Skyscrapers above the earth are something of a norm for us urban lot. But stretch your imaginative senses and visualize skyscrapers on water! Fantasise how you may live in a tall building anchored from below water! An eco-conscious concept called the Gyre, of a skyscraper in the middle of ocean has just emerged, driving those dreams of living on and under water. It is a prefabricated structure.

The Gyre is an inverted underwater skyscraper, from depth of 400 m. It would be as tall as (1,312 ft) and would be about the same height as the Empire State Building in New York. Gyre is meant to be a research station and an off shore resort, replete with gardens, shops and restaurants. Its shape is what is touted to make it a sturdy structure that can withstand ocean winds. Four arms extend from the center spire (1.25 kilometers in diameter). They keep the structure afloat and create a harbor large enough to accommodate huge ships. The center tower starts off at 30,000 sq meters of space on top. With each passing floor downwards, it gets smaller, to 600 square meters. The total floor area of the entire structure is 212,000 square meters, approximately the size of 40 football fields.

Gyre’s power source is renewable energy, with zero emissions. It has vertical wind turbines on top of the radial arms. Semi-transparent solar windows glaze the entire structure. Solar panels also shade pedestrian walkways on top. Underwater turbines generate power from water currents when anchored. Rainwater gets collected in the central vortex into storage tanks at the spire’s bottom. It has been designed by Victoria BC based firm Zigloo. For a gigantic concept such as this, one only wonders about waste management if it gets functional.

Via: Zigloo