What materials would I use to build an underwater city? The Next CEO of Stack OverflowCity in the wake of the Yggdrasil: Engineering ConsiderationsWhat would the fortifications of an underwater city look like?What kind of city would cephalopod aliens build for their gods?Forging metal under water, using thermiteAre there any structural materials suitable for production underwater?Floor Material: What would mer-society like to use for comfortable floors?What phonemes are most recognizable underwater?What would aliens use as raw materials?How would a colossal explosion affect an ocean-based planet?What are the architectural considerations when an underwater species builds a city?

Return the Closest Prime Number

Is HostGator storing my password in plaintext?

Was a professor correct to chastise me for writing "Prof. X" rather than "Professor X"?

How to count occurrences of text in a file?

What is the purpose of the Evocation wizard's Potent Cantrip feature?

What's the point of interval inversion?

Fastest way to shutdown Ubuntu Mate 18.10

Grabbing quick drinks

Is it my responsibility to learn a new technology in my own time my employer wants to implement?

Is it okay to store user locations?

Can a caster that cast Polymorph on themselves stop concentrating at any point even if their Int is low?

How to use tikz in fbox?

Are there languages with no euphemisms?

If the heap is initialized for security, then why is the stack uninitialized?

Whats the best way to handle refactoring a big file?

How do we know the LHC results are robust?

Why do remote companies require working in the US?

How long to clear the 'suck zone' of a turbofan after start is initiated?

How do spells that require an ability check vs. the caster's spell save DC work?

How do I go from 300 unfinished/half written blog posts, to published posts?

Inappropriate reference requests from Journal reviewers

Too much space between section and text in a twocolumn document

Why didn't Theresa May consult with Parliament before negotiating a deal with the EU?

Does it take more energy to get to Venus or to Mars?



What materials would I use to build an underwater city?



The Next CEO of Stack OverflowCity in the wake of the Yggdrasil: Engineering ConsiderationsWhat would the fortifications of an underwater city look like?What kind of city would cephalopod aliens build for their gods?Forging metal under water, using thermiteAre there any structural materials suitable for production underwater?Floor Material: What would mer-society like to use for comfortable floors?What phonemes are most recognizable underwater?What would aliens use as raw materials?How would a colossal explosion affect an ocean-based planet?What are the architectural considerations when an underwater species builds a city?










2












$begingroup$


I'm currently trying to set up an underwater race in my world—merpeople if you will—and I'm trying to figure out how their city would look. I'm basing their religion and lifestyle on native civilizations such as Inuits, or some Native American tribes, but I also want them to be sedentary. What materials available in the deep waters could be used to make houses?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$











  • $begingroup$
    What do you want the houses to be like, and what are they to be used for? Do they use them only to hide their young from predators, or do they watch Sea-TV on their kelp sofas, grabbing fizzy drinks from a fridge?
    $endgroup$
    – Cyrus
    4 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. Thanks!
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago















2












$begingroup$


I'm currently trying to set up an underwater race in my world—merpeople if you will—and I'm trying to figure out how their city would look. I'm basing their religion and lifestyle on native civilizations such as Inuits, or some Native American tribes, but I also want them to be sedentary. What materials available in the deep waters could be used to make houses?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$











  • $begingroup$
    What do you want the houses to be like, and what are they to be used for? Do they use them only to hide their young from predators, or do they watch Sea-TV on their kelp sofas, grabbing fizzy drinks from a fridge?
    $endgroup$
    – Cyrus
    4 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. Thanks!
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago













2












2








2





$begingroup$


I'm currently trying to set up an underwater race in my world—merpeople if you will—and I'm trying to figure out how their city would look. I'm basing their religion and lifestyle on native civilizations such as Inuits, or some Native American tribes, but I also want them to be sedentary. What materials available in the deep waters could be used to make houses?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$




I'm currently trying to set up an underwater race in my world—merpeople if you will—and I'm trying to figure out how their city would look. I'm basing their religion and lifestyle on native civilizations such as Inuits, or some Native American tribes, but I also want them to be sedentary. What materials available in the deep waters could be used to make houses?







materials architecture underwater merfolk






share|improve this question









New contributor




Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 3 hours ago









Cyn

10.7k12348




10.7k12348






New contributor




Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked 4 hours ago









Chloé BChloé B

111




111




New contributor




Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Chloé B is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











  • $begingroup$
    What do you want the houses to be like, and what are they to be used for? Do they use them only to hide their young from predators, or do they watch Sea-TV on their kelp sofas, grabbing fizzy drinks from a fridge?
    $endgroup$
    – Cyrus
    4 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. Thanks!
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago
















  • $begingroup$
    What do you want the houses to be like, and what are they to be used for? Do they use them only to hide their young from predators, or do they watch Sea-TV on their kelp sofas, grabbing fizzy drinks from a fridge?
    $endgroup$
    – Cyrus
    4 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. Thanks!
    $endgroup$
    – JBH
    2 hours ago















