Novasis: Rethinking the Relationship Between Architectural Design and Marine Sustainability
Novasis: A Floating Design That Rethinks Our Relationship with the Ocean
Have you ever felt awe in front of a design concept that makes you wonder, “Is this really possible?” That exact sense of wonder strikes when looking at the Novasis project, the floating platform designed by Mohsen Laee, which recently won the Grand Prix Architecture and Innovation for Sea 2025. What sets this project apart is not merely its futuristic vision, but the practical possibilities it offers for addressing the challenges of our time.
Responding to Major Environmental Challenges
What makes Novasis particularly striking is its scalable design, which simultaneously addresses three interlinked environmental crises:
- Climate Change: By relying on innovative technologies to generate renewable energy and minimize environmental impact. - Resource Scarcity: By providing fresh water and sustainably producing marine food. - Marine Ecosystem Collapse: By supporting marine life restoration and large-scale seaweed cultivation. Living in Harmony with the Ocean
Unlike bleak visions that imagine humans migrating away from a damaged Earth, the platform is designed to be an integral part of the marine ecosystem. It does not merely aim to reduce harm but strives to heal and integrate with nature. Additionally, it is:
- Modular and recyclable. - Energy self-sufficient, reducing reliance on traditional grids. - A practical model for sustainable living in changing marine environments.
The Novasis units illuminated at night, emphasizing their role as permanent offshore habitats. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
Algae: The Heart of Innovation in Novasis
In the Novasis project, algae are not merely an add-on element, they are the true star of the show. The platform relies on floating and submerged nets made from recycled PET to cultivate both large and small algae.
The Multifaceted Benefits of Algae
The importance of algae lies in their versatility, as they can be transformed into:
- Biofuel, serving as a sustainable alternative to fossil energy. - Nutritional supplements and healthy foods, rich in essential nutrients. - Pharmaceuticals and medical materials, leveraging their biological properties. - Carbon-neutral materials, supporting a circular economy and reducing the carbon footprint. Algae’s Role in Combating Climate Change
Beyond these uses, algae naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making this system environmentally positive and counteracting human-induced harm. In this way, the project evolves from merely reducing damage to actively improving the environment.
Novasis aims to provide potable water and energy to coastal communities suffering from resource scarcity. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
Structural Design: Intelligence and Efficiency in One
The very structure of the Novasis project is both stunning and highly functional. Imagine a circular floating platform featuring a central dome and a surrounding walkway that organizes movement within the space, allowing activities to be distributed logically and practically.
Diverse Uses and Spaces
The platform is designed to support a wide range of functions:
- Research facilities for studying the marine environment and algae. - Recreational areas to enhance the living experience on the platform. - Residential spaces integrated sustainably. Self-Sufficiency in Resources
One of the platform’s most remarkable innovations is its ability to produce fresh water through multiple methods:
- Rainwater harvesting. - Desalination of seawater using solar and wave energy.
Thanks to these technologies, the platform becomes a fully self-sufficient ecosystem, eliminating the need to rely on terrestrial infrastructure for essential resources.
Masterplan view showing the integration of marine transport with Novasis floating hubs. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
Redefining Coastal Development
One of the most striking aspects of the Novasis project is how it reimagines the meaning of development in coastal and open-ocean environments. Traditionally, marine construction is associated with extractive models, such as oil platforms or commercial fishing, or recreational uses, like luxury resorts and cruise ships.
A Sustainable Economic Model
In contrast, the platform offers a completely different approach:
- Generating biomass and renewable energy as primary sources of revenue. - Operating independently without the need for grants or external financial support. Integrated Environmental and Economic Development
By combining environmental sustainability with economic viability, the project demonstrates how marine development can be rethought to provide both ecological and financial benefits, rather than relying on conventional activities that often harm natural resources.
Technical 3D renders showing the structural form and flotation system of the Novasis unit. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
Mohsen Laee’s Background and the Wind Island Experience
Mohsen Laee is no stranger to ambitious ocean-based concepts. In 2021, he introduced the Wind Island project, a floating platform that combined wind, water, and solar energy, while integrating residential and research spaces.
