PONTOONS & FLOATING STRUCTURES<strong>The</strong> Green Star Hotel and Conference Centre will become a striking symbol of the Maldivian quest <strong>to</strong> combat climate change. <strong>The</strong> nearbyman-made island will be home <strong>to</strong> a floating restaurant.the design, engineering, financing,construction and sales. It has appointed<strong>Waterstudio</strong>.nl as its architectural firm.Dutch Docklands CEO, Paul van deCamp, is excited about the project,viewing it as the beginning of largescalefloating projects in the area. Hebelieves that if the project is successful,it will have proved the ability of theMaldives <strong>to</strong> combine the preservation ofvulnerable marine life while expandingland for the reinforcement of <strong>to</strong>urismand urban developments at the sametime. <strong>The</strong> project is an equally importan<strong>to</strong>ne for the company and will be usedas a benchmark business model forconcepts around the globe. <strong>The</strong> jointventure with the Maldivian Government,which brings the needs and demandsof the nation <strong>to</strong>gether with thecommercial aspirationsof Dutch Docklands is,van de Camp says, avery solid and longlastingbasis for such abig project.Understandably,there are significantchallenges <strong>to</strong> be facedwhen building on water.<strong>The</strong> biggest, van deCamp explains, islogistics: “We buildmost of the floatingstructure off-site, ina production yardoutside the Maldives,and larger parts inthe shipyards aroundthe Indian Ocean andin the Netherlands.To get all the floating products thereat the right moment (‘just-in-time’management) at the final location readyfor assembling is a pretty <strong>to</strong>ugh task.”However, building on the ocean alsohas distinct advantages over buildingon land, as Dutch Docklands’ cofounderKoen Olthuis explained lastyear at the UP Experience Conferencein Hous<strong>to</strong>n, USA. In the open ocean,tsunami waves are mere ripplesbeneath a structure that floats; water isthe perfect shock absorber <strong>to</strong> seismicwaves; and concerns over sea-level riseare eliminated when your home riseswith it.<strong>The</strong> islands will be constructed usingpatented technologies, which includethe use of very lightweight ExpandedPolystyrene (EPS) components andstrong concrete structures. In line withDutch Docklands’ focus on ‘scarlessdevelopments’, the materials used areenvironmentally-friendly, causing hardlyany impact <strong>to</strong> marine life. Paul van deCamp emphasises that any possibleimpact on the environment is noticedupfront, while the design is on thedrawing board. Using the expertise ofmarine specialists, marine engineersand environmental consultants, thedesign is adjusted at the first sign ofnegative impact.At a cost of over $1 billion andfunded by private shareholders, thePrivate villas in the Ocean Flower haveprivate plunge pools and terraces and haveaccess <strong>to</strong> a range of luxury amenities.www.marinaworld.com - March/April 2013 19
PONTOONS & FLOATING STRUCTURESLeft: Golfers make their way through a glass tunnel <strong>to</strong> reach the course. Right: the 18-hole golf course has 360° ocean views and plenty ofchallenges for even the most experienced golfer.developments are luxury resorts,catering for the more elite visi<strong>to</strong>r.But van de Camp explains that the5 <strong>Lagoons</strong> Project aims <strong>to</strong> provide awhole range of resort and businessactivities from reasonably-priced <strong>to</strong>ultra-luxurious. <strong>The</strong> Green Star hotelwill provide the best-priced rooms, withthe floating palaces in the golf course atthe <strong>to</strong>p end of the market.With headquarters in <strong>The</strong>Netherlands, Dutch Docklands has along and varied his<strong>to</strong>ry with water. Itshome country has battled against waterfor centuries <strong>–</strong> 20% of the country liesbelow sea level and water is controlledusing dikes and canals. Koen Olthuishas a vision of the future in which wedo not fight water but live with it andupon it. A man inspired by out-of-theboxinventions such as the eleva<strong>to</strong>r,which allowed cities <strong>to</strong> build up ratherthan span out horizontally, Olthuis seeswater as another platform on which <strong>to</strong>build. It is his belief that, as so many ofthe world’s cities lie close <strong>to</strong> water, weshould utilise this space and not justdefer <strong>to</strong> the argument that there is nomore space. Paul van de Camp sharesthis vision of a future in which floatingdevelopments are commonplace,creating new space and savingthreatened ocean nations.www.marinaworld.com - March/April 2013 21
Change language