$begingroup$
What do you want the houses to be like, and what are they to be used for? Do they use them only to hide their young from predators, or do they watch Sea-TV on their kelp sofas, grabbing fizzy drinks from a fridge?
$endgroup$
– Cyrus
4 hours ago




$begingroup$
What do you want the houses to be like, and what are they to be used for? Do they use them only to hide their young from predators, or do they watch Sea-TV on their kelp sofas, grabbing fizzy drinks from a fridge?
$endgroup$
– Cyrus
4 hours ago












$begingroup$
Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– JBH
2 hours ago




$begingroup$
Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– JBH
2 hours ago










4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes


















1












$begingroup$

Assuming the mer-people can breathe through water, and mirroring Native American style homes, then it would be practical to form homes out of sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the sea. These would likely resemble the homes of cliff dwellers or adobe-style homes.



Most rock at the bottom of the sea is sedimentary; this makes it dense and hard. A creature advanced enough, with the intelligence of human civilization, could go through the stone age with tools available in the ocean, and using such tools chisel out homes out of the rock formations at the bottom of the sea. It would not be too far off from Native American style homes.



As far as the Inuits that you mention, the Igloo Construction would be a better shape for the water pressure of the ocean, but would probably be easier made as being chiselled-out into the stone (like the cliff dwellers), as mining rock only to re-form it would be difficult, especially because any type of mortar would be difficult (but not impossible) to make inside water.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    Actually most of the bottom of the sea is mud. Sedimentary rocks form when pressure is high enough to consolidate the loose grains.
    $endgroup$
    – L.Dutch
    4 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but wouldn't that stone made by high-pressure require extreme strenght to use? I really like the idea of a city carved in, Arizona cliff-dweller style, but I wonder if it would be possible on the stone found in deep waters? Most cliff-dweller cities are carved in soft stone, if I'm not mistaken.
    $endgroup$
    – Chloé B
    3 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    @ChloéB difficult, but possible
    $endgroup$
    – cegfault
    3 hours ago


















1












$begingroup$

Cegfault took the most obvious material: stone. Let me offer a couple more.



Coral



Houses could be grown through coral polyp husbandry. Officially, the material is calcium carbonate. Houses of nearly any size could be made through this method, though is would be slow. However, with a bit of engineering, walls, floors, and roofs can be built this way. Thick coral would be a reasonable protection from break-in.



Kelp and sea grass



Agriculture isn't just for food! Cultivated sea grasses could be planted, and woven as they grow to create sturdy walls. This solution would be excellent for tipi style domiciles. Or, if weaving walls isn't your cup of tea, you could cultivate personal groves of sea grass, then trim a path into the grove and rooms within the grove (think "corn maze").



Caves in ocean trenches



There are oceanic trenches all over the planet. The wonderful thing about trenches, is that they provides sides. Especially the deep ones. Caves can be hewn out of the sides. Hole households could be inside, so long as the local current isn't so strong that it can erode the cave mouth. This solution would work anywhere there was a reasonably steep, somewhat verticalish surface (the sides of volcanic mountains are especially prized for their central heating).






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$




















    1












    $begingroup$

    I like the Coral husbandry of JBH and carving out of cave/cliff walls. But I can add one more option.



    A civilization may advance to a point where they need to use energy sources. Best energy source maybe geothermal vents and underwater volcanoes. this could provide energy for future technological development.



    Now if your "merfolk" could harness this, they would build structures around these energy sources, maybe control the spewing lava to form the structure around it. So, you could create an igneous rock/obsidian structure.



    You could augment these structures with other building materials. Unfortunately, where you would find these energy source may not be where you would also find coral or sea grasses. Sedimentary rock, such as sandstone would be readily available, or any other strong and tough rock that would hold up to currents, external forces and quakes that would most definitely accompany a volcano.



    Maybe you can control the water chemistry enough to grow massive salt crystals to incorporate into your structures. This would be decorative in nature only and would be fairly difficult to do in this environment, but would make a great "temple" of some kind if your civilization advanced to a Aztec level society.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$




















      1












      $begingroup$

      Whalebone.



      Those bones are big. They can be found on the ocean floor.



      whale fall
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_fall



      Ancient Siberians made huts out of mammoth bones.
      source
      mammoth bone hut



      And people do make huts out of whalebone found on the beach.
      https://www.pinterest.com/pin/223280094000002936
      whalebone hut



      Probably there would be a lot more whale bones available to your merpeople than can be found on land. Plus bone huts offer fun writing possibilities. Besides whalebones, there can be other comparably large or larger bones used to make the buildings...






      share|improve this answer









      $endgroup$













        Your Answer





        StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function ()
        return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function ()
        StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix)
        StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
        );
        );
        , "mathjax-editing");

        StackExchange.ready(function()
        var channelOptions =
        tags: "".split(" "),
        id: "579"
        ;
        initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

        StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
        // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
        if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
        StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
        createEditor();
        );

        else
        createEditor();

        );

        function createEditor()
        StackExchange.prepareEditor(
        heartbeatType: 'answer',
        autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
        convertImagesToLinks: false,
        noModals: true,
        showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
        reputationToPostImages: null,
        bindNavPrevention: true,
        postfix: "",
        imageUploader:
        brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
        contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
        allowUrls: true
        ,
        noCode: true, onDemand: true,
        discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
        ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
        );



        );






        Chloé B is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.









        draft saved

        draft discarded


















        StackExchange.ready(
        function ()
        StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworldbuilding.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f142712%2fwhat-materials-would-i-use-to-build-an-underwater-city%23new-answer', 'question_page');

        );

        Post as a guest















        Required, but never shown

























        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes








        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes









        1












        $begingroup$

        Assuming the mer-people can breathe through water, and mirroring Native American style homes, then it would be practical to form homes out of sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the sea. These would likely resemble the homes of cliff dwellers or adobe-style homes.



        Most rock at the bottom of the sea is sedimentary; this makes it dense and hard. A creature advanced enough, with the intelligence of human civilization, could go through the stone age with tools available in the ocean, and using such tools chisel out homes out of the rock formations at the bottom of the sea. It would not be too far off from Native American style homes.



        As far as the Inuits that you mention, the Igloo Construction would be a better shape for the water pressure of the ocean, but would probably be easier made as being chiselled-out into the stone (like the cliff dwellers), as mining rock only to re-form it would be difficult, especially because any type of mortar would be difficult (but not impossible) to make inside water.






        share|improve this answer









        $endgroup$












        • $begingroup$
          Actually most of the bottom of the sea is mud. Sedimentary rocks form when pressure is high enough to consolidate the loose grains.
          $endgroup$
          – L.Dutch
          4 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but wouldn't that stone made by high-pressure require extreme strenght to use? I really like the idea of a city carved in, Arizona cliff-dweller style, but I wonder if it would be possible on the stone found in deep waters? Most cliff-dweller cities are carved in soft stone, if I'm not mistaken.
          $endgroup$
          – Chloé B
          3 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          @ChloéB difficult, but possible
          $endgroup$
          – cegfault
          3 hours ago















        1












        $begingroup$

        Assuming the mer-people can breathe through water, and mirroring Native American style homes, then it would be practical to form homes out of sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the sea. These would likely resemble the homes of cliff dwellers or adobe-style homes.



        Most rock at the bottom of the sea is sedimentary; this makes it dense and hard. A creature advanced enough, with the intelligence of human civilization, could go through the stone age with tools available in the ocean, and using such tools chisel out homes out of the rock formations at the bottom of the sea. It would not be too far off from Native American style homes.



        As far as the Inuits that you mention, the Igloo Construction would be a better shape for the water pressure of the ocean, but would probably be easier made as being chiselled-out into the stone (like the cliff dwellers), as mining rock only to re-form it would be difficult, especially because any type of mortar would be difficult (but not impossible) to make inside water.






        share|improve this answer









        $endgroup$












        • $begingroup$
          Actually most of the bottom of the sea is mud. Sedimentary rocks form when pressure is high enough to consolidate the loose grains.
          $endgroup$
          – L.Dutch
          4 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but wouldn't that stone made by high-pressure require extreme strenght to use? I really like the idea of a city carved in, Arizona cliff-dweller style, but I wonder if it would be possible on the stone found in deep waters? Most cliff-dweller cities are carved in soft stone, if I'm not mistaken.
          $endgroup$
          – Chloé B
          3 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          @ChloéB difficult, but possible
          $endgroup$
          – cegfault
          3 hours ago













        1












        1








        1





        $begingroup$

        Assuming the mer-people can breathe through water, and mirroring Native American style homes, then it would be practical to form homes out of sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the sea. These would likely resemble the homes of cliff dwellers or adobe-style homes.



        Most rock at the bottom of the sea is sedimentary; this makes it dense and hard. A creature advanced enough, with the intelligence of human civilization, could go through the stone age with tools available in the ocean, and using such tools chisel out homes out of the rock formations at the bottom of the sea. It would not be too far off from Native American style homes.



        As far as the Inuits that you mention, the Igloo Construction would be a better shape for the water pressure of the ocean, but would probably be easier made as being chiselled-out into the stone (like the cliff dwellers), as mining rock only to re-form it would be difficult, especially because any type of mortar would be difficult (but not impossible) to make inside water.






        share|improve this answer









        $endgroup$



        Assuming the mer-people can breathe through water, and mirroring Native American style homes, then it would be practical to form homes out of sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the sea. These would likely resemble the homes of cliff dwellers or adobe-style homes.



        Most rock at the bottom of the sea is sedimentary; this makes it dense and hard. A creature advanced enough, with the intelligence of human civilization, could go through the stone age with tools available in the ocean, and using such tools chisel out homes out of the rock formations at the bottom of the sea. It would not be too far off from Native American style homes.



