Her latest work envisions a futuristic hotel that makes use of tidal energy to produce its own power. It would also move with the tide in a way likened to surfing by the architect.

The Harmonic Turbine Tidal Hotel is conceived for Yalong Bay, on the island of Hainan, China. It would be anchored into the rugged coastline, with sections becoming submerged during high tide, making it move with the waves.

"The idea behind the hotel came from rock pools and tidal power, to design a hotel which dips into the sea just enough to catch the tide whilst being able to sway in the current," explains the architect. "The entire experience is that of surfing."

Structurally, the hotel would comprise a steel frame with aluminum cladding and would be constructed in a similar way to the hull of a ship, allowing it to withstand the battering it would get from the sea. Water turbines part-buried in the sand would produce electricity from tidal forces, with any excess energy being piped back to the grid, benefiting the local area. The sculpted design of the turbines would also create small rock pool-like areas when the tide is low.

Continue to the full story resplendent with images   ||  May 11, 2018   |||