90% of the world’s major cities are at risk of being flooded or submerged in the future. Oceanix Busan, in South Korea, it is an architectural project that seeks to solve the infrastructure problems arising in cities with coastlines experiencing land loss due to climate change.

The goal is for this city to be ready for 2030, the year in which Busan aspires to host the 2030 World Expo.

This world’s first prototype of a resilient and sustainable floating community, according to its creators, was unveiled at the Second United Nations Roundtable on Sustainable Floating Cities, a committee set up by United Nations agency Habitat. This committee looks for solutions for cities that, due to their location at the foot of the sea, are most at risk of flooding and destruction due to rising sea levels.

During the presentation of the event in April 2022, it was explained that this project is a joint work of several companies, such as the technology company OCEANIX, the Center for Ocean Engineering of MIT University (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Bjarke Ingles’ firm international BIG that the IQON tower in Quito, and the South Korean company SAMOO.

Oceanix Busan will be based in the South Korean city of Busan, with a population of 3.4 million, the country’s second largest city and one of the most important maritime cities of the 21st century. This project represents the way many cities can sustainably expand to the sea while adapting to the level of the oceans and protecting themselves from flooding. If this prototype is successful, it would be attempted to expand to other cities around the world facing the same dangers. Cities that can be considered are New York, Miami, Mumbai, Tokyo and Shanghai.

Three artificial islands will be built on 6.3 hectares, connected to the land by two roads at their ends, creating a lagoon that will be used for arts and recreation and will accommodate 12,000 people. Taking into account the culture of the city, with low buildings, terraces and open spaces, the project tries not only to make space for housing, but also to create a community. While only three islands are currently being built, this project has the potential to grow to 20 islands, which can accommodate more than 100,000 people.

Oceanix Busan will be built between 2025 and 2028.

Each island has a different purpose, but all three have six integrated systems, zero waste and circular systems (an economic idea in which resources are used as often as possible), zero net energy, food, coastal habitat regeneration and innovative mobility. Each community will treat and replenish its own water, provide urban agriculture, and reduce and recycle resources. It is designed to adapt to sea levels and the needs of the city’s residents.

The first platform will be accommodation, for people who want to do ecotourism; You have eco-commerce options and local restaurants. The second will be devoted to maritime research and agriculture. It will have hydroponic towers dedicated to agriculture, and by controlling the temperature you can grow food in winter. The last platform is for the residents’ homes. It will have residential buildings and local cultural programming, plus an open community space in the center for people to gather.

As the effects of climate change begin to be felt, the infrastructure cities are looking for is changing. Projects like this, showcasing human innovation, are being set up worldwide to relieve the pressure of various challenges, in this case for people who used to live in coastal areas and have been displaced.