        As far as the Inuits that you mention, the Igloo Construction would be a better shape for the water pressure of the ocean, but would probably be easier made as being chiselled-out into the stone (like the cliff dwellers), as mining rock only to re-form it would be difficult, especially because any type of mortar would be difficult (but not impossible) to make inside water.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 4 hours ago









        cegfaultcegfault

        1,23749




        1,23749











        • $begingroup$
          Actually most of the bottom of the sea is mud. Sedimentary rocks form when pressure is high enough to consolidate the loose grains.
          $endgroup$
          – L.Dutch
          4 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but wouldn't that stone made by high-pressure require extreme strenght to use? I really like the idea of a city carved in, Arizona cliff-dweller style, but I wonder if it would be possible on the stone found in deep waters? Most cliff-dweller cities are carved in soft stone, if I'm not mistaken.
          $endgroup$
          – Chloé B
          3 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          @ChloéB difficult, but possible
          $endgroup$
          – cegfault
          3 hours ago
















        • $begingroup$
          Actually most of the bottom of the sea is mud. Sedimentary rocks form when pressure is high enough to consolidate the loose grains.
          $endgroup$
          – L.Dutch
          4 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but wouldn't that stone made by high-pressure require extreme strenght to use? I really like the idea of a city carved in, Arizona cliff-dweller style, but I wonder if it would be possible on the stone found in deep waters? Most cliff-dweller cities are carved in soft stone, if I'm not mistaken.
          $endgroup$
          – Chloé B
          3 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          @ChloéB difficult, but possible
          $endgroup$
          – cegfault
          3 hours ago















        $begingroup$
        Actually most of the bottom of the sea is mud. Sedimentary rocks form when pressure is high enough to consolidate the loose grains.
        $endgroup$
        – L.Dutch
        4 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        Actually most of the bottom of the sea is mud. Sedimentary rocks form when pressure is high enough to consolidate the loose grains.
        $endgroup$
        – L.Dutch
        4 hours ago












        $begingroup$
        That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but wouldn't that stone made by high-pressure require extreme strenght to use? I really like the idea of a city carved in, Arizona cliff-dweller style, but I wonder if it would be possible on the stone found in deep waters? Most cliff-dweller cities are carved in soft stone, if I'm not mistaken.
        $endgroup$
        – Chloé B
        3 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but wouldn't that stone made by high-pressure require extreme strenght to use? I really like the idea of a city carved in, Arizona cliff-dweller style, but I wonder if it would be possible on the stone found in deep waters? Most cliff-dweller cities are carved in soft stone, if I'm not mistaken.
        $endgroup$
        – Chloé B
        3 hours ago












        $begingroup$
        @ChloéB difficult, but possible
        $endgroup$
        – cegfault
        3 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        @ChloéB difficult, but possible
        $endgroup$
        – cegfault
        3 hours ago











        1












        $begingroup$

        Cegfault took the most obvious material: stone. Let me offer a couple more.



        Coral



        Houses could be grown through coral polyp husbandry. Officially, the material is calcium carbonate. Houses of nearly any size could be made through this method, though is would be slow. However, with a bit of engineering, walls, floors, and roofs can be built this way. Thick coral would be a reasonable protection from break-in.



        Kelp and sea grass



        Agriculture isn't just for food! Cultivated sea grasses could be planted, and woven as they grow to create sturdy walls. This solution would be excellent for tipi style domiciles. Or, if weaving walls isn't your cup of tea, you could cultivate personal groves of sea grass, then trim a path into the grove and rooms within the grove (think "corn maze").



        Caves in ocean trenches



        There are oceanic trenches all over the planet. The wonderful thing about trenches, is that they provides sides. Especially the deep ones. Caves can be hewn out of the sides. Hole households could be inside, so long as the local current isn't so strong that it can erode the cave mouth. This solution would work anywhere there was a reasonably steep, somewhat verticalish surface (the sides of volcanic mountains are especially prized for their central heating).






        share|improve this answer









        $endgroup$

















          1












          $begingroup$

          Cegfault took the most obvious material: stone. Let me offer a couple more.



          Coral



          Houses could be grown through coral polyp husbandry. Officially, the material is calcium carbonate. Houses of nearly any size could be made through this method, though is would be slow. However, with a bit of engineering, walls, floors, and roofs can be built this way. Thick coral would be a reasonable protection from break-in.



          Kelp and sea grass



          Agriculture isn't just for food! Cultivated sea grasses could be planted, and woven as they grow to create sturdy walls. This solution would be excellent for tipi style domiciles. Or, if weaving walls isn't your cup of tea, you could cultivate personal groves of sea grass, then trim a path into the grove and rooms within the grove (think "corn maze").



