Few design concepts capture the imagination quite like a city at sea, and the latest proposal for a floating world certainly does not disappoint. The spinelike MORPHotel, designed by engineer and architect Gianluca Santosuosso, takes its inspiration from a cruise ship, but instead of sailing from point A to point B and back again, it will follow ocean currents and roam the globe slowly. The massive kilometer-long structure comprises interconnected modules, allowing the entire vessel to take different shapes, morphing to fit its different docking sites. MORPHotel will have all of the luxury amenities found in resorts on land, from shops and restaurants to gardens and pools, housed in the large central vertebrae. Moving out from this hub are the private accommodations for guests, some of which can detach from the hotel to explore the surrounding waters on their own. Santosuosso’s design imagines a sustainable floating city with features such as solar panels and wave-energy converters for power, a water supply of filtered rainwater and desalinated seawater, and floating vegetable gardens. In short, for those who’d love to sail the seas at a more leisurely place, MORPHotel might be a paradise.

The hotel will float with the ocean currents, circling the globe slowly.

The central hub of the hotel will house the public spaces for guests.