A floating city has been proposed to help ease some of the problems being faced by earthquake-damaged Haiti. But is this the answer the struggling country needs?
The City Fix's Erica Schlaikjer takes a look at the idea, how relevant it would be and how it compares to other similar ideas.
"The 'Harvest City,' as it is called, was recently profiled in Inhabitat as a 'key player in Haiti's recovery.' Developed by Boston-based architect E. Kevin Schopfer and Tangram 3DS, the city is a collection of man-made 'islands,' or floating modules, spanning two miles, that would be secured to the bottom of the ocean by a cable designed to withstand hurricanes and typhoons. (Although, what happens when, God forbid, a tsunami hits?) Each island would be divided into four zones connected by a canal system. The city would be dedicated mostly to farming, with one-third of the economy involved in 'light industry.' Schopfer says he also hopes that Harvest City will be established as a 'charter city,' which would serve 'as an example of a new and advanced economic model specifically developed for struggling nations.'
Inhabitat says Harvest City 'would be a place for Haitians to live and start their lives again.' But what about their current quality of life? Does the prospect of a futuristic development assume that Haitians aren't 'living' to the fullest now? Why wait to renew their health and happiness?"
FULL STORY: Floating City for Haiti: Does it Hold Water?
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research