          Caves in ocean trenches



          There are oceanic trenches all over the planet. The wonderful thing about trenches, is that they provides sides. Especially the deep ones. Caves can be hewn out of the sides. Hole households could be inside, so long as the local current isn't so strong that it can erode the cave mouth. This solution would work anywhere there was a reasonably steep, somewhat verticalish surface (the sides of volcanic mountains are especially prized for their central heating).






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$















            1












            1








            1





            $begingroup$

            Cegfault took the most obvious material: stone. Let me offer a couple more.



            Coral



            Houses could be grown through coral polyp husbandry. Officially, the material is calcium carbonate. Houses of nearly any size could be made through this method, though is would be slow. However, with a bit of engineering, walls, floors, and roofs can be built this way. Thick coral would be a reasonable protection from break-in.



            Kelp and sea grass



            Agriculture isn't just for food! Cultivated sea grasses could be planted, and woven as they grow to create sturdy walls. This solution would be excellent for tipi style domiciles. Or, if weaving walls isn't your cup of tea, you could cultivate personal groves of sea grass, then trim a path into the grove and rooms within the grove (think "corn maze").



            Caves in ocean trenches



            There are oceanic trenches all over the planet. The wonderful thing about trenches, is that they provides sides. Especially the deep ones. Caves can be hewn out of the sides. Hole households could be inside, so long as the local current isn't so strong that it can erode the cave mouth. This solution would work anywhere there was a reasonably steep, somewhat verticalish surface (the sides of volcanic mountains are especially prized for their central heating).






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$



            Cegfault took the most obvious material: stone. Let me offer a couple more.



            Coral



            Houses could be grown through coral polyp husbandry. Officially, the material is calcium carbonate. Houses of nearly any size could be made through this method, though is would be slow. However, with a bit of engineering, walls, floors, and roofs can be built this way. Thick coral would be a reasonable protection from break-in.



            Kelp and sea grass



            Agriculture isn't just for food! Cultivated sea grasses could be planted, and woven as they grow to create sturdy walls. This solution would be excellent for tipi style domiciles. Or, if weaving walls isn't your cup of tea, you could cultivate personal groves of sea grass, then trim a path into the grove and rooms within the grove (think "corn maze").



            Caves in ocean trenches



            There are oceanic trenches all over the planet. The wonderful thing about trenches, is that they provides sides. Especially the deep ones. Caves can be hewn out of the sides. Hole households could be inside, so long as the local current isn't so strong that it can erode the cave mouth. This solution would work anywhere there was a reasonably steep, somewhat verticalish surface (the sides of volcanic mountains are especially prized for their central heating).







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 2 hours ago









            JBHJBH

            47.2k699222




            47.2k699222





















                1












                $begingroup$

                I like the Coral husbandry of JBH and carving out of cave/cliff walls. But I can add one more option.



                A civilization may advance to a point where they need to use energy sources. Best energy source maybe geothermal vents and underwater volcanoes. this could provide energy for future technological development.



                Now if your "merfolk" could harness this, they would build structures around these energy sources, maybe control the spewing lava to form the structure around it. So, you could create an igneous rock/obsidian structure.



                You could augment these structures with other building materials. Unfortunately, where you would find these energy source may not be where you would also find coral or sea grasses. Sedimentary rock, such as sandstone would be readily available, or any other strong and tough rock that would hold up to currents, external forces and quakes that would most definitely accompany a volcano.



                Maybe you can control the water chemistry enough to grow massive salt crystals to incorporate into your structures. This would be decorative in nature only and would be fairly difficult to do in this environment, but would make a great "temple" of some kind if your civilization advanced to a Aztec level society.






                share|improve this answer









                $endgroup$

















                  1












                  $begingroup$

                  I like the Coral husbandry of JBH and carving out of cave/cliff walls. But I can add one more option.



                  A civilization may advance to a point where they need to use energy sources. Best energy source maybe geothermal vents and underwater volcanoes. this could provide energy for future technological development.



                  Now if your "merfolk" could harness this, they would build structures around these energy sources, maybe control the spewing lava to form the structure around it. So, you could create an igneous rock/obsidian structure.



                  You could augment these structures with other building materials. Unfortunately, where you would find these energy source may not be where you would also find coral or sea grasses. Sedimentary rock, such as sandstone would be readily available, or any other strong and tough rock that would hold up to currents, external forces and quakes that would most definitely accompany a volcano.



                  Maybe you can control the water chemistry enough to grow massive salt crystals to incorporate into your structures. This would be decorative in nature only and would be fairly difficult to do in this environment, but would make a great "temple" of some kind if your civilization advanced to a Aztec level society.






                  share|improve this answer









                  $endgroup$















                    1












                    1








                    1





                    $begingroup$

                    I like the Coral husbandry of JBH and carving out of cave/cliff walls. But I can add one more option.



                    A civilization may advance to a point where they need to use energy sources. Best energy source maybe geothermal vents and underwater volcanoes. this could provide energy for future technological development.



                    Now if your "merfolk" could harness this, they would build structures around these energy sources, maybe control the spewing lava to form the structure around it. So, you could create an igneous rock/obsidian structure.



