This man-made archipelago is set to be constructed in Malaysia

DANISH architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is set to team up with Kuala Lumpur designer Hijjas Kasturi Associates to create a series of artificial islands in the Malacca strait in Malaysia.

BiodiverCity will include 25 kilometres of new waterfront, 4.6 kilometres of beaches, and several villages that will be able to hold up to 16,000 residents.

Above: BIG will design the man-made archipelago (image courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group ).

Divided into three sections, the first island will host a technology park, research institutions and a cultural hub.

The second, dubbed “The Mangroves”, will be the project’s central island, arranged around a network of urban wetlands with a tower for meetings, conferences and events called the Bamboo Beacon.

The final section, called “The Laguna”, will consist of eight smaller islands which will house the residents.

Above: "The Mangroves" will centre around a large bamboo tower (image courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group ).

Residents’ homes will be made from bamboo and Malaysian timber - both of which are low-carbon emitting materials.

Sustainable concrete made from industrial waste and recycled materials will also be used.    

Above: The project will be car-free (image courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group ).

The islands will aim to be entirely car-free, with autonomous public transport vehicles operating throughout the project.

BiodiverCity is under the operation of the Penang state government, an official start date for construction has yet to be released.

The project is not the first such land-reclamation scheme in the country - a controversial USD $100BN new smart city is being developed across artificial islands in the Johor Straight. 

Learn more about the "Forest City" project in The B1M's video: