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Ocean Builders, a Panama-based company that specializes in innovative marine technology, has just unveiled a fleet of “revolutionary living pods.” The pods are the “world’s first eco-restorative homes.” Dutch architect Koen Olthuis and his team at Waterstudio, designed the three models available. The pods range from around $295,000 to $1.5 million in price, and are currently under construction in the Linton Bay Marina on the north coast of Panama.

The Intention:

Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Builder, Grant Romundt, hopes the design of the pods will challenge perceptions of homes and travel. He also hopes the pods allow residents to live on the water without having to make sacrifices when it comes to the “luxuries of modern living.” Romundt spoke with CNN and shared that “normally when you live on the water, it’s on a boat, which has a living situation that is unacceptable to most people…so we’ve designed a home that floats on the water that gives you an experience of living on land, but even more.”

The Design:

The pods will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, along with customizable applications that tailor the design and functionality to suit those inside. To start, they will be located in an area close to the Linton Bay Marina. However, the Ocean Builders team hopes to be able to distribute them internationally once they’re confident the technology can be supported elsewhere.

According to Romundt, customized aerial delivery drones are to be used to deliver items such as food and medicine, as well as “everyday smaller items.”
For larger deliveries, there’s a separate autonomous vessel, which will also function as an ocean recycling vessel, collecting garbage and debris in order to keep the surrounding area clean.
Residents and visitors can be transported to and from the SeaPod via dinghy boats, jet skis, local water taxis, and/or their own boats or vessels. And although they certainly seem to be geared towards those with a more minimalist approach, there’s a storage area measuring 1,250 square feet inside. With a focus on sustainability, the pods have been devised “to benefit the surrounding environment” and provide “a natural habitat for ocean life to occupy and thrive” explains Romundt.

More To Come:

The Seapods are among a number of new floating home concepts set to launch within the next few years.
Those who snap up one of the first 100 Ocean Builders pods will be able to move in by the end of 2023, providing everything goes to plan. Production is scheduled to begin on an additional 1,000 pods by 2024.