Regular readers are likely familiar with Vincent Callebaut Architectures. The Paris-based firm continues to refine its unique take on sustainable architecture with its latest concept, the Nautilus Eco-Resort. Envisioned for the Philippines, the ambitious project would include rotating buildings and enough sustainable technology to ensure a surplus of energy is produced.
The Nautilus Eco-Resort would be located in a bay in an unspecified location in the Philippines, in shallow, calm waters, and would be supported on telescopic piles. The buildings would arranged into a shape inspired by the Fibonacci sequence.
A total of 12 spiral towers of varying heights would host tourists in apartments. The towers would rotate to follow the sun, a full 360-degrees a day, a bit like the 359 tiny house, but automated. Nearby, a dozen sea snail-shaped buildings would include exhibition spaces on the ground floor that explain environmental challenges and concerns, with hotel spaces above.
Multiple small pavilions would be scattered around the Nautilus Eco-Resort and at its center there would be a large multi-purpose timber building shaped like a mountain. Its roof would be covered with vegetable gardens and organic orchards, while the interior would include a sports pool and seawater leisure pool, scientific laboratories, an elementary school, a children's home, and a sports hall for local youth.
Notable sustainable technology and design slated for the project includes underwater turbines to capture wave energy and lots of greenery on the walls and roof, to improve the buildings' insulation. Facades and roofs would also sport solar panels, resulting in the Nautilus Eco-Resort producing more energy than it needs, with the excess being sent to nearby communities.
Rainwater and greywater would be captured and reused, while human waste would be turned into an energy source. Sustainable materials would be used during construction, including microalgae, linseed oil and local wood species. Finally, the project would seek to exploit the temperature differences between the surface and deep water of the sea, though it's not made clear how.
In an interesting plan, volunteer ecotourists would be tasked with cleaning up any washed-up plastic waste from beaches and installing recycling schemes, protecting coral crops, and other initiatives aimed at improving the local conditions. It's not clear what the incentive for them to do this would be other than altruism, but perhaps offering those who roll their sleeves up a cheaper vacation could work.
It appears that the Nautilus Eco-Resort is purely a concept at present and there are no immediate plans to build, but we've reached out to Vincent Callebaut Architectures to confirm.
Source: Vincent Callebaut Architectures
