At the request of VeniSIA, part of Venezia Capitale Mondiale della Sostenibilità, Philippe Starck creates a symbol, the “Dream of Winter Gondola”. VeniSIA is the corporate accelerator devoted to the development of business ideas and technology solutions to face climate changes and other environmental challenges.
The 3D image will be part of the collection of the Ca’ Foscari University, where thousands of students will be able to study and enjoy it. The creator, who considers himself as a stable citizen of Burano, since 50 years, has been invited by Marco Balich, member of VeniSIA who is supporting the creativity actions and strategies for the innovation, to be the first of the many international creative personalities and talents to participate to VeniSIA.
Philippe Starck
Philippe Starck has created a symbol that merges the identity of Italian beauty and heritage with his talent to deliver a message internationally resonant. “I have a lot of admiration and respect for the gondola, one of the most complex boats in the world as its design is completely asymmetric but nevertheless its weight is perfectly balanced and can go straight even in the hardest conditions. It’s magic, it’s pure magic. That’s why it’s a great honour for me to dream about a gondola and especially, a winter gondola with a small room in the centre.
That’s why what I show you today don’t try to be realistic, it’s just a dream. The technical specs of the gondola I have thought about are interesting: durable hi-tech materials and technology (seaweed bio resins, compressed bamboo, gyroscopic stabilizer powered by solar energy, electric assistance with a mini electric turbine powered by solar energy and hydro-generator, etc.)” explains the creator Philippe Starck.
Image © Philippe Starck
“As Venetian, I’m really happy to support this very valuable project. Creativity has a fundamental role in it and it’s fantastic to have a worldwide renowned star of design such as Philippe Starck, so in love with Venice, to be involved in making a strong statement that takes inspiration from the most famous icon of Venice, the gondola, and puts together Italian traditions with a concept able to speak to all generations about the importance of sustainability in such a fragile context as it is this city” tells Marco Balich.
The ‘Dream of Winter gondola for Venice by Philippe Starck’ sketch will be exhibited at the HUB of Strategy Innovation of Ca’ Foscari. Source and images Courtesy of Marco Balich.