With rising sea levels affecting 1 billion people globally by 2050 threatening more than 150 of the world’s most populated cities and with increasing pressure on space and  resources it is now a global imperative to develop sustainable scalable solutions on water.  

Everything started few years ago with MORPHotel which aimed to develop a new luxury hotel experience. The project has received wide international media coverage from important media platforms:

THE TIMES   CNN   DESIGNBOOM

A core team has been brought together combining expertise in strategy, design, innovation and business development in order to develop the vision further. The result of this second design phase is HyperCay, "beyond the island" a modular floating structure based on the following characteristics: The modules, as a series of “vertebras”, combined together create a “spine-like” body able to adapt its shape; The central modules host common areas and services (restaurants, bars, spa, lobby, cinema etc.); The suites are detachable and able to travel independently for short-medium distances.​​​​​

With this in mind we developed HyperCay, a pioneering concept in sustainable sea travel designed to push the extremes of a self-sufficient community on water while developing  key technologies to take on the global issue at hand.  This project tries to fill the gap between luxury hotels and cruise ships. The rooms are like a series of yachts, giving the guests the freedom to explore their surroundings while the main body of the structure moves slowly through the sea. ​​​​​​​

HyperCay's 3 core strategic pillars are:

Adaptability

Its “Vertebral Spine Structure” is capable of changing shape in order to adapt to environmental and climatic conditions as well as navigate narrow channels. Using hydraulic pistons HC changes its shape to adapt to the geographical and weather conditions.

Hyper-Journey

Unlike traditional cruises, where passengers have to join and disembark at fixed points, with HYPERcay passengers can join at any point along the ever moving/changing itinerary. The central pods will provide space and facilities for guests to eat be entertained and interact, while the private movable capsules provide guests with the opportunity to explore the surrounding environment.

Self-sufficiency

HC can be considered a self-sufficient artificial ecosystem powered by renewable energy with, at its core a mangrove garden: a nursery for animals and plants. All aspects of HYPERcay work with local communities to nurture and support the environment and the local economy. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Awards

Radical Innovation Award

Credits

Project developed in collaboration with: Margherita Filpi, Peter Kwong, Harry Hallart, Matteo Bianciotto, Raffaella

Ruggeri.

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