Hydro Spectre

Studio Pierandrea Angius

Tutors Tina Tsagkaratou, Angel Tenorio

Team Haibo Yue, Meishuang Li, Zongtai Song, Chiying Ng, Xinyi Na

Sea levels are gradually rising as a result of global warming. Why not adapt our structures to the water and prevent them from sinking? To address this, we intend to create a flexible, mobile structure that could adapt to three different environments: at sea, in the middle of the sea, and underwater. We aim to design around the concepts of minimum space, “soft infrastructure,” and self-sufficiency in response to overcrowding and lack of resources. Our design explores the potential of a hybrid space that lies between the human body and the elementary spatial structures of life and movement and uses systematic pragmatism to formulate radical design goals. 

The research of inflatable structures was conducted through a series of physical models that tried to merge scissor structures with air bags. We tested low-density plywood, acrylic, rubber, and other materials and evaluated the curvature, elasticity, dimensions, and volume of the surfaces under different configurations, laying the groundwork for a streamlined form. 

We envisaged several organisational assemblages ranging from small to huge, generated from the unit and the Rubik’s cube rotation mechanism. The various functions come near each other as the unit rotates. At the same time, the behaviour, body structure and life cycle of jellyfish, sperm whales, and other marine species were also referenced in the design of cluster. Our design organises the daily human behaviour and flow through the study of oxygen, ocean currents, and temperature. The inhabitants move to the mining development, energy and research zones during the day and shift to the sea's higher level for rest and relaxation, thus transforming the area of pycnocline into a significant migration and transportation space.