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Building Cities on Water: A Vision for Floating Communities

Building Cities on Water: A Vision for Floating Communities

Reading TIme: 5 Minutes

New Podcast Episode | Mizter Rad Show with Ocean Builders CEO, Grant Romundt.

What if your next home didn’t just have an ocean view, but actually floated effortlessly over the water itself? This isn’t science fiction. It’s happening right now off the coast of Panama, where Ocean Builders is pioneering a new way of living that could reshape how humans inhabit our planet.

The Mizter Rad Show recently hosted what could be the world’s first-ever underwater podcast interview with Grant Romundt, co-founder and CEO of Ocean Builders. The conversation took place 11 meters below the Caribbean Sea, inside of their SeaPods’ underwater room.

Broadcasting From the Ocean Floor

“I’m literally recording 11 meters underwater in one of Ocean Builder’s SeaPods with around 200 metric tons of water pressure on the walls around me,” Mizter Rad announced as he opened the show.

The clear audio quality demonstrated the engineering precision behind what was happening. A normal interview conducted while surrounded by marine life, in a space originally designed for function rather than habitation.

Grant explained how this underwater room came to exist: “We originally didn’t really design it to be a living space. We just needed it to create this lift. About 15 to 20 meters underneath you, there’s a very heavy weight, about 60 tons worth of weight, which stabilizes the whole structure.”

An engineering requirement evolved into humanity’s first livable underwater room.

During the interview, Mizter Rad’s fascination was clear: “I have 1,000 fish right now in front of me. It’s so amazing. And it almost feels like they’re listening to the conversation and they’re curious, they just look in the window and then leave again.”

Solving Ocean-Specific Challenges

Building on water presents unique obstacles. When asked about storm resistance, Grant explained their capabilities: “We can take waves of up to about five meters. The most we’ve ever had with someone living on board was about three meters.”

The waste management system represents particularly thoughtful engineering. Grant described their water treatment approach: “We’re working on a way of treating the waste so that after a two or three day process, it can be about 98% clean, clean enough to meet most countries’ standards for releasing water into the ocean.”

From Prototype to Production

The first SeaPod required three years to complete, from concept in 2019 to a functional floating home in 2021. Ocean Builders has since accelerated their process significantly.

“We did a complete redesign in about four months, whereas it took us over two years before,” Grant explained. The next SeaPod is expected to take six to nine months, with plans for simultaneous production of multiple units.

This efficiency improvement creates the foundation for scaling from individual homes to complete floating communities.

Global Projects Taking Shape

Ocean Builders is expanding beyond prototype testing. Grant revealed their most significant project: “Maldives is building a floating city. We are putting up to 20 SeaPods in the Maldives Floating City. That’s the project we’re working on right now.”

Each SeaPod will function as premium residential options within larger floating developments, while city centers focus on broader housing solutions.

Environmental Benefits

Ocean development often raises environmental concerns. Grant addressed this directly: “Every home we put in the water becomes a marine habitat. It actually makes the water better, helps the ocean rehabilitate.”

The environmental process works as follows:

  • Initial installation creates structured habitat in previously empty ocean
  • Over time, barnacles, algae, and coral grow on steel structures
  • Fish are attracted to the new ecosystem
  • Each SeaPod contributes to ocean health improvement


Mizter Rad confirmed this during the interview: “I’m literally seeing thousands of fish through the window right now.”

Grant elaborated: “If you swim around the base of my SeaPod, you’ll see thousands and thousands of fish. And there was no fish there” before installation.

The Experience of Ocean Living

Mizter Rad’s transformation during his 24-hour stay was notable. His initial nervousness, “it feels scary being surrounded by all this water, especially knowing there’s so much pressure on the walls around me” shifted to enthusiasm by the interview’s end.

“I’ve tried it for one night and I’m already in love with it,” he said. “They’re going to have to kick me out tomorrow because I don’t think I want to leave.”

Grant’s prediction proved accurate: “I think once you’ve tried it, it can be very addictive.”

  • Ocean living offers several unique benefits:
  • 360-degree ocean views unavailable on land
  • Direct interaction with marine life
  • Lifestyle experiences impossible elsewhere
  • Living with the ocean rather than simply near it

Vision for the Future

Grant’s predictions for ocean living are grounded in current progress: “I think the first entire floating city would be finished completely within 10 years. From that point, it will accelerate because the proof of concept will have been built.”

His vision for the next 50 years includes:

  • Complete floating cities operational within a decade
  • Accelerated development as concepts prove successful
  • Multiple ocean-based cities near major coastal areas worldwide
  • Large-scale structures currently beyond imagination


“I think living on the water in floating cities will really take off in 50 years,” Grant concluded. “The number of structures you’ll be able to see on the water is going to surprise us.”

A New Approach to Living

As coastal cities face pressure from population growth and the potential of rising sea levels, Ocean Builders offers a solution that addresses space constraints while improving marine environments and providing residents with unique lifestyles.

The technology has been proven, environmental benefits measured, and early adopters report transformative experiences. What began as one person’s interest in a Toronto Airbnb has developed into an approach that could influence how humans live on our water-covered planet.

For anyone curious about where technology and sustainable living is, floating communities are no longer a distant dream, they’re a reality today, anchored just off the coast of Panama and soon to float in the Maldives too!

Listen to the Full Episode

Ready to hear it all, straight from the underwater room?

👉 Listen to Building Cities on Water on Spotify
🔎 Explore Mizter Rad Show


Want to See It for Yourself?

Discover how SeaPods are redefining what’s possible, and how you can be part of this exclusive lifestyle that few will ever have the chance to experience.

📞 Book a tour
📞 Get a quote

Be part of the movement!

Instagram: @ocean_builders
X: @OceanBuilders
Facebook: Ocean Builders Official
YouTube: Ocean Builders Channel
LinkedIn: OceanBuilders

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