Designer Adam D. Tihany has created a new look for Italian cruise ship company Costa Smeralda, and his latest project for the brand includes a museum of Italian design aboard a ship. And while we might not find ourselves aboard a cruise ship in the very near future, we can dream of our next trip with a side of design.
Tihany and his team worked closely with the Italian company as well as with a series of international designers such as David Rockwell and Rodolfo Dordoni, to bring the theme of ‘Italy’s Finest’ to life. The team selected furniture from Italian manufacturers from Poltrona Frau to Flos and Kartell, to enhance what Tihany calls the ‘Made in Italy sensibility’ of each space aboard the ship.
The design museum's displays include icons of Italian design from Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass and Marco Zanuso, among others
Alongside the sophisticated interiors, the ships will feature the museum displays, celebrating iconic italian design. The displays feature legendary items from Italian design history, from fashion and furniture to film and transportation, with featured brands including Paola Lenti, Molteni, Moroso, Cassina, Emu, TechnoGym and more. ‘The CoDe collection is intended as a tribute to the history of Italian-made excellence, celebrating the ongoing global influence of Italian creativity. The museum exemplifies the ship’s theme, Italy’s finest, showing guests some of the most iconic moments in Italian design history,’ reads a Costa Smeralda statement.
Italian architect Matteo Vercelloni, former Professor of History of Design at Milan’s Politecnico, is curating the displays, devising a space that is an interactive ‘walkthrough’ installation to captivate visitors.
An example of Tihany’s sleek, futuristic set for the design museum aboard the Costa Smeralda cruise ship
‘Unlike any other passageway onboard, the museum’s highly contemporary stainless steel portal meets the unique design challenges of the space with a series of arches lit from the inside,’ commented Tihany. ‘As the rings of the tunnel separate, guests can veer off the pathway to explore the exhibition spaces to the right and left of the arches. Whether just passing through or lingering over the collection, the CoDe will enrich the guest experience by celebrating Italy’s Finest in design.’
INFORMATION
-
Tuneshine is a new way of bringing back the lost art of the album coverThe compact Tuneshine screen uses LED tech to illuminate the artwork of whatever you’re currently streaming
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for danceJacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
What to see at Rencontres d’Arles 2025, questioning power structures in the state and familySuppressed memories resurface in sharply considered photography at Rencontres d'Arles 2025. Here are some standout photographers to see
-
This 18th-century Puglian villa has been restored with contemporary touchesThe updated stonemason's workshop is a haven of centuries-old brick and sophisticated made-in-Italy design
-
Inspired by a goddess, Turri’s ‘Vesta’ furniture is just heavenlyDesigner Francesca Lanzavecchia brings her signature poetic touch to the new furniture collection, marking Italian company Turri’s centenary
-
Tour the Italian ambassador’s redesigned London apartmentNick Vinson is behind the dazzling overhaul of this ambassador’s apartment, a happy marriage of past and present, and a celebration of Italy’s rich design legacy
-
This collection of slow furniture is a powerful ode to timeA serene exhibition of David Dolcini's 'Time-made' collection has fast-tracked its place into our hearts and homes
-
Vipp Palazzo pop-up hotel opens inside Brescia’s historical Palazzo MontiScandi minimalism meets Baroque maximalism in Vipp Palazzo, a pop-up hotel by the Danish brand in the heart of Brescia
-
B&B Italia celebrates 15 years of outdoor furnitureFrom a woven design by Patricia Urquiola to an aeroplane-inspired collection by Piero Lissoni: we look back on exceptional B&B Italia outdoor furniture
-
Munch Museum’s furniture is inspired by the artist’s coloursSustainability-focused Norwegian furniture company Vestre has created furniture designed by Andreas Engesvik and Jonas Stokke for the new Munch Museum in Oslo
-
Molteni Museum opens in Ron Gilad’s glass cubeRon Gilad brings fresh perspective to the Molteni Museum’s Glass Cube in Giussano. Former Wallpaper* Milan editor and current Triennale Design Museum director Marco Sammicheli spoke to Ron Gilad and Giulia Molteni for our Summer 2020 issue to find out about the museum’s plans
