Floating offshore parks planned for cities

A nature-packed floating super park has been proposed for cities like New York and London.

The Sea Tree would be a multi-tiered structure comprising of layered green habitats especially for wildlife.

Dutch-architects Waterstudio believe they would provide valuable living areas for birds, bees, bats and other small animals.

They say new opportunities for extra city parks are rare, so open space such as rivers, seas, lakes and harbours should be utilised.

They propose using offshore technology similar to oil rigs to construct the Sea Trees.

Waterstudio hopes oil companies might be persuaded to donate them to cities to show "their concern for a better city environment".

The giant floating towers would be moored to the seabed with underwater cables.

Architect Koen Olthuis said: "Underwater, the Sea Tree provides a habitat for small water creatures or even when the climate allows it for artificial coral reefs.

"The beauty of the design is that it provides a solution and at the same time does not cost expensive space on land, while the effect of the species living in the sea tree will effect a zone of several miles around the moored location."

Waterstudio claims that the first Sea Treet will be completed by January 2014 for an undisclosed client.