Architecture

Oasis at sea: The Ark hotel concept

Oasis at sea: The Ark hotel concept
View 17 Images
1/17
2/17
3/17
4/17
5/17
6/17
7/17
8/17
9/17
10/17
11/17
12/17
13/17
14/17
15/17
16/17
17/17
View gallery - 17 images

Russian architectural firm Remistudio has taken the concept of a man-made biosphere and gone to sea with its vision for the floating "Ark Hotel." Designed to withstand floods, tidal waves and rising ocean levels as well as earthquakes and other natural disasters, the hotel concept would float and function independently on the surface of a body of water, providing a green, self-sustaining environment for guests who presumably, would never have to leave.

The shell-inspired Ark design has a load-bearing system of arches and cables which maintain an even weight distribution to withstand earthquakes, whilst the prefabricated frame allows for a fast and easy construction.

The internal garden provides a lush escape for guests by acting as a greenhouse and enough daylight is filtered throughout the internal rooms to reduce the need for lighting.

The design also integrates photovoltaic solar cells, a rainwater collection system and a frame that is protected with layer of self-cleaning and recyclable ethyltetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) – the same material used in the Beijing National Aquatic Center.

Aside from the eco-credentials, it's a stunning design that seems to jump straight out of a science-fiction film. We can only hope that the worst global warming predictions prove inaccurate and it doesn't become the 22nd Century's holiday destination of choice.

The Ark was designed by Remistudio with the assistance of the International Union of Architects’ program “Architecture for Disaster Relief.”

Via Inhabitat.

View gallery - 17 images
8 comments
8 comments
Facebook User
This is very cool. I don\'t know why we don\'t have any floating communities yet. It seems like they could mass produce these and put one outside every major coastal city around the world.
Todd Dunning
\"...We can only hope that the worst global warming predictions prove inaccurate and it doesn\'t become the 22nd Century\'s holiday destination of choice.\"
Wow - I was temporarily transported to 2007 there for a minute...
Facebook User
The World of Residensea, is a floating community, its a modified cruise ship, thinks its more like a retirement home, than a proper floating city. There\'s an article on the Residensea and another ship operating under similar premise, in gizmag archives.
Larinator
Looking back at Soviet history, this has more of a chance of being used as an escape proof gulag.
Gadgeteer
I don\'t think this is comparable to Residensea. That, at least, actually exists. This is more like the Freedom Ship, another pipe dream that will never be built. There are a few articles about that in Gizmag, too.
Griffin
Well,c\'mon,people- why all the cynicism?
Considering the megayachts being built in that part of the world,why not?
Aren\'t we supposed to be the ones looking for new ideas,not just saying bah humbug?
This isn\'t like Residensea OR Freedomship- this is a clean slate approach to living in an integrated fashion with our environment.
I know one entrepeneurialistic individual who\'s leaving California to spend more time over there because he says it\'s a freer country there with less bureaucracy.
Anyway, I suppose Noah got a similar response.... {^,^}
They\'re probably anticipating a potentially more permanent usage for these things. -g
Prince Nanostein
Its really unbelievable when something comes like this
Isaac Piquiel Filani
this planet is filled with lots of genius.