For designers nothing’s impossible. It’s not any super power but their creativity and logic that say so! Same applies to Dutch architect Koen Olthuis from the firm Waterstudio who has developed the Citadel Floating Apartment Complex which is a 60 unit luxury structure. Floating? Yes, you heard it right because this building defies tides while cutting the energy use by 25 per cent for Waterstudio.

Still pretty much a concept, though an awe-inspiring one, the Citadel will consist of 60 luxury apartments as well as amenities like a parking garage, a floating roadway and boat docks. Olthuis even thought of adding a terrace garden and some greenhouses.

Just so you know, the Dutch are known for their encounters with fluctuating water levels. Let’s not forget that a large portion of Netherlands is below sea level. As a matter of fact, polders are continuously pumped free of the gathering rainwater that is a threat to homes and buildings. And the Citadel plays along with these scheme of things. It simply rises and falls with the changing water levels so that no flood, tides or sea water make any trouble for this structure!

Via cubeme

Russians have always been ahead of the world when it comes to developing nuclear technology. And now, they have decided to be the first to float nuclear power plant. Expected to hit the waters of the eastern coast by the end of 2012, this little project is the brainchild of a company known as O.P.K. As a matter of fact, this model will generate power for an important atmoic submarine base on the Kamchatka peninsula called Viluchinsk.

If this project is a success, then very soon O.P.K. shall develop a bunch more to power other cities in the country. We also hear that mining companies are especially interested in this research because floating nuclear reactors will be of a great aid when extracting oil and gas, and other valuable minerals in remote regions. The maneuverability will prove to be a real asset.

The power plant in reference is being shaped like a ship, spreading across 144 meters in length and 30 meters in width to accomodate two 35-megawatt reactors. The name that the makers have decided upon is KLT-40C. Concern Energoatom shall be the buyer of this one of its kind model for a huge 226.8 million Euros.

Via greeninc

Rocking chairs have been among the most treasured furnishings of a house through the ages, but very soon, hovering chairs are probably going to replace them. The Magnetic Lounger from a British company Hoverit floats in mid-air beating the conventional rocker.

The lounge comprises a couple of side poles near its armrests holding four powerful magnets capable of retaining 98 percent of their original strength throughout its life. These magnets have their like poles aligned and this repulsion keeps the chair hanging in mid-air. Thus, it doesn’t need power to do its job and remains silent. This new and exciting flying chair has its share of drawbacks. Especially, if you are a cardiac patient with a pacemaker, try to avoid using it frequently. In addition, those accustomed to hold their wallets in back pockets might get their credit cards’ magnetic strips wiped off of their information. Its price at a whooping £5,800 expels its sleek design.

I would very well prefer my good old rocking chair to it because either ways it’s going to affect the credit cards! However, I would definitely recommend it for the posh furniture lovers who would love to take a glide on it.

Via SpotCoolStuff

Have distractions ever made you lose your memory for a few seconds while you are talking to somebody on the phone, watching Television, surfing the net or while text messaging? Well, this is not uncommon. Everybody faces it sometime or the other. Well, an innovative telecommunications device called “Isophone” will take care of these problems.

The Isophone is a very interesting telecommunications device, which provides a service that can be described simply as a meeting of the telephone and the floatation tank. You might be wondering how this works. This is pretty simple. All you have to do is may be slip a cool hat and jump into the pool. The hat here is not a literal hat but is a helmet that blocks out all peripheral sensory distraction whilst keeping the head above the surface of the water. The interesting part is that the water is heated to body temperature thereby, ensuring that you neither feel too cold or too hot. Apparently, floating in this manner frees up to 90% of the brain’s workload, which normally engages with calculating the lie of gravity. It also has enough breathing space provides a pure distraction free environment to even make a telephone call.

You can talk to the whole world absolutely free from distractions while your body floats on the water surface. However, I do not see any apparent reason as to why one must opt for this device to de-stress oneself and talk on the phone.

Via: AugerLoizeau\HackedGadgets