The Boston Arcology (even abbreviated as Buoy) is a conceptual project of the architect and designer Kevin Schopfer which plans to create a floating building on the port in front of the city. The buoy, if made, could host 15,000 people In the hotel, offices, commercial spaces, museums, condominiums and even a new town hall, all fueled by wind turbines, solar panels and marine turbines. It would therefore be aexpansion of the city towards the sea, even if at the moment there is no information regarding its actual realization.
The project consists of a huge building with environments distributed according to the most diverse functions, from the hotel offices to spaces appointed to greenery and entertainment. Contrary to the idea of floating freely in the port, Boston Arcology was designed to be hosted in one containment swimming pool made inside the port itself of about 32 meters (105 feet) of depth. The water of the port should flow freely inside and outside this containment basin. This allows the ACOLOLO to adapt to changes in the water level due to tides or extreme meteorological events, climbing and going down with it.
The skyscraper will insist on one platform made of “lightened” concrete cells. These, being quarries and containing air, have an overall density lower than that of the water, generating the hydrostatic thrust necessary for floating. Although “floating”, however, Arcology would not be drifting. Would be firmly anchored to the seabed inside its containment basinusing robust mooring systems (such as chains and concrete blocks) to keep it in position and resist the wind, currents and waves forces.
One of the main characteristics of the project is that relating to the presence of Sky Gardens Every 30 floors, which act as environments capable of dissipating the heat inside the building and, clearly, will act from environments responsible for entertainment and living together. Various sustainability systems are also provided: wind turbines, solar panels, marine turbinesrecycling of gray waters, drinking water collection and passive thermal ventilation.
There feasibility of the Boa has often been put in discussion, Although according to the designer, the skyscraper would be achievable in less than 10 years. We currently have no information about its possible future construction.
