# Star-Shaped Mini-Cities Koen Olthuis Designs Maldives Floating Islands Concept By Meghan Young | Published 2010-03-06 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maldives-floating-islands References: [waterstudio.nl](http://www.waterstudio.nl) The global climate change is creating valid fears regarding very real threats to many countries, so governments are stepping up to the plate with possible solutions such as the Maldives floating islands. The Maldives government has been in the news quite frequently addressing the threat of [rising sea levels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lift-house) to their small islands. Commissioning Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio.NL to come up with a possible solution, he has designed the Maldives floating islands concept. Although conceived as [resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bora-boral), this could be the answer to all their problems. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 77% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Floating Cities:** The concept of creating mobile homes, offices and cities on water bodies offers immense opportunities for tourism, transport and eventually permanent residence. - **Climate-resilient Architecture:** Building structures designed to withstand extreme weather conditions including floods, hurricanes, and rising sea levels could become a major focus in architectural design in the near future. - **Eco-tourism:** The trend towards sustainable travel, including the desire for authentic local experiences and a smaller environmental footprint, is driving the demand for eco-friendly destinations such as the Maldives floating islands concept. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Architecture:** Architects will have the opportunity to innovate climate-resilient infrastructure designs, offering solutions to climate change events such as rising sea levels and more frequent natural disasters. - **Tourism and Hospitality:** The floating city trend provides a unique opportunity for tourism businesses to cater to adventurous travelers interested in off-the-grid and eco-friendly travel. - **Marine Industry:** Professionals in maritime transportation and engineering could contribute to the development of floating communities, as well as provide ongoing maintenance and security for them. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Recycled Plastic Floating Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mast.md) - [Stone-Textured Island Resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/patina-maldives.md) - [Biodiverse Floating Housing Developments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/floating-neighborhood.md) - [Floating Marine Park Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smrket.md) - [Upcoming Architectural Floating Parks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/centroparco.md) - [Climate-Responsive Prefab Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drop-pod.md) - [Ultra-Luxe Overwater Resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-private-reserve.md) - [Modern Harmonious Minimal Resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/patina-maldives-resort.md) - [Flax Fiber Floating Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blue-nomad.md)