No, this won’t walk down your stairs. It’s a prototype house dome by Russian architect Alexander Remizov that could house up to 10,000 people, float on the ocean, and operate sustainably, reports CNN. Named “The Ark,” the slinky-like dome would be made out of wood beams, steel, and ETFE plastic, which is designed to be resistant to corrosion and high temperatures.
The Ark is designed to be a non-polluting settlement. That cone sticking out of the top is a wind power generator and the panes of glass are actually clear solar panels. If floating, the Art can also use thermal energy from water. Thanks to the odd shape of the building, it is also built to sustain earthquakes. Any structural stress is distributed across the whole structure.
“The form of a dome promotes the formation of turbulences of air, strengthening the work of wind generators,” said Remizov. “Inside the building, the dome form promotes accumulation of warm air in the top part of a building. This heat will be transformed to other kinds of energy and collects also in thermal accumulators.”
Remizov believes the units could be built as cheaply as current energy efficient green buildings and could be used for a number of purposes includin offices, hotels, or housing, and hold anywhere from 50 t0 10,000 people.
Pretty strange, right? We haven’t seen cheap transparent solar panels on the market yet, so this Ark may be a ways off. It does look like a neat idea, but perhaps a bit too idealistic. Could the Ark really be built as cheaply as a standard building, especially with a wind generator and water recycling system built right into it? It’s difficult to fathom. With that said, it’s good to dream. Who doesn’t want to live inside of a giant slinky on the ocean?
