Despite water comprising more than 70% of the earth’s surface, mankind has made relatively little progress interns of exploring the planet’s expansive oceans, with humans having mapped out more of the surface of Mars and the moon than the ocean floor. Seeking to achieve a better understanding of this mysterious sub-surface world, grandson of legendary oceanographer, adventurer, and explorer, Jacques Cousteau, Fabien Cousteau has set out to build a state-of-the-art underwater marine research facility.
Known as the PROTEUS, this forthcoming facility is described by its creators as an “underwater International Space Station.” Penned by renowned Swiss designer, Yves Béhar, the underwater lab boasts a spiral architectural design that contains all the live and work stations needed to support life under the ocean, including the first-ever underwater greenhouse and a full-scale video production facility. Powered by an amalgamation of sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind, and ocean thermal energy harnessing, the facility will be located 60-feet beneath the waves (or three atmospheres) off the coast of the island of Curaçao, just southeast of Aruba. The project is expected to be brought to fruition over the coming years. For more information on the project, you can check out the link below.
