Self-Sustaining Floating Habitat
The innovative Swiss boarding school Institut auf dem Rosenberg (Rosenberg) has released plans for a solar-powered floating dwelling called Blue Nomad. Blue Nomad is a project that students and SAGA Space Architects developed to look into the viability of the planet's 70% water surface as a place for human habitation in response to worries about the effects of the climate crisis.
Students from Rosenberg's personalised learning programme met with members of Sir Norman Foster's foundation in Madrid, where the latter came up with the idea for Blue Nomad. Students felt a strong desire to contribute to the effort to radically alter society in order to lessen reliance on fossil fuels and meet the problem of rising sea levels.
“With the climate crisis on everyone’s agenda, it’s imperative we find alternative ways to adapt to our planet’s changing environment,” said Bernhard Gademann, President of Rosenberg. “By partnering with forward-thinking enterprises and industry experts such as SAGA, we enable our students to solve real-life problems, with the goal of creating a better future for all.”
The idea behind Blue Nomad was to provide a home base for modern nomads who choose to live on the sea. The early Polynesian nomads used the Outrigger, a boat built of organic materials supported by a side pontoon, to travel the world. This served as an inspiration for students ages six to eighteen. Then, to make their ideas a reality, the students used AI.
Rosenberg's updated version, designed to house two nomadic residents and two visitors, will be powered entirely by solar energy, include a structurally optimised flax fibre weave, and serve as a showcase for the sustainable collection of organic and regenerative materials. Several units may join and share resources to create amazing off-grid neighbourhoods on water, satisfying the human desire for community.
Starting in June at the London Design Biennale and continuing through July at the Monte Carlo Energy Boat Challenge, Rosenberg will debut a model of Blue Nomad at a series of exhibitions this summer and autumn.
"Blue Nomad is climate sci-fi coming into reality, grounded in the vast ocean exploration heritage of Polynesian outriggers,” says Sebastian Aristotelis, Co-Founder, SAGA Space Architects. “It is fitting that it is co-designed with the problem solvers of tomorrow, the students of Rosenberg. It gives me joy to work with this new generation of thinkers and leaders who are motivated to solve the challenges posed by climate change."
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