Fèrre Iòt · 2026
Symbio Explorer Vaissèl de Recèrca
by Guo Qian
- A' Design Award de Fèrre 2026 in Iòt
- CLIENT: Southern Marine Science And Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai)
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 7,252
- Verification code 1B68E77474 · Verify this award
Colors
About Symbio Explorer Vaissèl de Recèrca
SymBio Explorer es un vaissèl de recèrca autonòm concebut per las expedicions scientificas polaras. Lo vaissèl servís de nau maire per de sistèmas de drònes aerians, de susfàcia e sosaquatics, e pòt èsser pilotat a distància. De corbas organicas contunhas van de la proa a la popa, e balhan a la còca una forma biomorfica sens cantons rigids. L'equipament de trabalh, coma los aparelhs de levada en A, es visualament integrat dins la còca per gardar una silueta unificada. Lo pont de babòrd servís al lançament dels drònes, mentre que lo costat d'estribòrd es utilizat per la recuperacion. Lo vaissèl fa 88,5 mètres de long e 14 mètres de larg, e emplega una propulsion entièrament electrica.
About the A' Design Award de Fèrre
Symbio Explorer Vaissèl de Recèrca a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Fèrre, una reconeissença prestigiosa acordada a de bons designs que respondon a las exigéncias professionalas e industrialas esperadas de creacions plan concebudas. Los ganhaires del Fèrre demòstran una granda abilitat, una nauta especializacion, una comprenedura d'expèrt e la capacitat creativa de lors creators. S'espèra que Symbio Explorer Vaissèl de Recèrca siá una creacion fòrça considerada, admirada e estimada, practica e innovanta. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Fèrre integra las melhoras practicas del sector e a de caracteristicas tecnicas competentas ligadas a un saber-far e a un talent. Per son rigor, Symbio Explorer Vaissèl de Recèrca merita lo respècte e es destinat a aportar de melhoraments a la qualitat de la vida que ajudan a far del mond un luòc melhor.
Press Kit
- 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;
