Why Is the Maldives Building a Floating City?
The Maldives is a stunning country in the Indian Ocean just off the southern coast of India. It’s made up of nearly 2,000 islands, though only 187 are home to permanent residents.
Source: iStock
The Maldives’ geography makes it ideal for fishing and tourism, but it is also exceptionally susceptible to the negative side effects of climate change, specifically rising sea levels.
The Maldives Can’t Manage With Any Less Land
As the sea levels rise over the coming year, which they are undoubtedly going to do, the Maldives will have even less land than it does now.
Source: Quora
And as the country, especially the capital of Male, is already struggling with overpopulation, the lack of land is a real concern. As of 2024, more than 100,000 people live in the 3.2 square miles of Male, making it one of the most densely populated cities on the planet.
The Maldives Government Came Up With a Plan in 2009
In order to combat these two growing issues, the Maldives government devised an ingenious but lofty plan in 2009: They would build a floating city just 15 minutes away from Male.
Source: Waterstudio
Of course, they couldn’t create this on their own. So the government partnered with the Netherlands-based architectural firm Waterstudio, which “[confronts] challenges of urbanization and climate change.” Within just a few years, the Maldives Floating City project was underway.
The Plan for the Maldives Floating City
Waterstudio has since released its construction plans for the first floating city on Earth. It will sit in a warm water lagoon just 15 minutes by boat from Male and will be shaped almost like a human brain, with a hexagonal layout.
Source: Waterstudio
Additionally, Waterstudio is building a ring of artificial islands around the city to ensure it remains safe from any unforeseen weather in the surrounding ocean.
The Maldives Floating City Will Have 5,000 Homes
Throughout the many hexagonal neighborhoods, exactly 5,000 residential homes will be built, which will be able to house nearly 20,000 people.
Source: Waterstudio
Each and every home faces the ocean in some way, has its own boat dock, and will be connected through beautifully designed walkways and streets made of water, similar to those in Venice, Italy.
The Homes in the Maldives Floating City Will Be Anchored to the Seafloor
Because of the unique construction of the floating city, the safety of both the homes and the residents was of the utmost concern for Waterstudio and the Maldives government.
Source: Waterstudio
As mentioned, they’ve built protective islands all around the city, but they also securely anchored every home, building, and walkway to the ocean floor below.
The Maldives Floating City Will Be Completely Self Sufficient
The Maldives Floating City will also have stores, hotels, office spaces, educational facilities, and restaurants, just like any other city, to provide the necessary services to its 20,000 residents.
Source: Waterstudio
The hope is that these businesses will offer residents and visitors the products and services they need as well as create a labor force and subsequent economy.
Who Will Live in the Maldives Floating City?
As of 2024, nearly 26% of the Maldives’ population is foreign-born, so the government does expect a large expatriate community in the floating city. However, they also hope that many Maldivians will decide to call the city home.
Source: Pixaby
Because of its location in the lagoon, it’s highly likely that fishing will become one of the most prominent industries on the island. And as more than 20% of the country’s labor force already works in fishing, there will be plenty of work for them there.
Digital Illustrations of the Homes Are Stunning
If the idyllic location just minutes from Male, the prospect of thousands of new jobs and a bustling economy, and the chance to live in the world’s first floating city weren’t enough, the homes themselves are absolutely breathtaking.
Source: Waterstudio
Waterstudio released digital illustrations of what the 5,000 homes will look like, and they are vibrant, interesting, and certainly make you want to move in as soon as possible.
The Homes on the Maldives Floating City Are Surprisingly Affordable
The cherry on top of this already seemingly perfect location is that the homes are surprisingly affordable. Each of the 5,000 homes reportedly only costs about $250,000, which is exactly half of what the average home in America costs.
Source: Freepik
The Maldives government announced that several homes will be on the market by the end of 2024 and that all 5,000 will be complete and ready for occupancy by 2027. Anyone not from the Maldives who wants to buy a home in the floating city can apply right now on its website.
Floating Cities May Just Be the Future
With the planet’s oceans rising every year, the Maldives is not the only country worried about land loss and overpopulation. South Korea is already working on building its own floating city.
Source: Waterstudio
If the Maldives Floating City is successful, it’s quite likely that this will become common practice all around the world. While no one can predict the future, it’s certainly possible that floating cities will be the new normal in no time at all.