Oil Rigs

I work for a company that deals with subsea drilling, so I hear a lot about different oil and gas things. The other day I heard about this contest that Morris Architects won (this was actually quite a while ago, it just came up today). I can't remember the exact design challenge, but I think the contest was to create an innovative hospitality design. What they came up with was converting abandoned oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico into luxury hotels. I accept that this idea has many limitations and impracticalities (bringing in guests from long distances, housing staff in such a limited space, flying in fresh food, bringing the rig up to safety standards, hurricane evacuation plans, etc.). However I still think the idea is pretty cool.

Currently there are only a few options for abandoned/decommissioned rigs. I have heard of companies dismantling the rig and hauling it away for scrap. There is also the rigs to reefs programs where the leave the bottom half of the rig as a habitat for local fish. Or sometimes they just blow the whole thing up (This is what the Morris Architects claim happens most often). I once read something that said that some of Greenpeace tried to live on a part of an abandoned rig. What Morris Architects’ design does is convert the oil rig into a luxury hotel that is powered completely by renewable energy sources (Think wind turbines and wave power).



The hotel would have an entertainment level with a casino, and a place where shows like cirque du soleil could be preformed. On the roof there would be an infinity pool, and water sports of every kind would be offered. The rooms would be designed off shore as little containers that fit into the outer sections of the rig and fold out to become rooms once they are installed. Although the rooms would be smaller than most luxury resort rooms, their positions on the outward edges of the rig would give every guest an amazing view of the ocean. The hotel would also have a diving bell so guests could go observe the ocean wildlife firsthand. Anyways I think this would be amazing! I would definitely spend a night on one of these.



I thought I'd include their drawing of their future oil rig hotel. It's pretty classy, lol.

Currently excited for: SYTYCD, of course

http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/02/19/oil-rig-eco-resort-by-morris-architects/