Amazing “Green Machine” Mobile City Concept Transforms Deserts into Lush Oases

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/sahara-desert/" target="_blank">Sahara desert</a> is home to one of the world's most inhospitable climates, but what if there was a way to turn the barren landscape back into a lush and green oasis? Architect <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/stephane-malka" target="_blank">Stephane Malka's</a> visionary "Green Machine" aims to achieve just that. The massive, self-sufficient mobile city built atop tank treads would turn deserts into oases by plowing the land, planting seeds, and watering the landscape as it moves.

In 2007, the UN declared that desertification is one of the world's biggest environmental challenges that lead to widespread famine and economic instability.

Malka's thought experiment is a provoking proposal that probes the untapped potential of these sterile lands.

"The Green Machine" ambitiously tackles some of the world's most pressing issues, including overpopulation, loss of farmable land, and dwindling fossil fuels, with a nomadic, self-sustaining city machine that doubles as agriculture infrastructure.

To take advantage of the Sahara's intense sunlight, the project is equipped with giant solar towers to provide electricity.

Nine giant balloons will produce a steady water supply from air condensation, two-thirds of which will be used for irrigation.

The Green Machine's caterpillar treads will also be able to plow and optimize the soil profile for farming, before injecting the land with water, fertilizer, and cereal seeds.