                    You could augment these structures with other building materials. Unfortunately, where you would find these energy source may not be where you would also find coral or sea grasses. Sedimentary rock, such as sandstone would be readily available, or any other strong and tough rock that would hold up to currents, external forces and quakes that would most definitely accompany a volcano.



                    Maybe you can control the water chemistry enough to grow massive salt crystals to incorporate into your structures. This would be decorative in nature only and would be fairly difficult to do in this environment, but would make a great "temple" of some kind if your civilization advanced to a Aztec level society.






                    share|improve this answer









                    $endgroup$



                    I like the Coral husbandry of JBH and carving out of cave/cliff walls. But I can add one more option.



                    A civilization may advance to a point where they need to use energy sources. Best energy source maybe geothermal vents and underwater volcanoes. this could provide energy for future technological development.



                    Now if your "merfolk" could harness this, they would build structures around these energy sources, maybe control the spewing lava to form the structure around it. So, you could create an igneous rock/obsidian structure.



                    You could augment these structures with other building materials. Unfortunately, where you would find these energy source may not be where you would also find coral or sea grasses. Sedimentary rock, such as sandstone would be readily available, or any other strong and tough rock that would hold up to currents, external forces and quakes that would most definitely accompany a volcano.



                    Maybe you can control the water chemistry enough to grow massive salt crystals to incorporate into your structures. This would be decorative in nature only and would be fairly difficult to do in this environment, but would make a great "temple" of some kind if your civilization advanced to a Aztec level society.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered 2 hours ago









                    SonvarSonvar

                    5047




                    5047





















                        1












                        $begingroup$

                        Whalebone.



                        Those bones are big. They can be found on the ocean floor.



                        whale fall
                        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_fall



                        Ancient Siberians made huts out of mammoth bones.
                        source
                        mammoth bone hut



                        And people do make huts out of whalebone found on the beach.
                        https://www.pinterest.com/pin/223280094000002936
                        whalebone hut



                        Probably there would be a lot more whale bones available to your merpeople than can be found on land. Plus bone huts offer fun writing possibilities. Besides whalebones, there can be other comparably large or larger bones used to make the buildings...






                        share|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$

















                          1












                          $begingroup$

                          Whalebone.



                          Those bones are big. They can be found on the ocean floor.



                          whale fall
                          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_fall



                          Ancient Siberians made huts out of mammoth bones.
                          source
                          mammoth bone hut



                          And people do make huts out of whalebone found on the beach.
                          https://www.pinterest.com/pin/223280094000002936
                          whalebone hut



                          Probably there would be a lot more whale bones available to your merpeople than can be found on land. Plus bone huts offer fun writing possibilities. Besides whalebones, there can be other comparably large or larger bones used to make the buildings...






                          share|improve this answer









                          $endgroup$















                            1












                            1








                            1





                            $begingroup$

                            Whalebone.



                            Those bones are big. They can be found on the ocean floor.



                            whale fall
                            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_fall



                            Ancient Siberians made huts out of mammoth bones.
                            source
                            mammoth bone hut



                            And people do make huts out of whalebone found on the beach.
                            https://www.pinterest.com/pin/223280094000002936
                            whalebone hut



                            Probably there would be a lot more whale bones available to your merpeople than can be found on land. Plus bone huts offer fun writing possibilities. Besides whalebones, there can be other comparably large or larger bones used to make the buildings...






                            share|improve this answer









                            $endgroup$



                            Whalebone.



                            Those bones are big. They can be found on the ocean floor.



                            whale fall
                            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_fall



                            Ancient Siberians made huts out of mammoth bones.
                            source
                            mammoth bone hut



                            And people do make huts out of whalebone found on the beach.
                            https://www.pinterest.com/pin/223280094000002936
                            whalebone hut



                            Probably there would be a lot more whale bones available to your merpeople than can be found on land. Plus bone huts offer fun writing possibilities. Besides whalebones, there can be other comparably large or larger bones used to make the buildings...







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered 2 hours ago









                            WillkWillk

                            115k27218482




                            115k27218482




















                                Chloé B is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.









                                draft saved

                                draft discarded


















                                Chloé B is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.












                                Chloé B is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.











                                Chloé B is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.














                                Thanks for contributing an answer to Worldbuilding Stack Exchange!


                                • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                                But avoid


                                • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                                • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.

