If you’re worried about where the human race will live in the future, then fear no more. An urban design concept including an ocean colony for “climate change refugees”, has been created. The colony is called Aequorea, it will consist of multi-use oceanscrapers.

The design was conceived by Belgian architect and visionary Vincent Callebaut. His plan includes using recycled materials taken from the ocean’s floating garbage patches. This material would then be 3D printed to form buildings and whole cities in the sea.

Callebaut describes the project as “an oceanscraper printed in 3D from the seventh continent’s garbage.” It’s aim is to provide a sustainable habitat with 10,000 housing units, office and work space, sea farms, gardens, community orchards and much more, while fostering marine life.

The best part about this is that Callebaut’s plans could actually come into existence at some point in the future! His futuristic and fictional city is called Aequorea and will be placed just off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

Callebaut has even created a fictional timeline of future events that led to its creation. The story of Aequorea, which is called “An Open Letter to the People of the Land” tells the story of Oceanie. This fictional letter was written by the 15 year old citizen of Aequorea on the 24th of December 2065. Oceanie begins by describing the habitat: “Bio-inspired, the farm draws its name from a bioluminescent, light-emitting jellyfish characterized by its articulated, webbed tentacles. These tentacles enable it to swim and ensure its stability, while producing its own energy.”

This is not the first environmentally sustainable conceptual project created by Callebaut. Other recent ideas have included a seaweed powered transport system, as well as “farmscrapers” – buildings covered in plants.

Aequorea is supposed to emphasize just how important the earth’s oceans are, and it gives us a way to begin using them constructively – rather than destructively – all with the help of 3D printing technology.

The letter ends with an important message to all of us: “Never forget this: oceans produce 50% of our planet’s oxygen. They are its most active lung! It was really worth cleaning them, and fighting their acidification, thus re-enchanting our living together — don’t you think?”

If you want to read this letter in full, then visit Vincent Callebaut Architectures.