Exploring The Depths: Underwater Buildings & Their Construction

Under the calm surface of the world’s oceans, there is a world of potential and challenges: underwater construction. In honour of World Oceans Day, celebrated annually on 8 June, we’ll go into this intriguing field’s depths in depth, examining its complexities, difficulties, and remarkable methods that make it possible to build breathtaking structures beneath the waves.

Understanding Underwater Construction

Underwater construction refers to the specialized field of engineering and construction activities that take place beneath the surface of bodies of water. It includes a broad range of projects, such as building pipelines, offshore platforms, tunnels, and marine ecosystems.

The earliest known instances of underwater building can be found in the construction of harbors, dams, and bridges by prehistoric societies in and around bodies of water. To accomplish these achievements, the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used underwater masonry, underwater foundations, and cofferdams.

With the advancement of diving technology and underwater welding processes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, modern underwater construction as we know it today began to take shape. Technology breakthroughs like underwater robotics and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) have completely changed the construction industry by enabling safer, more effective, and ecologically friendly building methods. Factors such as urbanization, population expansion, and climate change increase the demand for underwater infrastructure, which is driving the underwater construction industry.

Underwater Construction Methods

Underwater construction methods represent a fascinating intersection of engineering ingenuity and environmental challenge. Under the waves, human achievement continues to be pushed by the evolution of underwater construction techniques, which have produced both ancient underwater structures and contemporary wonders.

▷ Caissons

Imagine a massive, watertight chamber that gradually descends to the ocean below, setting the groundwork for a new building. This is how a caisson is constructed. Caissons are prefabricated steel or concrete structures built onshore and then moved to the intended location. Once positioned, they are filled with concrete and gradually dipped into the ocean to provide a strong anchor to the seabed. In regions with soft or unstable soils, caissons are frequently employed to provide a stable foundation for coastal buildings like bridges and piers.

▷ Cofferdams

Cofferdams are useful when the task at hand calls for establishing a dry working environment inside a body of water. To create a waterproof enclosure, sheet piles are pushed into the seabed to create these makeshift buildings. Construction can begin inside the dry space after the enclosure is sealed and the water is pumped out. Cofferdams are particularly needed for tasks like building bridges, when it is unsafe or unfeasible to work underwater. They give construction workers a controlled atmosphere to work in, guaranteeing their safety and the caliber of their work.

▷ Driven Piles

Driven piles are thin columns driven into the seafloor by vibratory or hydraulic drivers. They can be composed of steel, concrete, or wood. They anchor securely to the seabed and provide foundational support for piers, offshore platforms, and bridges. In locations with soft or unstable soils, where conventional foundation techniques might not be sufficient, driven piles are especially useful. They are an affordable option for underwater construction projects because of their reasonably quick and easy installation process.

▷ Off-site Building, Float, and Lower

Off-site building, float, and lower techniques involve constructing large components of a structure onshore and then transporting them to the construction site via barge or other floating vessels. After arriving at the location, cranes or other lifting equipment are used to safely lower the components into position. This technique minimizes the amount of work that must be done underwater, resulting in less expenses, reduced safety hazards and a lower impact on the environment. Off-site building, float, and lower processes are frequently used in marine infrastructure, offshore platforms, and pipeline projects.

12 Amazing Underwater Buildings You Won’t Believe Exist

For World Oceans Day we’ve compiled a list of 12 of the most amazing underwater buildings our society has developed over the past few decades.

Take a look at these astounding, beautiful, and remarkable underwater structures and underwater architecture.

1. Coral Greenhouse, Great Barrier Reef Australia

Created as part of the Museum of Underwater Art, this impressive concrete and steel Coral Greenhouse is positioned in an inlet of the natural reef, is full of sculptures of trees and people, and aims to educate society about the Great Barrier Reef, which is under threat. Weighing 165 tonnes, the skeletal structure is anchored to the sandy bottom by its heavy base and has integrated cyclone tethers to protect it during storms. Its triangular structure is designed to give it a low centre of gravity. Instead of glass, water fills the space between the ribs of the underwater building. Spire-shaped elements attached with zinc anodes to the apex of the roof oscillate in the waves. Small fish can escape predators by hiding in the gaps of gridded elements, and there are niches for octopuses and sea urchins to hide in. “The design of the greenhouse is biomorphic. Its form determined by the forces of nature,” said DeCaires Taylor. “As the Coral Greenhouse is slowly colonised and built upon by the reef, it will be gradually absorbed into its surroundings.”

2. Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzania

Off the coast of Tanzania, you can find a one-of-a-kind undersea suite called the Manta Resort. The top part of the structure is a floating platform, while the bottom delves beneath sea level. It was constructed off-site and then towed and anchored into place. Here, you can enjoy a fantastic, private getaway complete with room service. The bedroom lies beneath the surface of the sea, while the living area is on the platform. This allows the guests of the Manta Resort the opportunity to enjoy both the sun and the sprawling ocean below.