                                Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


                                To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                                draft saved


                                draft discarded














                                StackExchange.ready(
                                function ()
                                StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworldbuilding.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f142712%2fwhat-materials-would-i-use-to-build-an-underwater-city%23new-answer', 'question_page');

                                );

                                Post as a guest















                                Required, but never shown





















































                                Required, but never shown














                                Required, but never shown












                                Required, but never shown







                                Required, but never shown

































                                Required, but never shown














                                Required, but never shown












                                Required, but never shown







                                Required, but never shown







                                Popular posts from this blog

                                Францішак Багушэвіч Змест Сям'я | Біяграфія | Творчасць | Мова Багушэвіча | Ацэнкі дзейнасці | Цікавыя факты | Спадчына | Выбраная бібліяграфія | Ушанаванне памяці | У філатэліі | Зноскі | Літаратура | Спасылкі | НавігацыяЛяхоўскі У. Рупіўся дзеля Бога і людзей: Жыццёвы шлях Лявона Вітан-Дубейкаўскага // Вольскі і Памідораў з песняй пра немца Адвакат, паэт, народны заступнік Ашмянскі веснікВ Минске появится площадь Богушевича и улица Сырокомли, Белорусская деловая газета, 19 июля 2001 г.Айцец беларускай нацыянальнай ідэі паўстаў у бронзе Сяргей Аляксандравіч Адашкевіч (1918, Мінск). 80-я гады. Бюст «Францішак Багушэвіч».Яўген Мікалаевіч Ціхановіч. «Партрэт Францішка Багушэвіча»Мікола Мікалаевіч Купава. «Партрэт зачынальніка новай беларускай літаратуры Францішка Багушэвіча»Уладзімір Іванавіч Мелехаў. На помніку «Змагарам за родную мову» Барэльеф «Францішак Багушэвіч»Памяць пра Багушэвіча на Віленшчыне Страчаная сталіца. Беларускія шыльды на вуліцах Вільні«Krynica». Ideologia i przywódcy białoruskiego katolicyzmuФранцішак БагушэвічТворы на knihi.comТворы Францішка Багушэвіча на bellib.byСодаль Уладзімір. Францішак Багушэвіч на Лідчыне;Луцкевіч Антон. Жыцьцё і творчасьць Фр. Багушэвіча ў успамінах ягоных сучасьнікаў // Запісы Беларускага Навуковага таварыства. Вільня, 1938. Сшытак 1. С. 16-34.Большая российская1188761710000 0000 5537 633Xn9209310021619551927869394п

                                На ростанях Змест Гісторыя напісання | Месца дзеяння | Час дзеяння | Назва | Праблематыка трылогіі | Аўтабіяграфічнасць | Трылогія ў тэатры і кіно | Пераклады | У культуры | Зноскі Літаратура | Спасылкі | НавігацыяДагледжаная версіяправерана1 зменаДагледжаная версіяправерана1 зменаАкадэмік МІЦКЕВІЧ Канстанцін Міхайлавіч (Якуб Колас) Прадмова М. І. Мушынскага, доктара філалагічных навук, члена-карэспандэнта Нацыянальнай акадэміі навук Рэспублікі Беларусь, прафесараНашаніўцы ў трылогіі Якуба Коласа «На ростанях»: вобразы і прататыпы125 лет Янке МавруКнижно-документальная выставка к 125-летию со дня рождения Якуба Коласа (1882—1956)Колас Якуб. Новая зямля (паэма), На ростанях (трылогія). Сулкоўскі Уладзімір. Радзіма Якуба Коласа (серыял жывапісных палотнаў)Вокладка кнігіІлюстрацыя М. С. БасалыгіНа ростаняхАўдыёверсія трылогііВ. Жолтак У Люсiнскай школе 1959

