Could an Ocean-Floor Apartment Building Be Built?

Imagine living in an apartment building seamlessly integrated with the ocean floor. While this concept seems straight out of a science fiction novel, let's unpack the feasibility and challenges of building such a structure.

Current Technology and Examples

The idea of an ocean-floored apartment building is not entirely novel. In fact, similar structures have been in use for decades. Here are a few examples:

Oil Rigs: These are platforms built on the ocean floor to extract oil and natural gas. Many of them include living quarters for workers. The Hebron Platform is an excellent case in point. Built near Sunnyside, Newfoundland, it included accommodations for the workers. The process involved extensive design and construction efforts, with a cost of approximately 14 billion USD. Cruise Ships: While not exactly apartment buildings, cruise ships with extensive living quarters can serve a similar function. The Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, with a construction cost of about 2 billion USD, exemplifies the high cost and premium nature of such projects. However, it's not built for long-term living but rather for tourism and luxury travel. Decommissioned Ships: Sometimes, decommissioned ships are repurposed for living quarters. For instance, the CCGS Sir John Franklin was used as a floating apartment building off the coast of Labrador for over two years before being converted into a science vessel.

Technical Challenges

Building an ocean-floored apartment would present several significant challenges:

1. Watertight Sealing

To avoid water seeping into the building, the structure must be meticulously sealed, especially at the bottom. This would require advanced engineering techniques and materials to ensure buoyancy is properly managed. If not carefully sealed, the air-filled volume could create significant buoyancy issues, potentially causing the structure to float or submerge unpredictably.

2. Maintenance Costs

Maintaining such a structure would be extremely expensive. In addition to regular repairs, the building would need continuous monitoring to ensure it remains stable and secure. Owners of such properties would require sophisticated transportation methods, such as helicopters or specialized vessels, to access and maintain the buildings.

3. Structural Integrity

Constructing a building to withstand the pressures and conditions of the ocean floor is a significant engineering challenge. The materials used would need to be highly durable and resistant to corrosion, not to mention the structural integrity of the foundation would have to be carefully calculated to ensure it can withstand the weight of the building and potentially hostile underwater conditions.

Feasibility and Cost

While the idea of an ocean-floored apartment building sounds fascinating, the financial and technical challenges make it impractical for most people. As mentioned, the Hebron Platform's accommodations alone cost about 14 billion USD, and the Icon of the Seas' construction cost a substantial 2 billion USD. Luxury and long-term living accommodations such as cruise ships are built for throughput, not for inhabited living spaces.

Fantasy and Reality

Science fiction has often explored the concept of underwater cities, inspired by various sci-fi stories since the 1960s. These tales frequently involve the aftermath of apocalyptic events, making the atmosphere inhospitable or even uninhabitable. In reality, engineers designing submarines and maritime structures have already tackled many of the technical challenges associated with underwater living, but scaling these efforts for a massive residential project remains a significant undertaking.

While the idea of an ocean-floored apartment building is intriguing, it is currently more of a futuristic concept than a realistic possibility. Until breakthroughs in materials science and engineering, building such structures will remain a costly and challenging endeavor.