3. Atlantis Hotel, The Palm, Dubai

The Palm in Dubai is famous for a number of different architectural feats, and the Atlantis Hotel is arguably one of its most impressive. With an underwater suite situated 20 feet below sea level, this structure may have been built using cofferdams. Here, guests can enjoy suites situated either above or below sea level. Guests take an elevator to their underwater suites, where they can enjoy beautiful views of sea life surrounding their rooms.

4. Jules Undersea Lodge, Key Largo, Florida

Jules Undersea Lodge in Florida is the only underwater hotel in the United States. Formerly a research laboratory, it was built in the early 1970s and is completely submerged underwater. This amazing piece of architecture is one of the oldest of its kind. Today, people can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience by venturing below the surface of the sea and enjoying an unconventional view. To reach it, the lodge offers scuba diving courses. As the entire construction is underwater, compressed air fills the lodge so that it doesn’t flood. Its entrance is a pool through which divers’ surface into the wet room.

5. Subsix, Niyama Island, Maldives

Another incredibly memorable way to spend time underwater is to go to the Subsix nightclub in the Maldives. Subsix is the world’s first and only underwater nightclub. Builders constructed the structure off-site and then lowered it in place. Its complex construction gives way to a stunning piece of architecture, where guests can enjoy a night of dancing, drinking, and socializing in an extremely unconventional setting. Because it lies offshore, you can only access it by boat.

6. The Transbay Tube, between San Francisco and Oakland, California

The wonders of underwater construction examples are not limited to locations where people can enjoy a night out or lodging. There is also the Transbay Tube – an underwater rail tunnel that links San Francisco and Oakland. This underwater structure was constructed in 1974 using the immersed tunnel technique. The contractors built its 57 components off site, and then transported them by a barge to where they needed to sink them. They then lowered each component into place and sent divers down 135 feet below sea level to connect the pieces together. There are even plans in motion to create a new Transbay tube.

7. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Maldives

If you’re looking to experience underwater life for a shorter period of time, Ithaa Undersea Restaurant in the Maldives is a top choice. Builders constructed this stunning restaurant off-site and then lowered it from a barge onto its foundations. Access to the undersea restaurant is through a shaft on the surface of the water. There is limited seating, allowing its guests to enjoy a more intimate setting – all the while enjoying the panoramic views of the marine life that this part of the Maldives boasts.

8. The Underwater Restaurant, Norway

Situated on the southernmost point of Norway’s untamed coastline, the Underwater Restaurant, commonly referred to as “Under,” provides patrons with an unparalleled culinary encounter. The restaurant’s panoramic acrylic glass, designed by Snøhetta, offers customers unmatched views of the surrounding marine life and seafloor.

9. The Intercontinental Shangai Wonderland, China

Moving on with our list of buildings submerged in water, we have the five-star Intercontinental Shangai Wonderland hotel, housed in an old quarry and close to Shanghai in Songjiang. The hotel allows guests to fully immerse themselves in the aquatic environment with its underwater restaurant and room with a breathtaking view of the aquarium, even though it is not completely submerged.

10. The Cancun Underwater Museum, Mexico

Situated in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, the Cancun Underwater Museum hosts over 500 life-size sculptures submerged underwater. The sculptures were made by several artists, including British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, and function as man-made reefs, drawing in marine life and offering a home for coral and other creatures. Visitors of the Mexican museum can enjoy activities such as snorkeling and diving trips, where they can view the art exhibits and marine ecosystems.

11. Atlantis Sanya Resort, China

The Atlantis Sanya Resort in China is located on Hainan Island, on the shores of the South China Sea. Its contemporary accommodations span modern guest rooms, including the iconic Neptune Underwater Suite, where visitors‘ bedroom window looks out onto a stunning underwater world.

The resort features architecture inspired by the lost city of Atlantis, as well as a large waterpark where visitors can enjoy exhilarating water rides. It is also home to an aquarium with over 86 000 marine creatures.

12. The Ossiano, Dubai

Located beneath the Ambassador Lagoon’s waves at Atlantis, The Palm resort, Ossiano is an iconic restaurant renowned for its delicious seafood dishes and captivating underwater setting. Diners are treated to panoramic views of the resort’s aquarium, which is home to more than 65 000 marine creatures.

Final Thoughts

From the above list of some of our planet’s most amazing pieces of underwater building, it is clear that our society has come a long way. What’s more, there are dozens of plans in place for new and exciting underwater buildings – and even cities!

We don’t know how far away these building underwater plans are from coming to fruition, but there is one thing we know for sure: the future holds exciting new prospects for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry.

If you want to reach the peak of construction innovation, using specialized tools like RIB Software is the way to go. Our professional construction toolkit offers state-of-the-art solutions for better collaboration, productivity, construction cost estimation, document management, and much more. If you are ready to build better, book a demo of our products today!