A design for the first floating island city in the world has been shortlisted for Best Future Mega Project at the MIPIM global real estate awards 2022.

The Maldives Floating City (MFC) project is the result of a cooperation between the Government of the Maldives and Netherlands-based company Dutch Docklands and has been in development for over a decade. MFC will feature thousands of waterfront residences floating along a flexible, functional grid across a 200-hectare lagoon.

Inspired by traditional Maldivian sea-faring culture, and developed in close cooperation with Maldivian authorities, the city will include hotels, restaurants, boutiques and a marina. Once construction begins this year it will be the world’s first floating island city.

The structures' design will help to mitigate the effects of climate change and rising sea levels. Above water, traditional Maldivian architecture will be supported under water by eco-friendly construction mimicking natural coral by using hexagon-shaped segments.

This will be connected to a ring of 'green barrier' islands acting as water breakers to protect the city from the impact of waves while stabilising the structures and buildings.

“This Maldives Floating City does not require any land reclamation and therefore has a minimal impact on the coral reefs,” explains Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives. “Our adaption to climate change must not destroy nature but work with it, as the Maldives Floating City proposes.

"In the Maldives we cannot stop the waves, but we can rise with them.”

The Maldives is positioned to lead the effort of how island nations will tackle the challenges of rising seas and coastal erosion due to climate change and how humankind will adapt. MFC is nearing the end of its planning stages with construction due start in 2022 in phases over the next five years.

Once finished, a hospital, school and government building will exist alongside the city's commercial and affordable residential structures that will be home to local citizens as well as foreign residents.

“With its unique location in a paradisiacal setting, next to President’s Island and full support of the Government of Maldives we are extremely proud to launch the first Floating City in the world,” says Paul Van de Camp, chief executive of Dutch Docklands. “This will be an amazing place where locals and foreigners can buy their dream property at affordable prices."

The location of the MFL will be in a warm water lagoon 10 minutes by boat from the Maldivian capital, Male.