With global sea levels rising, coastal communities around the world are already bracing themselves for a future of high tides and lots of flooding. And a US company too, is preparing for this flooded future by starting development of underwater houses located as deep as 60 feet below the surface.
The island of Fiji may one day house an entire resort of undersea and semi-submersible residential and commercial buildings. At least, that's what folks at US Submarine Structures envision with this project, which was originally scheduled to be completed in 2008.
And with a new study out saying that parts of the United States, particularly the East Coast, are likely to see daily tidal floods by 2045, more people may be interested in this modern-day Atlantis. So far, 150,000 people are on board to own a H2OME - a 3,600-square-foot round house designed to sit in water as deep as 60 feet.
"For thousands of years imaginative people across the globe have stared into the depths of the sea and wondered what it might be like to live in an undersea dwelling. At US Submarine Structures we are making that dream a reality," the website writes.
According to Discovery News, residents access the H2OME, part of an underwater community called Poseidon, via an elevator or circular stairway. Conduits for water, sewage, communications and electricity are connected to the shore. Not to mention the killer view. The company says you can either choose your own ideal underwater site or have US Submarine Structures pick one for you.
And even 60 feet below the surface, the entire structure is at surface pressure, so there's no need to worry about diving or decompression.
For those interested in paying $10 million for an ocean oasis, click here to access the company's home website.