Palo Alto, CA. - Feb. 2nd, 2009 - The Seasteading Institute Announces Architectural Design Contest for Seasteads

The Seasteading Institute announced an open contest today which gives architects, engineers, students and hobbyists the opportunity to design the seastead of their dreams. Participants will compete for $2000 in prizes by creating 3-D models of working seasteads. Seasteads are permanent, stationary structures specifically designed for the purpose of long-term living in the marine environment.

Entrants into the contest will be provided with a 3-D model of TSI's patent-pending base seasteading platform, on which they will build creative architectural designs for a new society of ocean pioneers. The specifics of the design, its look and intended use are entirely up to each contest participant. The contest will run from February 1st to May 1st, at the end of which all entries will be judged by the public and a panel of judges.

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

• $1,000 Grand Prize to the best overall design.
• $250 Prize for Aesthetic Design to the model that is the most visually appealing and enticing.
• $250 Prize for Personality to the design that creates the best sense of human influence or presence (people walking, smoke coming out of a chimney, a colorful sign in front of a business, etc.)
• $250 Prize for Best Picture to the best-looking still image of a seastead model.
• $250 Prize for Community Choice will go to the design that garners the most votes in a public poll.

The goal of the contest is to provide the public with a vision of the future of seasteading. "The idea of seasteading offers hope for a better way of life on the oceans, our birthplace. But words alone are not enough to light our minds on fire. This contest offers designers a chance to make these ideas real - to inspire us with their vision of how seasteaders can make a home on the next frontier," says TSI Executive Director Patri Friedman.

Full rules for the contest can be found here: http://seasteading.org/interact/design-contest

Inquiries about the contest should be directed to contests@seasteading.org.

For more information, see the Institute's website, www.seasteading.org.

Contact:
The Seasteading Institute

Press Inquiries:
press@seasteading.org
http://seasteading.org/learn-more/press

General Inquiries:
info@seasteading.org
http://www.seasteading.org/

About TSI: The Seasteading Institute is a California nonprofit corporation that is in the process of applying for recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. TSI's mission is to establish permanent, autonomous ocean communities to enable experimentation and innovation with diverse social, political, and legal systems.