Speculative floating parliament as a spiraling ocean structure

Designed by Yufeng Tu, Ocean Vortex is a speculative floating parliament conceived for the 2026 YAC competition Ocean Parliament, where it was recognized as a finalist. Created to draw attention to the vast plastic islands of the Pacific Ocean and the urgent crisis of marine pollution, the project positions architecture as a tool for environmental awareness, public gathering, and civic dialogue. The building takes the form of a swirling vortex, shaped by the motion of waves and wind. This spiral geometry organizes both program and circulation, guiding visitors inward toward a central water courtyard. Separate entrances allow different groups to access the structure: visitors enter exhibition and museum spaces dedicated to marine pollution and ocean awareness, while participants and staff move toward the parliament and meeting areas through a distinct route. In this way, public education and civic action are brought together within one continuous spatial system.

floating civic structure conceived to address marine pollution | all images courtesy of Yufeng Tu

Ocean Vortex proposes a new model of governance on water

Sustainability is embedded in both the concept by designer Yufeng Tu and the construction. The floating structure is supported by a steel frame combined with recycled marine waste, especially discarded plastic barrels and containers, which are repurposed as buoyancy elements. Materials once associated with pollution are transformed into the very system that keeps the building afloat. Rooftop solar panels generate renewable energy for daily operation, while submerged spaces accommodate hydroponic cultivation, energy conversion, and desalination systems. Flexible seabed anchorage stabilizes the structure while allowing it to adapt to tides and wave movement. Rather than hiding environmental systems, Ocean Vortex makes them visible and spatially legible. Recycled waste, renewable energy, and public participation are integrated into one iconic floating form, proposing a new model of civic architecture in which marine protection, environmental education, and governance converge on the water.

the low, sweeping form frames the horizon as a public landmark

governance, exhibition, and environmental awareness meet on the water