even if Paris Agreement targets are met, many cities will have to adapt to live with sea level rise and coastal flooding, including Dubai.
Dubai Reefs will provide some form of flood protection for its residents as the structures will rise with the sea level.
The ‘living lab’ will also provide a natural defense for nearby Dubai against coastal erosion or during storms, as it will protect the land from the powerful waves, while Dubai’s coastline itself will benefit from ‘coastal renewal’.
Dubai Reefs is being built in phases and will be stationed just off the coast of the city in the Persian Gulf, where man-made man-made islands already exist
Huts and facilities will be built for humans above the surface, while below an artificial ecosystem will provide a home for turtles, fish and other marine life
Concept image shows Dubai Reefs in the foreground with Dubai in the background. The living lab will also provide a natural defense for nearby Dubai against coastal erosion as it protects the land from the waves
More than 100 million mangrove trees on the islands, as well as tidal marshes and seagrass meadows, will sequester and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests.
Technologies such as 3D printing and Biorock, a cementitious engineering material, will be used in the construction of the underwater ecosystem that will act as a home for marine life.
According to URB, 3D printing is ideal because it can create different shapes and textures that are almost identical to coral reefs and natural underwater landscapes.
Above the water, Dubai Reefs will provide land for eco-lodges and space for housing, hospitality, retail, education and research facilities.
Residents will be fed a diet heavy with sustainably sourced fish and seafood rather than “land-bound proteins” such as red meat, which produce 10 times more CO2 for agriculture.
Some of the onsite facilities will provide “immense emotional and therapeutic benefits” to visitors through a variety of trendy “wellness” activities, claims URB.
These include underwater “forest bathing,” similar to the Japanese practice known as Shinrin Yoku, where one is calm and still among the trees.
Instead of trees, practitioners will be among the corals, according to URB, so presumably they will be in some kind of breathing apparatus or underwater pod.
MailOnline has contacted the company for more information.
Floating turtles and wildlife sanctuaries scattered throughout the area will also provide additional infrastructure to enhance marine and coastal wildlife.
Pictured is an artist’s depiction of one of the massive man-made structures that allow visitors to walk or fish through the green space
URB said: ‘The project will provide several innovative blue infrastructures and run entirely on 100 percent renewable energy’
Dubai Reefs will also be home to the largest oyster farm in the region, bringing benefits to the environment, water quality and local economy.
One oyster can filter 50 liters of water each day, which means cleaner water, but they also provide food and habitat for other marine organisms.
URB has not revealed when Dubai Reefs will open, although it plans to build it in stages as a long chain along Dubai’s coastline.
Estimated costs have not been disclosed, although construction of a similar “floating city” in Korea, to be completed by 2025, is estimated to cost around $200 million.
Backed by the UN, the floating city, built off the coast of the city of Busan, will be “a flood-resistant infrastructure” made up of several man-made islands that all rise with the sea to eliminate the risk of flooding.
Welcome to the world’s first FLOATING city! Stunning images show community being built in South Korea by 2025 that will help people in coastal areas survive rising sea levels
The idea of a floating city may sound like a concept from the latest sci-fi blockbuster, but it’s becoming a reality in Busan, South Korea, where UN-backed scientists are building the world’s first prototype floating city.
The project, called OCEANIX, was announced in 2021, but new design images were revealed last year.
They show how interconnected platforms will cover a total of 15.5 hectares, with enough space for 12,000 people.
The idea of a floating city may sound like a concept from the latest sci-fi blockbuster. But it’s becoming reality in Busan, South Korea, where UN-backed scientists are building the world’s first floating city prototype
The self-sustaining city will generate electricity from solar panels on top of buildings, produce its own food and fresh water, and transport residents around the island on futuristic boat pods.
It would also withstand natural disasters, including floods, tsunamis and Category 5 hurricanes, as the floating platforms will be anchored to the seabed.
Construction of the floating city is estimated to cost $200m (£150m) and is due to be completed by 2025.
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