winter gondola design by philippe starck to serve as the new symbol for venice

philippe starck unveils a new symbol for the city of Venice

philippe starck was invited by marco balich (the creator of the tree of life at expo 2015 and of most olympic ceremonies) to come up with a new symbol for veniSIA, a venice-based corporate accelerator dedicated to the development of business ideas and technological solutions capable of facing climate change and various environmental challenges. starting from one of the most representative icons of the city, the french designer unveils the ‘dream of winter gondola‘,  that blends the identity of italian beauty and heritage with his talent to convey a message of worldwide resonance. the 3D image of the new gondola design will be exhibited at ca ‘foscari’s strategy innovation hub, where thousands of students will be able to study and appreciate it.

the ‘dream of winter gondola’

all images courtesy of philippe starck

the magic of the gondola 

‘I have a lot of admiration and respect for the gondola, one of the most complex boats in the world with its completely asymmetrical design but which nevertheless perfectly balances its weight and can navigate easily even in the most difficult conditions. (…) it’s pure magic,’ philippe starck mentions. ‘for this is a great honor for me to imagine a dream gondola and, above all, a winter gondola with a small room in the center. that’s why what I show today does not try to be realistic but is just a dream,’ the french creative adds. 

the characteristics of the new gondola by philippe starck found make for a durable structure with integrated hi-tech features (algae bioresins, compressed bamboo, solar-powered gyro stabilizer, electric assistance with mini solar-powered electric turbine and hydrogenerator, etc.)

technical specifications of the gondola design

project info:

name: dream of winter gondola
designer: philippe starck