Solar-Powered Floating Island is an Off-Shore Green Retreat

What could be a better eco retreat than drifting along the coastline in your own self-sustaining floating resort? Designed by <a href="http://www.mpd-designs.com/">Michele Puzzolante</a>, this aquatic escape is a waterworld-esque floating island that offers a slice of the good life - even as the world's receding shorelines become cluttered with hotels. The Solar Floating Resort (SFR) sleeps six and sports an underwater observation room, a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-last-resort-a-solar-powered-floating-home/">photovoltaic thin-film skin</a>, and an on-deck Jacuzzi.

OK, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/submarine-house/">we've seen concepts like this</a> for years now - <a href="http://inhabitat.com/amphibious-1000/">round floating retreats</a> complete with a transparent room in the belly to see all the fish swim by.

The idea is certainly appealing considering the fact that the world's rising oceans make on-shore resorts a bit tenuous.

Puzzolante takes the issue of raising oceans more seriously with his interpretation, as the SFR is a fully <a href="http://inhabitat.com/turanor-planetsolar-solar-boat-completes-its-trip-around-the-world/">self-supporting design</a>.

The ship features a thin film solar skin applied to a lightweight balsa-reinforced fiberglass hull.

The round shape of the vessel provides constant exposure to the sun, feeding batteries during daylight hours to supply clean energy through the night.

The interior skin is also layered in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye-sensitized_solar_cell">dye-sensitized thin-film PV</a> to absorb artificial light at night, creating a 30mm <a href="http://inhabitat.com/guardian-develops-hyper-insulating-vacuum-glass/">vacuum</a> with the outer layer.

While original, this setup is both extraordinarily expensive and impractical - but hey we’re on vacation.

The 110 square meter deck provides plenty of room for private amenities for six guests.

The interior is cleverly laid out to provide both quiet niches and grand views. For instance, the attached baths have a space-saving water closet hanging off the tub.

The core of the space is a large kitchen and bar, with a center spiral staircase leading down to the observation bulb.

The lowest room lets guests indulge in a bit of extreme underwater tourism.