Aquatic City – Agricultural + Commercial + Residential
Aquatic City is a city planning aimed to provide a sustainable city solution for Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Tabuk has massive irrigation circles planned over the city to export flowers to Europe. The city is located in a desert area with limited rainwater, so people are using their underground water reserve to sustain their irrigation circles. At its current rate, the city will run out of fresh water in 15 years. Our design is inspired by turtle eggshell and aim to provide a self-sustaining design to converse water while allowing it to maintain its agricultural business. The turtle eggshell provides a dome like structure with pipe and perforation. It ties the city water in one hydrological cycle. From household water, to irrigation to evaporation and filtering, the mega infrastructure ties water and urban planning into one holistic design.
Why Turtle Eggshell?
Turtle eggshell is a structural design with multiple functions. Its outer mesh and inner mesh weave through the middle infill material to provide a thin membrane with perforation. Water can’t get through the shell but air will be able to go through it. Its complex design with simple outcome. The goal of this exercise is to learn how nature creates shelter while filters water and air.
Irrigation Circles in Tubuk?
It is more of a political issue when business are using underground water reserve for their one-off operation. It is more outrageous when the products are being shipped to Europe. Their practice itself is not sustainable to begin with. Aquatic City addresses the water shortage issue through design while assumes the city will upgrade its exporting business to something more sustainable.
Published by Surface Magazine.
See different version in Detroit and a futuristic version in Shenzhen.