                                Беларусь Змест Назва Гісторыя Геаграфія Сімволіка Дзяржаўны лад Палітычныя партыі Міжнароднае становішча і знешняя палітыка Адміністрацыйны падзел Насельніцтва Эканоміка Культура і грамадства Сацыяльная сфера Узброеныя сілы Заўвагі Літаратура Спасылкі НавігацыяHGЯOiТоп-2011 г. (па версіі ej.by)Топ-2013 г. (па версіі ej.by)Топ-2016 г. (па версіі ej.by)Топ-2017 г. (па версіі ej.by)Нацыянальны статыстычны камітэт Рэспублікі БеларусьШчыльнасць насельніцтва па краінахhttp://naviny.by/rubrics/society/2011/09/16/ic_articles_116_175144/А. Калечыц, У. Ксяндзоў. Спробы засялення краю неандэртальскім чалавекам.І ў Менску былі мамантыА. Калечыц, У. Ксяндзоў. Старажытны каменны век (палеаліт). Першапачатковае засяленне тэрыторыіГ. Штыхаў. Балты і славяне ў VI—VIII стст.М. Клімаў. Полацкае княства ў IX—XI стст.Г. Штыхаў, В. Ляўко. Палітычная гісторыя Полацкай зямліГ. Штыхаў. Дзяржаўны лад у землях-княствахГ. Штыхаў. Дзяржаўны лад у землях-княствахБеларускія землі ў складзе Вялікага Княства ЛітоўскагаЛюблінская унія 1569 г."The Early Stages of Independence"Zapomniane prawdy25 гадоў таму было аб'яўлена, што Язэп Пілсудскі — беларус (фота)Наша вадаДакументы ЧАЭС: Забруджванне тэрыторыі Беларусі « ЧАЭС Зона адчужэнняСведения о политических партиях, зарегистрированных в Республике Беларусь // Министерство юстиции Республики БеларусьСтатыстычны бюлетэнь „Полаўзроставая структура насельніцтва Рэспублікі Беларусь на 1 студзеня 2012 года і сярэднегадовая колькасць насельніцтва за 2011 год“Индекс человеческого развития Беларуси — не было бы нижеБеларусь занимает первое место в СНГ по индексу развития с учетом гендерного факцёраНацыянальны статыстычны камітэт Рэспублікі БеларусьКанстытуцыя РБ. Артыкул 17Трансфармацыйныя задачы БеларусіВыйсце з крызісу — далейшае рэфармаванне Беларускі рубель — сусветны лідар па дэвальвацыяхПра змену коштаў у кастрычніку 2011 г.Бядней за беларусаў у СНД толькі таджыкіСярэдні заробак у верасні дасягнуў 2,26 мільёна рублёўЭканомікаГаласуем за ТОП-100 беларускай прозыСучасныя беларускія мастакіАрхитектура Беларуси BELARUS.BYА. Каханоўскі. Культура Беларусі ўсярэдзіне XVII—XVIII ст.Анталогія беларускай народнай песні, гуказапісы спеваўБеларускія Музычныя IнструментыБеларускі рок, які мы страцілі. Топ-10 гуртоў«Мясцовы час» — нязгаслая легенда беларускай рок-музыкіСЯРГЕЙ БУДКІН. МЫ НЯ ЗНАЕМ СВАЁЙ МУЗЫКІМ. А. Каладзінскі. НАРОДНЫ ТЭАТРМагнацкія культурныя цэнтрыПублічная дыскусія «Беларуская новая пьеса: без беларускай мовы ці беларуская?»Беларускія драматургі па-ранейшаму лепш ставяцца за мяжой, чым на радзіме«Працэс незалежнага кіно пайшоў, і дзяржаву турбуе яго непадкантрольнасць»Беларускія філосафы ў пошуках прасторыВсе идём в библиотекуАрхіваванаАб Нацыянальнай праграме даследавання і выкарыстання касмічнай прасторы ў мірных мэтах на 2008—2012 гадыУ космас — разам.У суседнім з Барысаўскім раёне пабудуюць Камандна-вымяральны пунктСвяты і абрады беларусаў«Мірныя бульбашы з малой краіны» — 5 непраўдзівых стэрэатыпаў пра БеларусьМ. Раманюк. Беларускае народнае адзеннеУ Беларусі скарачаецца колькасць злачынстваўЛукашэнка незадаволены мінскімі ўладамі Крадзяжы складаюць у Мінску каля 70% злачынстваў Узровень злачыннасці ў Мінскай вобласці — адзін з самых высокіх у краіне Генпракуратура аналізуе стан са злачыннасцю ў Беларусі па каэфіцыенце злачыннасці У Беларусі стабілізавалася крымінагеннае становішча, лічыць генпракурорЗамежнікі сталі здзяйсняць у Беларусі больш злачынстваўМУС Беларусі турбуе рост рэцыдыўнай злачыннасціЯ з ЖЭСа. Дазволіце вас абкрасці! Рэйтынг усіх службаў і падраздзяленняў ГУУС Мінгарвыканкама вырасАб КДБ РБГісторыя Аператыўна-аналітычнага цэнтра РБГісторыя ДКФРТаможняagentura.ruБеларусьBelarus.by — Афіцыйны сайт Рэспублікі БеларусьСайт урада БеларусіRadzima.org — Збор архітэктурных помнікаў, гісторыя Беларусі«Глобус Беларуси»Гербы и флаги БеларусиАсаблівасці каменнага веку на БеларусіА. Калечыц, У. Ксяндзоў. Старажытны каменны век (палеаліт). Першапачатковае засяленне тэрыторыіУ. Ксяндзоў. Сярэдні каменны век (мезаліт). Засяленне краю плямёнамі паляўнічых, рыбакоў і збіральнікаўА. Калечыц, М. Чарняўскі. Плямёны на тэрыторыі Беларусі ў новым каменным веку (неаліце)А. Калечыц, У. Ксяндзоў, М. Чарняўскі. Гаспадарчыя заняткі ў каменным векуЭ. Зайкоўскі. Духоўная культура ў каменным векуАсаблівасці бронзавага веку на БеларусіФарміраванне супольнасцей ранняга перыяду бронзавага векуФотографии БеларусиРоля беларускіх зямель ва ўтварэнні і ўмацаванні ВКЛВ. Фадзеева. З гісторыі развіцця беларускай народнай вышыўкіDMOZGran catalanaБольшая российскаяBritannica (анлайн)Швейцарскі гістарычны15325917611952699xDA123282154079143-90000 0001 2171 2080n9112870100577502ge128882171858027501086026362074122714179пппппп