https://www.businessinsider.com/floating-home-withstands-category-4-hurricanes-2019-2
A $6 million floating home that can withstand Category 4 hurricanes is now a reality. Take a look inside.
- After years of development, the housing startup Arkup has debuted a floating home that can withstand rising sea levels and Category 4 hurricanes.
- The home contains a hydraulic system that lifts it above water and anchors it during heavy winds.
- Arkup envisions a future where entire communities in Miami and other major cities are designed to float.
When the housing startup Arkup revealed its plan to build a floating, hurricane-proof yacht in 2017, South Florida had just witnessed the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 storm that destroyed hundreds of residences.
The company’s models were designed to weather a storm of that magnitude, but it would be another two years before one became a reality.
In February, Arkup debuted its first floating residence at a yacht show in Miami. Climatologists have pointed to the city as one of the areas most vulnerable to climate change.
The price tag for a fully furnished residence is steep — just under $6 million — but Arkup has plans to deliver smaller, more affordable units down the line. The company is accepting offers on its first model, as well as future models that have yet to be built.
For now, the yacht’s solar-powered roofs and hydraulic anchoring system come at a high cost. Its sleek designs also cater to luxury clients who often prefer to live on or near the water.
Take a look inside Arkup’s first floating home.
Luguet saw floating homes as a way to make communities more resilient. He teamed up with Nicolas Derouin, an executive who shared his passion for the ocean and renewable energy, to create Arkup in 2016.
“We wanted to provide the next generation of floating homes or house boats that would be self-sufficient, sustainable, and also mobile,” Derouin told Business Insider.