Innovation in Design
The project stood out for its flag-like blades surrounding a central tower, serving dual purposes:
- Capturing wind energy to generate electricity. - Providing shade and cooling for the spaces beneath the platform, reflecting a focus on efficiently harnessing natural resources. Evolution Towards Novasis
Laee’s thinking evolved from Wind Island to Novasis, with a sharper focus on:
- Practical and effective restoration of marine ecosystems. - Integrated production of sustainable resources, transforming the platform from a renewable energy experiment into a fully self-sufficient ecosystem.
Internal section of the Novasis unit revealing multiple functional levels above and below the water line. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
Timing of Innovation
The timing of Novasis could not be more fitting. Floating solar farms are increasingly popular as renewable energy solutions, particularly because they:
- Preserve land for other uses. - Naturally help purify nutrient-polluted waters. Surpassing Traditional Projects
However, most floating renewable energy projects focus on a single function, such as electricity generation or water treatment. In contrast, Novasis offers a different model:
- Integrating multiple systems including solar energy, wave energy, algae cultivation, and fresh water production. - Providing a comprehensive platform that combines environmental sustainability with practical viability. Greater Flexibility and Benefits
Thanks to this integrative approach, the platform is more flexible and beneficial compared to conventional projects, capable of meeting multiple environmental and economic goals simultaneously, while offering a practical model for marine sustainability.
Detailed view of the Novasis unit's upper deck, including integrated transport and energy systems. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
Ambition in the Face of Environmental Reality
Some critics might consider this concept overly ambitious or even unrealistic, yet the current environmental reality makes such ambition necessary. Our oceans are experiencing alarming rates of warming, acidification, and biodiversity loss, while coastal cities face rising sea levels and freshwater scarcity. Confronted with these complex challenges, humanity needs solutions that are interconnected and as sophisticated as the problems themselves.
Novasis: A Practical Model for Ocean Interaction
The Novasis platform offers a practical model demonstrating how humans can contribute to ocean health rather than merely exploiting it. The project aims not only to reduce harm but to actively improve marine environments and restore ecological balance.
Modular Flexibility and Adaptation to Needs
One of the platform’s standout features is its modular design, allowing the system to be expanded or scaled down according to location and requirements:
- Small coastal communities can deploy a single unit. - Larger projects can link multiple platforms to form integrated floating networks.
In this way, the design provides practical flexibility and adaptability instead of imposing a one-size-fits-all approach, making the system applicable in diverse contexts.
Solar-powered Novasis units utilizing ocean space for clean energy production. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
The Future and Feasibility
The question remains: how far can the Novasis project go? Will we see a working prototype in the next few years? And will governments and investors recognize the immense potential of this type of marine innovation?
Design Between Beauty and Revolution
So far, Novasis stands as proof that design can combine beauty, functional revolution, and sustainability all at once. It demonstrates how infrastructure can be built to enhance environmental health rather than harm it, offering a practical model for complex and sustainable solutions.
Hope and Practical Solutions
In a world facing escalating environmental challenges, the project provides a genuine signal of hope. It shows that architectural innovation and sustainable design are not just distant future concepts, they can have tangible, practical impacts on the environment and coastal communities.
A cluster of Novasis floating units designed for marine sustainability, showcasing their modular distribution. (Courtesy of Novasis Design Team)
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
The Novasis project can be viewed as an innovative model that integrates architecture with marine sustainability, while offering practical solutions to complex environmental challenges, such as renewable energy generation, water desalination, and algae cultivation. On the positive side, the project encourages a rethinking of floating platform design in an independent and integrated manner, and it can serve as inspiration for future initiatives aiming to combine environmental stewardship with architecture in a practical way.
However, several reservations warrant attention: relying on complex systems in a marine environment may face real technical and operational challenges, particularly regarding maintenance, resilience to harsh weather conditions, and the cost of implementing integrated systems at scale. Additionally, modular expansion requires careful consideration of the local context, as coastal communities may vary in their capacity to accommodate floating units or interconnected networks, limiting the direct generalizability of the model.
From an architectural perspective, the project raises important questions about the interaction between design and environmental adaptation, and how architecture can support ecosystems rather than merely fulfilling traditional functions. Novasis can be utilized as a case study for sustainable design in marine environments, highlighting the necessity of balancing ambition with realism to ensure practical applicability and long-term sustainability.
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