With a drastic increase in population of the world and the space getting smaller – inventors, architects, developers are all coming up with unique and inventive ideas to utilize more and more space – ideas like floating city, underwater city and creating future cities of the world. According to a report of United Nations the world’s population is going to cross 9.6 billion by 2050 and more the population more the space is required.
1. Khazar Islands, Azerbaijan ($100 billion)
Consisting of 41 islands spread over an area of 12 squares mile in the Caspian Sea, Khazar Islands are also known as the Caspian Islands located in the south of Baku. Expected to be completed in 2022 it will be able to accommodate more than one million residents with facilities like 150 schools, 50 hospitals, several parks, shopping malls and universities. The island’s perimeter will have a Formula 1 quality racetrack. Another highlight is the Azerbaijan Tower – ready to set record for world’s tallest building in the world at 1, 050 meters, breaking Burj Khalifa’s record by 222 meters.
2. The King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia ($86 billion)
One of he world’s largest real estate companies – Dubai Emaar Properties is managing a 67 square miles development just beside the Red Sea and 100 kilometers north of Jeddah – the commercial hub of Saudi Arabia. The King Abdullah Economic City is expected to be larger than Washington DC and is a great attempt to diversify the oil-dependent economy by encouraging and inviting foreign direct investment.
3. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, India ($20 billion)
Under the if-you-build-it-they-will-come approach to development, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pipe-dream with the world class infrastructure expects to attract big companies from Mumbai and Bangalore. It will have a special economic zone (SEZ), an international education zone, integrated townships, an entertainment zone, hotels, a technology park and a stock exchange.
4. Songdo International Business District, South Korea ($40 billion)
Aiming to become the business hub of northeast Asia, South Korea are global leaders in technology. The new smart city is to be built over 6 kilometers along Incheon’s waterfront, promising a healthy environment for work and living, with 20 million square feet of LEED™ certified space. Smog and air pollution being major problems in the country, 40 percent of the city has been designed to be green public spaces. There will be no need of trash can or trucks as the city will introduce underground piping system for waste disposal.
5. Madinat Al-Hareer, Kuwait ($94 billion)
The ambitious Silk City will be built in approximately 25 years on an area of 250 kilometers. Burj Mubarak al-Kabir will be the focal point of the city in Northern Kuwait with the height of 1, 001 meters, the height resembles the folk tale One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, from where Aladdin comes.
6. The World Islands, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ($N/A)
It is a gigantic and fantastically made project that’s still under construction. The heart of Europe comprises of 300 islands designed to look like a World’s map. The recession had put a hold on the work but now thing seem to be up and running again. The project will incorporate luxury resorts, lavish restaurants and half-submerged floating homes. There will be bedrooms underwater. The European section of the side will have all seasonal experience and will also accept EURO, total cost of the project is not yet estimated but it surely crossed $14 billion back in 2005.
7. Masdar City, Abu Dhabi ($20 billion)
Looking like a cube from a distance the city has a 45-meter high wind tower that sucks air from above and blows its back to cool the streets keeping the temperatures around 16 Degree Celsius all the time. The city is reliable on solar and renewable energy sources, aspiring and promising to be the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste city. Driver-less electric cars will provide the transport and cars are strictly forbidden in the city’s boundaries.
8. Earth-scraper, Mexico ($1 billion)
An incredible upside down pyramid of 65 storeys has been built, going 300 meters under the ground. The clever architect of the building has given new idea for making new spacious buildings. The building contains 10 floors for offices, and aims to accommodate 300, 000 people with shops and offices and residential units. Natural sunlight would flow in from an 800-square foot roof with transparent glass.
9. Floating City, China ($20 billion)
With the increase in population – more than 1.3 billion, more space is needed and that is why the architects have created the floating city. A system of submerged tunnels will create a network of walkways and roads, with personal submarines for those who require private transportation. There will be an above ground and underwater layer. The city will entirely be self sufficient with a farm, a hatchery and a waste disposal center.
10. Ocean Spiral, Japan ($30 billion )
Shimizu Corporation has designed the modern-day Atlantis, the floating globe of 500 meters in diameter can have hotels, residential spaces and commercial buildings. A 15-kilometer spiral structure would extend to the sea floor beneath the dome and 400 kilometers below the surface. The idea being to mine seabed for rare earth minerals and metals and make an earth factory that would produce methane and carbon dioxide by using micro-organisms.
