PORTCULLIS – Drifter’s anchor | Design Thesis on Floating Architecture

Site Context

The project was originally supposed to be located on the Kvarner Gulf coast near the city of Rijeka. However, as the idea developed, it was moved from its strict location and given a more general one in an imagined future.

Design Process

Beginning with the fundamental concept, the building was meant to serve as a benchmark for characteristic coastal cities, adding a unique element to the city’s character. As the design process progressed, the concept moved away from the city, to directly address the studio topic—the Adriatic’s interpretive centre—by showcasing the social concept of sailing.

The project’s central idea was the sail archetype, which was chosen based on graphic considerations. Three building elements of a harmonised external form were then combined to create a dynamically changing form. The internal form and function of the project were dynamic and indefinite due to their dependence on multiple influences. The design process began with sketches and continued with 3D models. After the idea development phase was completed, the physical model was created.

Final Outcome

The stranded city is more than just a phenomenon that can be explained by human observations and understanding of the environment in which it exists. The notion of a city (fortress) unscathed by natural disasters that might threaten humankind is superseded by the social and technological aspects of the emerging global society.

The development of these dimensions, erased from all maps, is like a transatlantic ship that never made landfall; however, its capacity for technological and creative self-sustainability—the capacity to become a port unto itself and endure changes in the outside world—makes it a viable model for new typologies.

The notion that it is inconsistent and cartographically elusive, therefore, is based on how one searches for it; it is comparable to an electron in an atom that can be either a particle or a state, depending on the experimental detection method chosen. As a result, a city that gets stuck somewhere will need faith and pilgrims travelling a challenging, hazardous path to get there. Here, the journey to the destination, visions of the promised land, and trust in the personified object’s symbol become the true measures.

Conclusion: Altogether, the project is a social experiment in creating new worlds based on the perception that there are no established norms of civilization. It succeeds in creating an efficient community, sustainable resources, and beneficial assemblies that are accessible.

[This Academic Project has been published with text submitted by the student]