The SeaOrbiter

French architect and ocean enthusiast Jacques Rougerie has designed the world's first vertical ocean ship called the SeaOrbiter. 

The 167 foot tall vessel, which is solely powered by the winds and currents, will allow 18 crewmembers to spend up to six months in the ocean without returning to port.  This would allow oceanographers to study the ocean in a different way.  Further, Rougerie envisions astronauts using the SeaOrbiter for training.

The $43 million construction project is expected to begin in September and should set sail by 2012.

Source: PM Network April 2010

A TV outside your hotel room

Abu Dhabi is home to the Yas Hotel, the first new hotel to be built over a Formula 1 racetrack. The hotel, designed by New York's Asymptote Architecture, consists of two 12-stories of 449 guest rooms and oversees the racetrack and marina.

However, that is not the only thing that makes this hotel amazing. Over the hotel hangs the world's largest LED structure capable of playing low resolution video. Resembling a local fisherman's net, the gridshell structure consists of 5,389 pivoting diamond-shaped panes.

Source: PM Network, March 2010 and wikipedia.org

Imagine Vacationing in Space

Galactic Suite Ltd. of Barcelona are taking reservations for their first hotel in space.

The $3 billion project, conceived by a former aerospace engineer, is hoping to welcome their first guests in 2012. A three day stay is said to cost approximately $4 million per customer.

The guest pod will said to orbit 280 miles above the earth and travel approximately 18,651 miles per hour.

Reference: PM Network, January 2010.