The massive underwater city of Rapture may have began in the imaginations of BioShock's developers 2K, but a similar city could become a reality in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.
World Architecture News says that a $14.4 billion plan was just unveiled this week to expand Amsterdam. This port city is centuries old, and they ran out of development space a long time ago, so now they're looking to build down rather than out. And down means underwater. The city's network of canals would be drained so that these complexes can be built.
The idea sounds crazy (and a bit scary), but architect Moshé Zwarts says that the city's geology permits this kind of project. "Amsterdam sits on a 30-meter layer of waterproof clay which will be used together with concrete and sand to make new walls, he explains. "Once we have resealed the canal floor, we will be able to carry on working underneath while pouring water back into the canals. It's an easy technique and it doesn't create issues with drilling noises on the streets."
Right now, they plan to use the space for shopping, parking, sports facilities, and general leisure. But it's only a matter of time before some crazy man tries to seal it off and make it a new "Eden." Let's hope that there are some advances in genetics before the project's completion date.
[Thanks, David]
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133 comments + 163700 views
Cool But where are the big daddys gonna be
I live there, I;m scared. They also want to clean up the Red Light District. Does this have anything to do with it? I'd say they smoked to much grass.
Let's just hope no one finds out how to collect adam >.>
Come to think of it, we always write Amsterdam as A'dam. Brrrr. Scary shit!
(insert joke involving Bioshock and this article)
[GENERIC WEED AND HOOKER AMSTERDAM JOKE]
Being the lover of "dim light" (Take it litaraly)that I am, The concept shots look awsome to me.
Is not a Dutchman entitled to the sweat of his brow?
How much is a plane ticket to Amsterdam?
Mxyzptlk: nicely played, sir
well they are already a city without morales or censors, so I guess they got the basic theory downpact for rapture....
@Mxyzptlk
10/10.
Lol carbon monoxide
Traffic is gonna suuuck there.
Um, wow. Something mildly interesting actually happening in my country for once.
I'd be more worried about some crazy trying to blow a hole in the top floor
OK not a bad Rapture reference but you would have done better with this:
Poseidon
reminds me of the resident evil umbrella facilities
Would you kindly take a trip down there and report back?
Thanks.
Try the Plasmid Brownies. They're amazing.
[Insert 4th wall breaking joke here to show how introspective I am. OMG I broke it twice! Is that even possible? Man I'm introspective. Probably extrospective too]
This is a pretty cool idea. All these new ideas, like cpus in contact lenses and nanotech, are really starting to make me feel like we're living in the 21st century. That Poseidon resort looks mad.
It's relaxing and unnerving at the same time.
Awesome!
The dutch will turn this place into a giant hot box
car parking or....bicycle parking?
Sounds like a massive catastrophe waiting to happen. :D
@ CaffeinePowered, Giant hotbox FTW XD
No but seriously, I live in a city nearby and this idea sounds rather strange, I'm in Amsterdam a lot, but this idea just sounds like the mayor of Amsterdam has smoked some serious sh*t!
There's been a few totally awesome ideas like this I've heard of, but none of them have ever been made. :( I remember watching a Discovery Channel show on a planned "Megacity Pyramid" to be built in Tokyo Harbor, which would have enough room for two hundred million people and the equivalent of dozens of skyscrapers. That show was on in like 1999, and I haven't heard anything since. :(
Looks like the Dutch'll beat them to the "shitty-to-live-in-but-goddamn-if-it-isn't-futuristic city" punch.
This can’t end well.
I hope they install a good air system... the dutches loves their weeds.
Doesn't Professor Pew live in that neck of the woods? Maybe he can visit and report on it for us.
Glass ceilings and elevators, anyone?
[GENERIC WEED AND HOOKER AMSTERDAM JOKE]
Underwater BONG
Imagine a High Big Daddy and Little sister.
"Mr Bubbles DUDE look.....at all the colors weeeeeeeeeeee (scary ass laugh) it's another angel. I think the only reason we die is becuase we accept it at an inevitablity"
Fucking great plan, only Amsterdam could come up with that.
They should just demolish Belgium though and expand Amsterdam there. No-one would miss it.
Why did I think of Hostel once I saw the plans for a dark, dank underwater city?
um, bad ideal.
looks pretty schwing.
Now I wonder if I could build me an underground bunker in my back garden - surely if it's underground I wouldn't have to have planning permission.
ahh ok it's still ain't the future yet, it will take them till 2018 to approve the plans. 10 years for someone to go how much? 15 billion? fuck no.
"Is not a Dutchman entitled to the sweat of his brow?". Err no, we pay 19% sales tax on videogames.
It looks like a good place to hold a Feyenoord-Ajax riot sometime in the future though!
The past is now.
@Prof. Pew
And then pull the plug.
awesome!
kinda hope they go through with it, thast would be sooo cool :-)
maybe they can put the red light district there, that would make it only more awesome! you can get a blowjob while smoking a joint and there could be (little) boats floating above you :-) it just sounds to awesome to be true though :-)
Can I live there?
me live in amsterdam and havent heard of this
Cool.