Is A New Urban Plan Rising From The Sea?
Small islands make for idyllic getaways from our bustling mainland cities, where we’re busy figuring out the future. But can brand-new cities floating at sea give us the best of both worlds? Seasteading Institute founder Patri Friedman just convinced the government of Tahiti to take the first big step in finding out. Future generations may look back on this move as the moment a new era for the laws of urban life began.
While other Silicon Valley start-ups continue their scramble to revolutionize your terrestrial habits and maximize your every modern convenience, the Seasteading Institute has its eye on a longer game: establishing new forms of governance aboard man-made platforms in the ocean.
Picture a diverse maritime community of tech-inclined entrepreneurs working to set up simple, consensual rules for life atop peaceful, eco-friendly floating islands. More than simply gratifying a taste for adventure or travel, the seasteaders’ ultimate mission is to give millions of people new options for where and how to live. Seasteading, they believe, can empower people to found new cities complete with technology tailor-made to increase economic opportunity and mobility without overcrowding or overexploiting resources.
The partnership between the Seasteading Institute and Tahiti was formalized in a Jan. 13 memorandum of understanding with French Polynesian housing minister Jean-Christophe Bouissou. It grants the institute’s Floating Island Project a special governing framework and economic zone.