City On The Sea

 
This self-sufficient city design is based on harnessing ocean wave power,
solar and windmill power combined to produce sufficient electrical generation
to power an entire city. This city design is proposed for windy and cooler
climates that require protected structures that are aerodynamic and designed
to utilize wind to great advantage. Four, giant, counter-rotating windmills
at the top of the apartment unit tower creates enough electrical energy
to power the entire city. Photovoltaic panels, integral with the design,
supply auxiliary power throughout the city. During the turbulent windy
season, when the sea is most active, a series of air plenums are employed
to create turbine generation for power. This is located at the water's
edge, along a catenary arch structure. The power produced from this source
is used to convert sea water to fresh drinking water which is then recycled
through a system of cleansing tanks filled with special water plants and
marine life that take raw sewage and, using only plant vegetation, transform
and cleanse it to drinking water. This system is called a "Living Machine".
The base and tower structure are both designed to be aerodynamically and
structurally efficient. The tower structure can be thought of as a spinal
system structure with a rib-cage-like upper structure--much like our own
human body. Stress and strain is directed and dispersed along the rear
"spine" structure and into the base footings just as our own body's spinal
column takes stresses from our upper body and directs it into our hip
and leg area. This city design has a 30,000-person capacity. Exterior
sheathing is gold anodized aluminum. Internal support structure is reinforced,
waterproof concrete. This project was initiated through a grant from the
National Endowment For The Arts (Canada).
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