conceived by US-based architectural designer honglin li, ‘FILTRATION’ is a floating skyscraper imagined to clean up our seawater by recycling the plastic and debris found in the infamous ‘great pacific garbage patch’. receiving honorable mention in the evolo 2019 skyscraper competition, the modular, prefabricated waste-management and waste-to-energy megastructure proposes a solution to the global environmental and energy crisis.
all images courtesy of honglin li
to achieve the goal of cleaning up our oceans while also providing a green source of energy, honglin li has designed the FILTRATION skyscraper to contain several ‘material recovery facilities (MRF)’ and ‘water treatment plants (WTP)’. these mechanisms would make the entire power plant self-sufficient while working to recycle the ‘floating garbage continent’, which is located in the north pacific gyre.
unlike a conventional material recovery facility that mainly relies on gravity and the use of multiple conveyors to take garbage from the ocean for sorting and distribution, FILTRATION uses seawater to pump garbage and polluted water to the apex of the building, then filters the water and recyclable material down to the bottom. eventually, non-recycled material and recycled material would be transported away by tidal power. overall, the proposal by honglin li provides a sustainable and even regenerative solution to floating waste, as well as a second chance to reconstruct the relationship between nature and human beings.
project info:
name: ‘FILTRATION skyscraper’
type: individual competition work
project: floating garbage recycle skyscraper
location: north pacific gyre
design: honglin li
date: feb 2019
designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: lynne myers | designboom
eVolo skyscraper competition (6 articles)
eVolo announces winners of 2019 skyscraper competition
mashambas skyscraper for africa wins eVolo 2017 skyscraper competition
vertical factories in future megacities wins 2nd place in eVolo competition
yitan sun and jianshi wu propose to build 1,000-foot walls around excavated central park
winners of evolo's 2011 skyscraper competion announced
skyscraper architecture and design (166 articles)
KPF-designed tower in singapore promotes 'sustainable urbanism'
plans for foster + partners' 'tulip' tower scrapped by london mayor
one thousand museum, zaha hadid's residential skyscraper, completes in miami
architecture news
aulets arquitectes restores mallorca heritage building for the study of wine
#architecture
the new 'felanitx oenological station,' programed for the science and study of wine, showcases the original structural elements.
the new 'felanitx oenological station,' programed for the science and study of wine, showcases the original structural elements.
jean nouvel to design a luxury resort among the rocks of al-ula in saudi arabia
#architecture
construction of the project is set to begin early next year in one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.
construction of the project is set to begin early next year in one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.
moscow-based architects design the sonora house with bold folds and clean seams
#architecture
the house reflects the brightly colored, minimal geometries of classic modernist mexican architecture.
the house reflects the brightly colored, minimal geometries of classic modernist mexican architecture.
tintagel footbridge reunites historic cornwall castle for the first time in 500 years
#architecture
designed by ney & partners and william matthews associates, the bridge consists of two cantilevers that reach out from either side to almost touch in the middle.
designed by ney & partners and william matthews associates, the bridge consists of two cantilevers that reach out from either side to almost touch in the middle.
Very interesting concept that works similar to a charcoal/sand filtration bottle. All the plans, design, and engineering are mostly drawn and thought through.
I can see the multi-Billionaires of Google Camp Secret Society funding this since the focus for this year’s meeting (just passed in August) was Global Warming…or at least they should fund this as this concept seems to be the best way to clean up the world’s oceans top to bottom of the ocean’s thermal layers.
As for the garbage itself, it can be shipped to the landfill or probably incinerated aboard a specially-designed ship, also with filters to prevent pollution. Would it be profitable? Probably not, but then again, many of the world’s Billionaires pledged a good deal of their earnings (total: hundreds of billions of dollars) to charity, so why not fund this? This concept worthy of an X-Prize award if it actually is built and works. These ocean rigs can also scrub the air of CO2 emissions with the proper mechanics.