Harvest City: Floating Islands to Bring Agriculture and Industry to Haiti

It's been almost a year now since <a href="http://inhabitat.com/emergency-shelters-and-disaster-relief-for-the-people-of-haiti/">Haiti</a> was ravaged by a horrific earthquake, and while its citizens are still picking up the pieces, the good news is that there is no shortage of creative ideas about how to rebuild an even better, more sustainable infrastructure for the country. One of these ideas comes from architect E. Kevin Schopfer and <a href="http://www.tangram3ds.com/">Tangram 3DS</a>, who envision the new Haiti to have a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/maldives-to-fight-rising-sea-levels-with-floating-islands/">floating city</a> on which people could produce food and promote industry. Called Harvest City, the collection of islands would be a fully functioning community of 30,000 residents based on the principle of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/floating-mega-arcology-for-bostons-harbor/">Arcology</a> (a mix of architecture and ecology), and could be a key player in Haiti's recovery.

Harvest City would be a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/earthquake-resistant-earthships-for-haiti-disaster-relief/">place for Haitians to live</a> and start their lives again, but it would also be a place for agriculture and jobs to thrive.

Two thirds of the city would be dedicated to farming and one third to light industry.

The city would be composed of a collection of tethered, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/maldives-to-fight-rising-sea-levels-with-floating-islands/">floating</a> modules that span a diameter of 2 miles.

Divided into four zones interconnected by a linear canal system, neighborhoods would be made up of four story housing complexes.

The outer perimeter of the city would be composed of crop circles with secondary feeder canals.

The city center with schools, offices, and public space would be located in the inner harbor area.

The floating islands of <a href="http://www.evolo.us/architecture/harvest-city-is-a-floating-agricultural-and-industrial-city-for-haiti/">Harvest City</a> will be secured to the sea bed by a cable and were designed to weather hurricanes and typhoons.

A low profile, low draft dead weight capacity and perimeter wave attenuators are some factors that Schopfer incorporated into the city to ensure it would be safe from storms.

A breakwater using the concrete rubble debris from the earthquake would also be constructed to add to the city’s stability.

In addition to being a new beginning for the people of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/emergency-shelters-and-disaster-relief-for-the-people-of-haiti/">Haiti,</a> it is Schopfer's hope that Harvest City will be established as a "charter city” to be used as an example of a new and advanced economic model specifically developed for struggling nations.