Coral Nexus Resort, Koh Tao, Thailand
- Location: Chumphon Archipelago on the Gulf of Thailand., Thailand
- Area: Koh Tao, also known as Turtle Island, is renowned as one of Thailand's top scuba diving destinations, attracting divers from around the world.
- Year: 2024
- Work Type: Student
- Institute: King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang
- Status: Conceptual
- Team Members: Chiennapa Yampine
- Instructor: Nirav Jhaveri
This project is inspired by a news report predicting that by 2050, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and sinking lands will put major cities at risk of submerging, including Bangkok.
The alarming forecast calls for urgent solutions to prevent widespread damage. This issue became a personal concern, sparking the idea of creating sustainable ways to live with rising waters. The proposed solution is the concept of floating buildings, which could offer a viable way to adapt to the increasing water levels. The project focuses on developing a floating resort in Koh Tao, Thailand, offering an innovative and sustainable solution to both environmental challenges and tourism needs.
The solution I found is 'floating buildings' Floating buildings are divided into two types: pure floating buildings and semi-floating buildings. The key difference is that a pure floating building has no structure under the water, allowing it to float like a boat, while a semi-floating building has an underwater structure that can move up and down, providing more stability.
In Thailand, floating buildings may resemble 'rafts,' but they are also widespread in other countries like Dubai, where most of the population lives on the water, and various technologies are used sustainably in floating buildings. What I find interesting is that I want to create a floating building prototype that can be adapted to Thailand, different from a raft, while studying the technology and materials used in floating buildings. This will include a floating resort located near Koh Tao, aimed at divers, adventure tourists, and environmentally-conscious visitors, to observe marine life and the changes in nature, raising awareness about environmental changes.
The system I chose involves a floating building without a structure beneath the water. The structure will be similar to a boat, with a main ballast and large gaps under the building. This will be weighted down using steel structures or by adding water to these gaps if the building is very heavy, creating balance. However, the building will still experience some rocking when encountering waves, so a Mooring System will be used for stabilization.
This project originated from a news report forecasting the future of the world map in 2050. It predicts that due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and sinking lands, major cities will be at risk of submerging. The frightening aspect is that many countries, including Thailand, will be flooded, causing massive damage if no preventive measures are taken. The designer, who lives in one of these cities, became aware of the situation and began considering how we could address this problem since we cannot prevent the rising water levels. Instead, we should find sustainable ways to live with water.
I chose a location for the floating resort project for divers and adventurers in a popular diving area in Thailand. After analyzing various diving spots, I designed a floating resort that can move between locations every 4 months, allowing divers to dive in different spots year-round. However, I encountered several issues with this idea, and my advisor suggested that moving a floating building would be similar to moving an oil rig, which could disrupt the marine ecosystem and be very expensive. Therefore, I decided to abandon this idea and focus on a single site Koh Tao.
Upon analyzing Koh Tao and the surrounding areas, we found that most resorts are located on the island, with no resorts on the water. The primary reasons are legal restrictions regarding maritime and construction laws and concerns about stability for residents. Nevertheless, the idea of a floating resort is new and offers a potential solution to the issue of rising sea levels. The floating resort project will serve as one possible way to adapt and survive this challenge, which is the main objective of the project.
The materials used will be resistant to sea water corrosion. The design of each villa in the resort will mimic the shape of coral reefs, offering a new experience for guests. The roofs will be dome-shaped to allow for better air circulation, which is critical for floating buildings, and the interior will feature double-volume spaces to create an open, airy environment with almost 360-degree views of the ocean.
For the central building of the resort design, I designed it to reflect the style of the villas. This building will need a strong structure to bear the weight of water, electricity, and other systems needed to serve the floating villas. We will use a structure similar to an oil rig, with large steel frames supporting the building, which will be located at the center of the floating resort.
