First comes the concept, followed by functionality. Guided by these two principles, my initial idea was a space station—China’s space station is currently a global hot topic. How could I create a modern spatial experience? At the same time, its clean, minimalist form makes it easy to maintain and reduces surface biofilm buildup in fish tanks, so I decided to pursue this direction.

        The design should be distinctive yet simple, offering a compact but fully functional interior that provides multi-level habitat for the fish. To achieve this, I designed four stump-like bases at the bottom, creating four staggered levels of space for the fish. A square column extends upward to the middle level, which serves to divide the tank into two distinct zones: the larger upper area is reserved for bigger fish, while the smaller lower area accommodates smaller ones. Of course, the fish can freely move between these zones at any time. This semi-enclosed layout enhances privacy without hindering their social interactions. The middle level draws inspiration from the shape of a lotus leaf, with three concentric layers of space arranged from inside to outside. Six columns of varying heights are placed at the base to provide hiding spots for the fish, and another six columns of different lengths are positioned on the middle level to further enhance privacy in the upper zone. In total, there are two large open spaces and four smaller enclosed areas. The central column extends all the way to the water surface, giving the entire structure the visual effect of floating in mid-air, supported solely by this central pillar and evoking a sense of weightlessness reminiscent of outer space. As for color, the upper half primarily uses transparent materials to maximize light refraction, accented with touches of red, while the lower half features green columns paired with desert-yellow bases, also punctuated by hints of red.
         Beyond the main aesthetic and functional aspects mentioned above, I also addressed a long-standing pain point: even with filtration and oxygenation systems, fish tanks still require cleaning every three to five months to remove leftover food and fish waste from the bottom. Decorative gravel greatly complicates this task; although most tanks have a drainage system, it can only effectively clean a very limited area around the drain, severely compromising water quality. Often, the decorations must be removed entirely just to thoroughly clean the tank—a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. To solve this problem, my design incorporates a vertical riser pipe within the central column and four horizontal pipes at the base, all interconnected. By manually or automatically injecting air through the top of the vertical pipe at varying pressures, a strong water flow is generated at the bottom, lifting sediment and debris off the substrate and facilitating complete removal from the tank, thereby maintaining optimal water quality. The bottom drainage system is designed with an eccentric flow pattern, creating a swirling current that enhances the overall mixing effect when combined with the bottom drain, resulting in even better performance.