The world’s largest and brightest fake floating island is
now a major new tourist attraction in South
Korea. While manmade islands have been
constructed before, most famously in Dubai,
they have generally been formed by pouring sand on the seabed to create
artificial land. Seoul’s islands
actually float on the surface of the river, by using an enormous buoy secured
in place by 28 mooring chains, a design which will allow the structure to withstand
changing river levels and bad weather.

Seoul’s Han
River will eventually be home to a floating archipelago of three
man-made “islets”, but the first island, Viva, is already open to the
public. At 3,271 square meters, it is the second-largest of the three and hosts
a three-storey structure housing a 700-seat convention hall and several other
attractions, such as restaurants and video games. There are parks, outdoor
terraces and viewing pavilions dotting the center, while at night, the exterior
of the building is illuminated with brightly colored lights.

When the next islands open in September, the 20,400 square
meter complex will offer three cultural centers, featuring performances, water
sports and aquatic events.The islands can accommodate 6,200 people and are set to make
the Han River, which 59 million people visited last
year, an even more popular tourist spot.

Via [AFP]