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Symbio Explorer Даследчае судна by Guo Qian

Symbio Explorer Даследчае судна by Guo Qian is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Жалезная прэмія A' Design Award in Дызайн яхт і марскіх суднаў Competition Category.


ЖалезаЯхта· 2026

Symbio Explorer Даследчае судна

by Guo Qian

Client: Southern Marine Science And Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai)

Жалезная прэмія A' Design Award Winner in Яхта Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Symbio Explorer Даследчае судна

SymBio Explorer — гэта аўтаномнае даследчае судна, распрацаванае для палярных навуковых экспедыцый. Судна выконвае ролю мацярынскага карабля для паветраных, надводных і падводных дронавых сістэм і можа кіравацца дыстанцыйна. Бесперапынныя арганічныя крывыя праходзяць ад носа да кармы, надаючы корпусу біямарфічную форму без жорсткіх вуглоў. Працоўнае абсталяванне, такое як пад'ёмнікі А-вобразнай рамы, візуальна ўбудавана ў корпус, каб захаваць цэласнасць сілуэта. Левы борт палубы служыць для запуску дронаў, а правы борт выкарыстоўваецца для іх вяртання. Даўжыня судна складае 88,5 метра, шырыня — 14 метраў, а рухальная ўстаноўка цалкам электрычная.

The Recognition

About the Жалезная прэмія A' Design Award

Symbio Explorer Даследчае судна — пераможца Жалезнай прэміі A' Design Award, прэстыжнага прызнання, якое прысуджаецца добрым дызайнам, што адпавядаюць прафесійным і прамысловым патрабаванням, чаканым ад добра распрацаваных твораў. Жалезныя пераможцы дэманструюць вялікае майстэрства, высокую спецыялізацыю, экспертнае разуменне і творчыя здольнасці сваіх стваральнікаў. Чакаецца, што Symbio Explorer Даследчае судна — гэта высока цэнены, захапляльны і любімы твор, практычны і інавацыйны. Гэты дызайн, што атрымаў Жалезную прэмію A' Design Award, інтэгруе лепшыя галіновыя практыкі і мае кампетэнтныя тэхнічныя характарыстыкі, звязаныя з ноу-хау і талентам. Symbio Explorer Даследчае судна паважаецца за грунтоўнасць і прызначаны даваць паляпшэнні якасці жыцця, што дапамагаюць зрабіць свет лепшым месцам.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
Conventional research vessels follow engineering logic with industrial forms. This design challenges the fixed opinion by conceiving mothership as an entirely new species, a futuristic artificial-marine organism", a mysterious intelligent entity. It is neither a cold exploration instruments nor a larger whale, but a new aesthetics object, which emphasize a new ethics of species interaction, ecological balance and sustainable coexistence. It can achieve polar scientific expedition. The Design enhance visual ruggedness and embody the spirit of exploration.
Dimensions & Packaging
Designed Displacement 2100 tons; Length 88.5 meters; Width 14.0 meters; Depth 6.1 meters; Maximum speed 18 knots; Economic speed 13 knots; Fully Electric Propulsion ;Autonomous Navigation and Remote Control;
Tags
i-ship , Symbiosis, Biology, artificial-marine organism, Intelligence
Production Technology
The design employs continuous organic curves throughout form and detail. From bow to stern, from bridge to drone deck, the fluidity of these curves achieves formal closure while integrating functional requirements into a unified biomorphic envelope. This approach eliminates fragmented lines and rigid orthogonal geometries typical of modernist industrial design. Through the comprehensive application of form, material, and color, operational equipment such as A-frame hoists are visually absorbed into the hull, reducing their perceptual prominence and reinforcing the continuity of the overall silhouette.
Design Challenge
The overall spatial layout is the key to ship design. Engineers are mainly responsible for organizing functional relationships and improving the efficiency of equipment and pipeline layout and placement. Designers consider the skeletal proportions and overall appearance of the appearance, as well as the humanized content such as the behavior and experience, perception and comfort of scientists and crew members. The challenge of the project lies in the communication, collaboration, debate, and compromise between designers and engineers.
Research
The form research by two steps, named "reverse engineering". Firstly, polyurethane foam and oil sludge are used as materials, and the model is manually made at a scale of 1:100. Then, the solid model is taken as the object, and key point sets are collected by laser, and then imported into the 3D software (Rhino 7.0 version) for parametric design modification.
Inspiration
SymBio Explorer imagines the research vessel as a new species, proposes an "artificial-marine organism" between machine and living creature. The biomorphic silhouette externalizes its identity as an intelligent unmanned system mothership. Merging "Symbiosis" and "Biology," it embodies a new ecological ethics: the ocean is not a resource to exploit, but an entity coexisting with humanity.
Project Duration
The project started in June 2024 in Guangzhou and finished in May 2025 in Beijing.
Operation Flow
The SymBio Explorer is an autonomous, remotely-operable research vessel serving as a coordinated mothership for aerial, surface, and underwater drone systems. Certified with i-ship (No, R1, M, I) intelligent notation, it achieves autonomous navigation in open waters, assisted berthing, remote monitoring, equipment diagnostics, and predictive analysis. The port deck serves as UAV launch platform while starboard accommodates recovery; stern-mounted systems deploy surface craft and submersibles.
Image Credits
Image #1: Modeling and Rendering, Mothership, Zhou Rui, Li Tianyu;
Image #2: Modeling and Rendering, silhouette, Zhou Rui, Li Tianyu;
Image #3: Modeling and Rendering, iceberg, Zhou Rui, Li Tianyu;
Image #4: Modeling and Rendering, 45 degree, Zhou Rui, Li Tianyu;
Image #5: Modeling and Rendering, close up, Zhou Rui, Li Tianyu;

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