A product of the eternal fascination with inhabiting the waters, a number of artificial island projects have been announced in recent years, becoming a way for many cities to expand out into the sea and opening up the possibility of moving settlements, activities, nature and entertainment beyond their normal boundaries. Certainly, this is not a recent innovation. One of the earliest examples of artificial islands was Dejima, created in the Nagasaki Bay in the 17th century Japan as a centre dedicated to European merchants, a testimony to how man has always sought to settle on the sea with fixed or mobile platforms. However, from the recently inaugurated Little Island in New York to the announced Lynetteholm Island in Copenhagen, thefocus around the latest projects is on environmental sustainability. Whether they are built to have minimal impact, powered by alternative energy sources and designed to protect the coastline from the waters, on the contrary, they spark outrage among environmentalists for “greenwashing” practices; the debate around new artificial islands demonstrates a renewed awareness and desire to limit the environmental damage attached to these projects. Moreover, considering the relentless rise in water levels caused by global warming, in a few decades the seas could cover large portions of cities such as Miami, Venice or Bangkok. This means that new water housing solutions will become increasingly common, if not absolutely necessary, and artificial islands will play a key role in the climate challenge.
A look at 10 new artificial islands
Ten examples of artificial islands across the world, from the proposed or still under construction ones to the recently opened.
Photo Tredje Natur.
Photo Michael Grimm.
Photo Seasteading Institute.
Photo Avesta Group.
Photo Stringer/ChinaImages / IPA.
Photo Dubai.it.
Photo Danish Energy Agency.
Photo Wikimedia Commons.
Photo Skyscapercity.
Photo Miral Asset Management.
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- Gaia Lamperti
- 04 August 2021
A 275-hectare under-construction artificial island off the coast of Copenhagen designed to protect the city's harbour from rising water and to acts as a climate and storm surge protection. The project was designed by COWI, Arkitema and Tredje Natur and is set to be built over the next 50 years. It will host homes for 35,000 people and will be connected to the mainland via a ring road, tunnels and a metro line.
An artificial island park in the Hudson River of Manhattan in New York City designed by Heatherwick Studio. The $260 million platform featuring parks with 350 species of flowers, a 687-seat amphitheatre and several restaurants was opened to the public in May, becoming he first new park to open in the city since the pandemic began.
The project backed by the NGO Seasteading aims to to create ecological floating platforms for off-shore housing in the lagoon in the south of Tahiti. The island is only at the proposal stage now but the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding signalling its willingness to work with the organization to build this artificial island which would promote sea level rise resiliency, sustainable development, and societal innovation.
A man-made island being developed in the Caspian Sea, about 23km south-west of the Baku. It consists of a 2,000-hectare area consisting of more than 40 man-made islands interlinked by suspension bridges, pedestrian walkways and structures. On the main islands there will be parallel lines of buildings, including the new Azerbaijan Tower, 1,050m high with 189 floors, that will become the world’s tallest building. The other isolated islands will host resort-style villas, with the whole project housing more than one million people upon its completion.
An under-construction, artificial archipelago located off the north coast of Danzhou, Hainan, China. The project, being built by the Evergrande Group, will consist of three independent islets with a total area of 381 hectares that, seen from above, will look like the petals of a flower gathered around the corolla. The completion of the $24 billion work, which includes shopping malls, theatres, gardens and hotels is expected soon.
An artificial archipelago off the coast of Dubai built in 2008 and, seen from above, resembling a stylised palm tree. It is home to luxurious resorts and restaurants with an excellent system of roads, tunnels and public transport. It works as a breakwater but is mostly famous as a touristic attraction.
Located west of Jutland in the North Sea at a distance of approximately 80km from the Danish town of Thorsminde, the artificial structure will be able to serve off-shore wind farms with a capacity of 3-10 GW, becoming the largest off-shore wind farm in the country. The Danish Energy Agency plans to start the tendering process in 2022.
A complex of seven artificial islands in the archipelago of Bahrain that was completed in 2015 and located 10.5km northeast of the capital, Manama. The islands are designed as self-contained cities with commercial and residential facilities and they are connected with each other via public transport.
A Chinese artificial island under construction to host the airport that will serve the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province. THis is common practice for China which has some of the world’s largest off-shore airport on islands constructed specifically for this purpose.
Artificial island in Abu Dhabi completed in 2009, Yas island occupies a total land area of 25sqkm and is home to a popular leisure park which turned it into a tourism attraction. It also hosts a circuit where is held the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009.