Aberdeen City

[[Category:s with short description]]

Aberdeen City is a floating city off the coast of Azreae in the Pythian City. It is owned by Aberdeen Corporation, a Lanlanian company. It was originally discussed among Lanlanian aristocrats and businessmen in the early 1550s, though it remained little more than an idea until the 1570s, when advances in technology made it possible.

Soon afterwards, private investors from throughout Brigidna, as well as many international corporations and major universities, banded together to realize the city. The northern Pythian Sea was selected as the site it is relatively isolated from hurricanes and tsunamis.

Though located in outside Lanlanian territorial waters, Aberdeen City is registered as a residential vessel in the Holy Lanlanian Empire, which subjects it to Lanlanian laws. However, the special status grants it a certain extent of autonomy, provided basic rights are respected and Lanlanian corporate taxes are paid.

Aberdeen Corporation is the only body to pay taxes, giving a certain percent of profits from the city to the Lanlanian government.

Although the city is grand in its own right, the entire project, if successful, is considered a proof of offshore sustainable living, and future, more ambitious constructs, are being studied.

Construction

Construction on the city began in late 1571 and finished in 1587. 80% of its residential and commercial units have been rented or purchased.

The base was the most challenging part to construct. A fixed-platform was preferred, due to its more stable nature compared to the alternatives. The waters of the Pythian Sea were chosen due to their relative shallowness; the Rigged Bank is 440 meters at its lowest point, though averages 310 meters.

The base is modular, constructed of 12 meter diameter cylinders of reinforced concrete 18 meters in length, each with an indent on the top face to allow the next block to lock securely. Each block was created on-site and lowered into position using cranes. A total of 289 towers were constructed to cover the city's 612 square meter base. The towers followed a grip pattern, one centered every 36 meters.

On top of the towers, a concrete foundation layer was cast-in-place. Arches were built along the towers, to strengthen the overall base. Nearly eighteen meters above the first foundation layer, another was laid, connected to the first by a crisscross of galvanized steel pipes to both strength and distribute the weight.

Following the creation of the base, construction proceeded more easily. Materials were brought in from Azreae, employing local construction firms.

Power

While the city is close enough to import power from Azreae, an array of green-technologies was nonetheless incorporated into the construction in order to make it as self-sustainable as possible.

Nearly 70% of continuous power generation comes from the city's 32 industrial wind turbines (each rated at 3.6 MW), though, at most, only 21 operate simultaneously. Additional power is provided by 32 wave energy converters (180 kW), 21 of which are needed to run the city's basic infrastructure and services at low-power usage. An additional 8 diesel generators (rated at 3.2 MW) are located within the town tall, and an additional 2 emergency generators within the hospital. Additionally, solar panels are heavily integrated into the cityscape and the city makes strategic use of power-producing waste incinerators.

The city's power grid is highly automated, with an AI watching round-the-clock power consumption, activating and deactivating generators as needed.

Access

The Town Hall has eight helipads located on the roof and an 800 meter long runway adjacent to the structure, and is marked on international flight maps as an emergency landing site for helicopters and STOL aircraft. The city also has a small port, hidden beneath the superstructure, and is considered a viable port of call for small, self-maneuvering vessels.

Ferries are available to nearby participants.

Due to its small runway, the city is not able to receive large passenger jets. Most visitors arrive via smaller regional craft or via ferry or helicopter.

Nutrition

Self-sufficiency was kept in mind during the design process. Fresh water is desalinated from the surrounding ocean water, in amounts enough to meet the demands of both the population and the local farming.

Indeed, the city makes use of artificial farming in a controlled environment: the Aberdeen City Agricultural Center, which grows plants and small livestock. Hydroponics was incorporated greatly into the farm works, in a partnership with multiple universities around the world. In return for funding assisting, researchers were allowed access to study the facility and its operation, as well as the effect the different farming techniques would have on the population.

The farm, with 20 floors, each measuring 240m x 80m, is expected to meet the demands of the small population and still have some left over for storage or sale. Waste is incinerated onsite which, along with solar panels on the ceiling and along the outer wall, provide the farm's energy needs.

There is a massive cooled storage facility located next to the farm and is where the food is stored throughout the year, until it stocked in either the supermarket or distributed to the city's many hotels and restaurants.

Living Facilities

The city has living facilities for up to 24,000 people: 18,000 residents and 6,000 guests. Residents reside in one corner of the city, in a series of sprawling apartments. There are a few private homes, though most are still owned by the Corporation and rented or loaned to special extremely-rich guests.

