Reimagining the future

Today's cruise ships are fast, loud and dirty, says Italian engineer Gianluca Santosuosso. He plans to change that with his "MORPHotel." Its goal: to slither across the seas slowly and efficiently.

"When you already have everything, then time is the true luxury," says Santosuosso. That luxury is a must for travel on the slowly moving ship, which derives its power and movement from the currents. A trip on the vessel could potentially last months.

Solar energy panels are the source of the craft's energy - along with hydropowered turbines at both ends of the snake-like hotel. Rainwater would be collected and used, while onboard gardens would provide passengers with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Is the trip too long? The MORPHotel has numerous docking points for ships, so that passengers can come and go. There's even a helicopter landing pad. In stormy seas, the ship can change shape, encircling and protecting the boats docked to it.

The London-based engineer enjoys incorporating nature into his concepts. Here's another example that utilizes dunes instead of the sea. The wind's average speed and direction are incorporated into the design to affect the interior of the living space...

A computer model helped Santosuosso with the dunes. "Nature is so complex. Thanks to computer capabilities, we can model natural processes and adapt to them," he says. Wind is channeled into the pod, where it serves to balance interior temperatures.

Energy also plays a large role in these futuristic concepts. As with the MORPhotel, this algae building would be self-sufficient in its energy production. The algae is "harvested" and used as biodiesel to provide inhabitants with power.

This Google Maps montage depicts the MORPhotel anchored alongside the seaboard. That isn't to say the structure exists, though. At this point the idea remains theoretical - with the hope, however, that it will influence and change the tourism industry.

Santosuosso says numerous investors from the tourism industry are prepared to back the concept. He admits, though, that he's a long way off from sourcing enough money. "I'm certain that the MORPhotel will be realized," he says. For the moment, he'd be satisfied with a small-scale version.