The Seasteading Institute has crowned the winners in its first Seasteading Architectural Design Contest. The Contest, which ran from February 1st to May 1st, invited participants to design the floating city of their dreams. The winning design was awarded a $1000 grand prize, and there were four additional $250 prizes for specific categories.

Seasteads are permanent, stationary structures specifically designed for long-term ocean living. Entrants into the contest were provided with a 3-D model of TSI’s patent-pending base platform, on which they built creative architectural designs for a new society of ocean pioneers. The specifics of the design, aesthetics, and intended use were entirely up to each designer.

Entrants ranged from amateur 3D designers to professional architects and architecture students. 41 qualified designs were entered, including sports arenas, medical facilities, universities, hotels, and residences. The designs were judged by a panel of TSI staff, volunteers and board members.

The Winning Designs:

$1,000 Grand Prize: The Swimming City by AndrÃ¡s GyÃµrfi (Runner Up: Seagull Hotel by Matias Perez)

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Grand Prize: The Swimming City by AndrÃ¡s GyÃµrfi

$250 Prize for Aesthetic Design: SESU Seastead by Marko JÃ¤rvela (Runner Up: Entwined Dragon Seastead by Patrick Kenny)

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Prize for Aesthetic Design: SESU Seastead by Marko JÃ¤rvela

$250 Prize for Personality: Rendering Freedom by Anthony Ling (Runner Up: The Arch by Rory O’Hagan)





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Prize for Personality: Rendering Freedom by Anthony Ling

$250 Prize for Best Picture: Oasis of The Sea by Emerson Stepp (Runner Up: La Gallerie de la Mer by Hakeem Bux)





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Prize for Best Picture: Oasis of The Sea by Emerson Stepp

$250 Prize for Community Choice: Refusion by Team 3DA (Runner Up: Micro City Community by Ettore Mele)

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Prize for Community Choice: Refusion by Team 3DA

Winners will receive a cash prize, along with free admission to the 2nd annual Seasteading conference, a free membership with TSI, and a commemorative piece of merchandise with their design on it.

Here are some more exciting competition entries:

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#39, Designer: Kai Kostack

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#33 - Resort, Designer: LÃ¡szlÃ³ SzabÃ³

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#35 - Hotel/resort, Designer: I Nyoman Sunartha and Yansen Oktanius

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#37 - Cultural center, Designer: Mark McQuilten, Robert Davidov and Ben Attrill

A few designs did not comply with the contest rules but could still serve as valuable inspiration for future design endeavours:

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Designer: Nolan Loh and Miles Loh

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Designer: Farhan Erooth

The wealth of creative talent that was brought to bear for this contest has provided TSI with a wonderful vision for the future of seasteading. “I am awed by the creativity and effort put into these entries, which portray a compelling and beautiful vision of a new way of life.” says Executive Director Patri Friedman. “Before something can be built it must be imagined and expressed, and these imaginative models express the possibilities for seasteading.”

Images: Seasteading Institute