These floating buildings are made from thousands of plastic bottles to protect from storms and rising water
"Some people live very close to the water — in vulnerable locations," he said. "They can use these structures to improve their neighborhoods."
Olthius hopes the City App project will provide valuable resources to neighborhoods in developing nations, especially ones threatened by climate change.
Waterstudio is working with local developers on the project in case they want to build more units.
Founded in 2003, Waterstudio is known for its floating structures. It has constructed more than 200 buildings on water around the world, including these floating villas for a neighborhood called IJburg in Amsterdam, Netherlands:
Each foundation is made of wooden pallets, wire, and thousands of recycled plastic bottles, which allow the structures to float.
The City Apps, which cost $53,000, were built in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Waterstduio CEO Koen Olthius told Business Insider.
The units will be buoyed to the sea floor, and move up and down as water levels rise, helping them withstand storms. They're designed to be air-tight to reduce the risk of flooding.
The other four units will consist of a community kitchen, a facility with a public restroom and shower, and another with a back-up generator for electricity. The units are powered by solar panels located on the roofs.
During the day, one structure will be a classroom featuring 20 tablet workstations and two teaching screens. In the evening, it will be used as an internet cafe.
Waterstudio will soon premiere five City Apps in Korail, a low-income community in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They are portable and can move to different neighborhoods.
City Apps can be customized for several types of uses, including classrooms, water filtration systems, medical clinics, or homes.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement