AquaVita: a Venture Into Underwater Living and the Future of Human Habitats

70% - That is the percentage of Earth's surface that is covered by water, yet us humans can only live on land. Or can we? In this project, I aimed to explore that very question and create a form of an ocean/open-water habitat. AquaVita is not just a place to live, but a place to thrive. Instead of fearing the unexplored ocean, we can embrace it and its resources. AquaVita fosters a harmonious environment between humans and their aquatic habitat. It accommodates every human need with additions of luxury and comfortable, modern living - all while being self-sustaining.

Some key-features of this aquatic habitat include but are not limited to:

• Sustainable Energy
• Agriscience Food Sources
• Water Filtration
• Community Living
• Medical Facility
• Transport Docks
• Office Space
• Residential Apartments

When I heard about this contest, I was immediately interested as there were so many possibilities of what to create and the only limit was your imagination. This project gave me a creative outlet where I could experiment with my newfound knowledge of Autodesk Inventor to execute a vision. Additionally, this project was even more appealing to me as there was a physical prototype aspect which I tried to go all out with. My 3D printed scale model of the habitat came out clean for me to use in the construction of an underwater diorama - something that was fun for me as well.

Autodesk Inventor 2024 for 3D CAD Model.

For physical scale model:

• 3D Printer
• PLA filament
• Fish tank and decorations from my fish (RIP Sparkles)
• Water
• Insta 360 Camera for Underwater Photos

Before I started working on this project, I recently watched The Meg, a movie about a previously thought-to-be extinct shark species that resurfaces and poses a danger to humanity. I noticed that the scientists trying to find a solution to the Megaladon live in an underwater research center. We really only get to see the inside of this sub-sea habitat so I wondered what it might look like from the outside. I came across a few more art-depictions of underwater habitats that I thought could be interesting to alter and improve.

Now that I was set on creating a deep-sea, floating habitat, I did some research about rising sea levels. I found out that this was a very prominent issue in our world today that will continue to affect our population for generations. Many regions around the world are severely affected by rising sea levels as they destroy property and lives. Many people end up homeless with their houses washed out to sea. Sea levels are projected to rise by significant amounts in upcoming decades. In fact, by 2050, a large portion of Southern Florida will be completely submerged due to its low-lying coastal areas and tropical storms. A habitat like the one I propose to create can relocate victims of rising sea level-inflicted homelessness to an open water living facility. The video I have linked above does a great job at illustrating the effects on the world if sea levels were to rise. Although we would be long gone by the time the entire world is submerged, it is still quite scary to see just how much the Earth's geography will change in our lifetimes.

Using Autodesk Inventor, I used the revolve command to make a general, circular base structure for the habitat. The details are not all there yet, but this step gives me a foundation to work off of.

I chose to incorporate propellers into my project as my first method of renewable energy. Water currents will spin the propellers and generate electricity that can be stored in internal tanks or expended in various location in the habitat.

In this step, I touched up some smaller details of the main body including elevator shafts, pathways, water ducts, and a dock. The dock is a crucial aspect of the model as it allows boats and external shipments of people or goods to arrive or be delivered to AquaVita. Elevator shafts allow people to traverse along the longitude of the habitat with ease.

AquaVita is designed for deep, open-water living. Sea levels are constantly rising and falling due to climate change, coastal flooding, and melting of the ice caps. This can make it difficult to determine how close the habitat is to the ocean floor, especially if there is a sudden change in sea levels. To solve this problem, I designed a large sonar sensor at the bottom of the habitat. Sonar, or sound navigation and ranging sensor, can map the topography of the ocean floor by sending sound waves down to the ocean floor and measuring the time for them to return. With this technology implemented, underwater hazards can be avoided.

 I created water ducts and storage tanks for two purposes:

1. To manage the flotation of the habitat and make sure that it does not sink; and
2. As a way of filtering water for human use (ie. tap, drinking, plumbing)

The untamed ocean can be choppy and turbulent at times with constructive sea waves and storms. The habitat is meant to float on the surface of the water. To maintain this balance, water ducts act as mediators between buoyancy and sinking, pumping water in and out to keep the habitat at just the right elevation.

Water ducts also have a way to take the input water and filter it using a large-scale reverse osmosis filtration system to turn the salt water into clean, drinkable water. This water is then stored in sizeable storage tanks and can be pumped downwards to provide for the needs of the humans below.

While the first dock is located on the surface of the water and accompanies floating transport, there is also the need for underwater transport. This subaqueous dock will hold submarine vessels. I also rounded the edges of the three submarine docks for a more streamline and sleek view. These rounded chambers will also be deep-sea viewing decks for research and/or recreational purposes.

After creating the submarine dock, the next logical step would be to create prototype submarines. These submarines can be used for underwater research, long journeys, exterior habitat maintenance/repair, or in the case of an evacuation. I based them off the famous Beatles Song, Yellow Submarine, a song to me about community and living harmoniously with those around us, which fits perfectly with the habitat design contest.