Guests reside in a single complex opposite the residents' quarter, from where they have easier access to hotels and the marina.

There are different price ranges for guests and residents, the latter of which have lighter costs. However, rent contracts come with a required period of residence, starting at six months and often get cheaper the longer one chooses to reside.

The smallest residency unit is about 45 square meters, and starts at Þ400 a month. It's meant for singles and students and is a single-bedroom with a bath and kitchen-living room.

The smallest single-bed guest unit is 30 square meters and can be rented for Þ250 a night, while the smallest double-bed guest unit is 40 square meters goes for Þ300 a night.

The city provides free Internet (wifi) and satellite television services for its residents; free wifi is provided throughout the city while guests can order satellite television for an additional Þ10 a night.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be packaged for an additional Þ20 a day, though can also be purchased separately.

Education and Employment

All underage residents are required to attend school by Holy Lanlanian law. The Aberdeen School Distract was founded as a result, and holds two schools: Aberdeen Primary School and Aberdeen Secondary School. Both schools follow the same schedule as Azreae and accept any resident as a student (Holy Lanlanian citizenship is not required to live in the city).

The city's prestigious nature, as a vacation-target for the elite the world over, has arranged for the city's schools to be of extremely high quality in both facilities and staff.

However, the city does not have a college or a university. Instead, it is partnered with many tertiary-level schools across the globe to offer its residents online courses. Many of these colleges were the same ones that participated in the city's funding, and have priority access to the city's facilities and data.

The city has a large services-based economy. As a resort, there are a wide array of facilities that employ the city's teenagers and young adults. Its administration and day-to-day operations also employs a fair portion of the city's population. Many of its residence also hold jobs that allow them to work over the web.

Hospital and Healthcare

The city has one of the most advanced hospitals in the region, which employs remote-controlled robot which allow surgeons located thousands of kilometers away to conduct delicate operations. Due to the city's lax entry laws and status as an emergency services center, many people from throughout the region come here for operations, both life-saving and cosmetic.

Aberdeen International Hospital is considered one of the best in the world.

Business

There are no sales or service taxes in the city. Guests and residents pay equal prices for goods and services, though some are granted free passes depending on their guest package or residence terms.

Drugs and prostitution are legal in the city, though have been limited to age-restricted sectors of the city. Heavy alcohol is kept within those zones, though light drinks are available with lunch and dinner in nearly every restaurant.

Recreation

There is a wide array of recreational facilities and activities, most of which can be accessed in the Aberdeen Supermall. However, a few facilities--those of the adult nature--are separated in age-restricted sectors of the city.

Available Recreational Activities:

• Amusement park
• Arts and craft
• Artificial hot springs
• Beach and oceanic swimming
• Biking, both leisure and mountain
• Boating and submarine rides
• Camping
• Competitive video-gaming and other arcade games
• Dine-in restaurants
• Dry ski slopes, ice-skating rings, and snowmaking
• Exotic animal zoo/petting zoo
• Film/Opera/Play theaters
• Fishing and water skiing
• Gym and health training
• Go-kart driving
• Helicopter rides
• Horseback riding
• Karaoke bar
• Kids and teens activities
• Leisure sports (bowling, golfing, etc.)
• Lessons in a variety of skills and interests
• Museums and educational presentations
• Paint-balling
• Pool and pool activities, artificial surfing
• Rock-climbing
• Spa and health treatment
• Snorkeling and scuba diving
• Everything you can think of

Restricted-Access Recreational Activities:

• Alcoholic bars
• Gambling bars
• Prostitution bars
• Narcotics bars

Autonomy

The city is allowed a limited amount of self-governance. Though legally an Imperial naval vessel and subject to Imperial law, the city is allowed to establish its own criminal-justice system. It has its own police force, which is armed with military-grade weapons and equipment, in order to protect its guests and residence from attack from unlawful elements. As the city is registered to the Empire, any military attack or invasion would face a response from the Holy Lanlanian Armed Forces.

Due to its legal status, neither a passport or a visa is technically required, though the city can refuse access and services at will (except in the case of a health emergency). The city also does check for some form of national ID or other form of identification. Nonetheless, there are many nationalities residing in the city.

Although no form of document is required by Imperial authorities to enter the city, papers are examined when arriving in an Imperial airport or port from the city. Those without appropriate documentation are sent back.