manta ray

Inside giant

shaped floating city

Incredible images have been released showing plans for a floating city that could house thousands of people.

The manta ray-shaped vessel, City of Meriens, looks like something out of a sci-fi movie and was designed by visionary architect Jacques Rougerie who aims to make it a reality within the next 50 years.

Providing a home for researchers and students from around the world dedicated to studying marine life, the craft would be governed by United Nations standards while roaming the open seas.

Once built, the mobile city - designed to resist storms and the most severe weather conditions - will have a total length of 900 meters and a width of 500 meters.

As well as lecture halls, classrooms and laboratories, there are also plans for it to contain living spaces, cultural relaxation areas and sports zones.

Rougerie says his concept will have zero waste with hydroponic greenhouses located at the ends of the manta ray 'wings' and aquaculture breeding farms on both sides of its interior lagoon.

He added: "It would revolutionise the world of underwater studies due to the fact that people would have a permanent contact with the ocean, as well as a direct access to the underwater world."