It used to be the realm of ancient martial arts to mimic the animal kingdom, but this giant vessel takes its cues from the ocean. The City of Meriens somewhat resembles a giant manta ray and could one day house 7,000 people without producing any waste.
While the designs are intending for a university city, the concept could shake up the cruise industry with a desire for more creativity. Renderings by the French architect Jacques Rougerie depict a 2,950-foot long and 1,650-foot wide sustainable ship, which would no doubt attract the adventurous.
The Frenchman coined the word ‘meriens’, which he says is a French equivalent to the term ‘oceanite’ and uses the word to describe himself. “I feel very, very good underwater. I feel different. Another type of imagination is awakened in me as soon as I am underwater,” he told a radio station in France.
Rougerie is no stranger to stunning concepts and has a whole host of vivid designs listed on his website. Meriens’ inner lagoon would accommodate marine research vessels, including Rougerie’s own SeaOrbiter (pictured below), an ocean skyscraper and floating lab which is currently under construction for an estimated $50million.