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Access Type

Campus Access

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

Architecture

Degree Type

Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)

Year Degree Awarded

2013

Month Degree Awarded

May

Keywords

Architecture, Ocean Architecture, Mobile Architecture, Sustainable Architecture

Abstract

Today there are more cities localized on our coastlines than ever before. Unfortunately, this fact poses an immediate danger due to the rising tides of our oceans. Together with the increase in global population and coastal erosion, the world will increasingly become a more difficult place to live.

With our overcrowding cities, mercurial changes in weather and over three quarters of the earth's surface being uninhabited oceans; we need cities that are mobile, seaworthy and capable of avoiding natural disasters. Thus, by creating these types of cities, architects will lead the way to ensure the safety of the public and ultimately civilization itself.

I believe the most feasible solution to these problems is for us to advance our civilizations onto the oceans.

Moreover, the concept of designing static cities and buildings must evolve with the changing world or we as architects will be at fault for failing to design a survivable future.

Within the last decade we have seen cities become the tombs of the innocent. From September 11th, New Orleans, tsunami's and earthquakes, we have witnessed destruction on a scale never before seen in modern history.

Therefore, the aim of this research is the creation of a self contained, independent and divergent architectural system capable of being entirely self-sustained within a mobile seafaring environment. Moreover, through the creation of a closed-loop mobile civilization, both our dependence on land and the impending crisis awaiting static structures will be significantly diminished.

Ultimately, the aim of Divergence is fourfold:

1. Development of a mobile civilization.

2. Development of Closed-Loop technologies.

3. Enable long term survivability and independence.

4. Bring architectural sensibilities to the creation of an ocean city.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/4314541

First Advisor

Kathleen R. Lugosch

Second Advisor

Ray K. Mann

COinS