With all 3D designed aspects of the model completed, I assembled them all with a perfect fit into the finalized digital representation of the AquaVita habitat.

In this step, I basically cut the model in half to demonstrate the inside layout. I replicated this image using AutoCAD to create a cross-sectional area of the habitat. Now that the interior was exposed, I could divide and label rooms, different sections, and key components of the habitat as shown above.

Floors and sub-levels of the habitat are labeled with a purpose including the residential, commercial, and shopping districts. These arrangements allow for the many inhabitants of AquaVita to live comfortably, with their own private places that account for their daily needs. Above these districts are located the kitchen, food storage/pantry, cafeteria, and communal area/lounge. These areas foster human interaction, which is, in fact, a survival need that humans cannot live without.

If you take a look below the shopping district, you will notice two fitness gyms and a sports complex. When living completely underwater, one may make the false assumption that the humans there are unfit and out of shape. However, with these facilities, people will have the encouraged option to exercise, play, and grow stronger.

As we move deeper into the habitat (literally), we get to the three chambers reaching out of the main body. One of their main purposes, as was described previously, is the submarine docks. However, every square foot of AquaVita is optimized to benefit the human experience, which is why there are individual areas within these deep sea branches. One of these areas is the Deep Sea Horticulture Garden. Horticulture, or the science of gardening, is used in AquaVita in a multitude of ways. One way is to provide fresh greens, fruits, and vegetables for the cafeteria and shops in the upper levels. A second way is as a form of research: astronauts have grown lettuce on the ISS, but not much gardening has been done deep in the waters of our own planet. Plants grown in the Deep Sea Horticulture Garden will also be implemented in the Medical Bay.

This is another vital area of the habitat, as any true successful, self-sustaining habitat needs some way to care for its inhabitants. Accidents happen and although in an isolated habitat like this, disease is less likely, a hospital-type sector is necessary regardless.

Moving out towards the edges of the branches, there are located observational decks, labeled by their branch letter (1-3) and floor/level (A-C). These observational decks can be used by the inhabitants of AquaVita to see and appreciate the beauty of the aqueous nature around them - tying into the principle of harmony between humans and their environment.

Lastly, at the bottom floor of the three branches is the submarine loading dock, complete with all the equipment necessary for submarine trips and their crew.

Connecting all levels, sub-levels, and areas of AquaVita is an elevator shaft that has the capability to vertically transport thousands of people to and from different locations throughout the day.

I would also like to touch on the methods of renewable energy, which are clearly visible in the cross-section. The first method, which was described briefly before, is the three substantial propellers located on the deep-sea branches. These propellers are a large energy input for the habitat as water currents spin the propellers, converting aquatic, mechanical energy into electrical energy that can be used for a plethora of appliances and devices. The internal components of the propellers are drawn and labeled in the cross section. They include the circular water turbine and rectangular energy storage bank that acts as a battery if not all received energy is being expended at the same rate.

The second form of renewable energy is the solar panels, which are located on top of the habitat (floating above the surface of the water). The surface area of the floating body is actually quite large and can fit a vast array of solar panels. Working together, this form of electricity input will be more than enough to power AquaVita, so it can be stored in the energy storage banks, or used to charge electric boats.

The final task to complete was the physical prototype. I think that this is a crucial aspect of the project that I wanted to carry out fully. After slicing and 3D printing, I had to remove supports from the inventor model, which was quite tedious. With the physical scale model ready, I had to create some kind of underwater diorama or biome to place my habitat in. For this I chose to use the fish tank from my fish that passed away earlier this year (RIP). I think it came out looking quite realistic with the rocks and fake plants. I even added some lego sharks to make a true underwater scene and an homage to the inspiration of this project (The Meg). I went into a dark room with a flashlight to take pictures of the completed diorama using a waterproof camera. I measured the scale of the model to the actual size to be 1 in : 100 ft.

All in all, AquaVita represents an advanced, harmonious vision for the future of human underwater inhabitation. By combining pioneering technology with comfort and sustainability, AquaVita not only battles the pressing challenges of climate change and overpopulation but also supports a healthy, symbiotic relationship between humanity and the ocean. While a habitat like this may look like it came straight out of a Sci-Fi movie, it can definitely be implemented in the real world, even possibly the near future. With this project, humans can live in the previously unlivable, while preserving the beauty of our planet's largest landscape, or seascape.

In any case, I truly enjoyed working on this project, and to think that it all started from watching The Meg back in the winter is mind-blowing. I have put a lot of effort and time into this design and its 3D physical representation but I also gained a lot from it. I gained insightful knowledge about our planet's resources and natural elements and how we preserve them by living in harmony. Our world's environment is constantly and rapidly changing as ice caps melt and sea levels rise. An open ocean living facility like this one could very possibly be something we see or hear about in the near future.

Thank you for all considerations!

Benjamin Khobot, rising junior at Staten Island Technical High School