By Mark Prigg | 11:46 GMT, 13 August 2012
The floating future of the Maldives: Complete with £320m golf course
and luxury 'workers island'
The Maldives has revealed plans for a radical £320m floating course, which players access by an
undersea tunnel.
The course is part of a massive plan to replace the sinking islands with a network of man made,
floating islands.
With an average elevation of just five feet above sea level the Maldives, with its 1,192 islands in
the Indian Ocean, is the lowest country in the world.
Amid fears many of the islands will soon sink into the sea, the Maldivian government has started
a joint venture with the architectural firm Dutch Docklands International to build the world’s largest
series of artificial floating-islands.
The Dutch firm has already built floating islands for prisons and housing from slabs of concrete
and polystyrene foam.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00009-14.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00009-14.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00010-13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00010-13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
In the Maldives, the floating islands will be anchored to the seabed using cables or telescopic
mooring piles, making landforms that are stable even in storms.
The architects chose this approach to minimise damage to the seabed, and also chose to build lots
of small islands to reduce the shadow on the seabed, which could affect wildlife.
The islands will be constructed in India or the Middle east to reduce costs, then simply towed to
their final destination in the Maldives.
The islands will also be designed for swimmers, divers and even private submarines to enter them
from below, and the Dutch firm designing the scheme has said visitors will be able to rent private
submarines that can surface right in the middle of their living rooms.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00011-9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00011-9.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00012-8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00012-8.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The idea is the brainchild of Dutch firm Waterstudio who designed the project.
It is being engineered by floating architecture specialists Dutch Docklands.
CEO Paul van de Camp said: 'We told the president of the Maldives we can transform you from
climate refugees to climate innovators.
'And we have a way of building and sustaining this project that is environmentally friendly too.
'This is going to be an exclusively green development in a marine-protected area.'
The first part of the project to be built will be the golf course.
'This will be the first and only floating golf course in the world - and it comes complete with
spectacular ocean views on every hole,' said van de Camp.
'And then there's the clubhouse.
'You get in an elevator and go underwater to get to it.
'It's like being Captain Nemo down there.'
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00013-5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00013-5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Designer Koen Olthuis said: 'We'll be building the islands somewhere else, probably in the Middle
East or in India - that way there's no environmental cost to the Maldives.
'When it comes to the golf course, the islands will be floated into position first and then the grass
will be seeded and the trees planted afterwards.'
Development on the course is expected to begin later this year, and it should be ready for play by
the end of 2013 ahead of the full launch in 2015.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00016-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00016-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The proposed site is just a five-minute speedboat ride from the capital of Male, giving golfers the
chance to make quick journeys to the mainland.
Amazingly, the course will even be powered by solar energy which is a resource the Maldives has
plenty of - as it's located just north of the equator.
The designers claim the entire resort will be carbon neutral.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00015-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00015-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The ambitious plans will also feature 43 private islands.
Called Amillarah (the Maldivian word for Private Island).
This unique project exists of 43 floating private Islands in a archipelago configuration.
Each has its own jetty for yachts, along with a pool. Palm trees give each mini island its own
secluded area.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00017-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00017-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The floating future of the Maldives: Complete with £320m golf course
and luxury 'workers island'
- Floating islands will be moored to the seabed using cables to minimise environmental impact
- Golf course will be accessed by a tunnel on the seabed, and have an underwater clubhouse for
golfers to relax in after their game - 43 private islands complete with their own beaches and yacht moorings
- Islands will be be built in India or the Middle east and towed to the Maldives
The Maldives has revealed plans for a radical £320m floating course, which players access by an
undersea tunnel.
The course is part of a massive plan to replace the sinking islands with a network of man made,
floating islands.
With an average elevation of just five feet above sea level the Maldives, with its 1,192 islands in
the Indian Ocean, is the lowest country in the world.
Amid fears many of the islands will soon sink into the sea, the Maldivian government has started
a joint venture with the architectural firm Dutch Docklands International to build the world’s largest
series of artificial floating-islands.
The Dutch firm has already built floating islands for prisons and housing from slabs of concrete
and polystyrene foam.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00009-14.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00009-14.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00010-13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00010-13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
In the Maldives, the floating islands will be anchored to the seabed using cables or telescopic
mooring piles, making landforms that are stable even in storms.
The architects chose this approach to minimise damage to the seabed, and also chose to build lots
of small islands to reduce the shadow on the seabed, which could affect wildlife.
The islands will be constructed in India or the Middle east to reduce costs, then simply towed to
their final destination in the Maldives.
The islands will also be designed for swimmers, divers and even private submarines to enter them
from below, and the Dutch firm designing the scheme has said visitors will be able to rent private
submarines that can surface right in the middle of their living rooms.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00011-9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00011-9.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00012-8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00012-8.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The idea is the brainchild of Dutch firm Waterstudio who designed the project.
It is being engineered by floating architecture specialists Dutch Docklands.
CEO Paul van de Camp said: 'We told the president of the Maldives we can transform you from
climate refugees to climate innovators.
'And we have a way of building and sustaining this project that is environmentally friendly too.
'This is going to be an exclusively green development in a marine-protected area.'
The first part of the project to be built will be the golf course.
'This will be the first and only floating golf course in the world - and it comes complete with
spectacular ocean views on every hole,' said van de Camp.
'And then there's the clubhouse.
'You get in an elevator and go underwater to get to it.
'It's like being Captain Nemo down there.'
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00013-5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00013-5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00014-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00014-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Designer Koen Olthuis said: 'We'll be building the islands somewhere else, probably in the Middle
East or in India - that way there's no environmental cost to the Maldives.
'When it comes to the golf course, the islands will be floated into position first and then the grass
will be seeded and the trees planted afterwards.'
Development on the course is expected to begin later this year, and it should be ready for play by
the end of 2013 ahead of the full launch in 2015.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00016-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00016-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The proposed site is just a five-minute speedboat ride from the capital of Male, giving golfers the
chance to make quick journeys to the mainland.
Amazingly, the course will even be powered by solar energy which is a resource the Maldives has
plenty of - as it's located just north of the equator.
The designers claim the entire resort will be carbon neutral.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00015-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00015-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The ambitious plans will also feature 43 private islands.
Called Amillarah (the Maldivian word for Private Island).
This unique project exists of 43 floating private Islands in a archipelago configuration.
Each has its own jetty for yachts, along with a pool. Palm trees give each mini island its own
secluded area.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00017-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00017-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
