Gold Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design · 2020
CoDe Italian Design Museum
by Tihany Design and Matteo Vercelloni
- A' Design Award 2020 Gold Winner in Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Tihany Design; Matteo Vercelloni
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 49,238
- Verification code 58E333478E · Verify this award
About CoDe Italian Design Museum
CoDe is a design museum located on board a cruise ship. The museum presents 470 exhibits of Italian design from the 1930s to the present, including furnishings, fashion items and everyday objects. CoDe covers 400 square meters in a high traffic area between two entertainment venues. The layout is built around a walking path portal formed by a series of stainless steel arches lit from the inside. Guests can cross the space as a corridor or step aside to view the displays on each side, which encourages repeated visits.
Drawing upon the rich legacy of twentieth-century exhibition design and the theatrical spatial traditions that have shaped how audiences encounter cultural artifacts, this installation within Adam D. Tihany and Matteo Vercelloni's CoDe Italian Design Museum demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of architecture as experiential narrative; the repeated parabolic arch motif, executed in precision-finished steel with integrated illumination, transforms what might otherwise function as simple circulation infrastructure into a compelling processional experience that prepares visitors psychologically for engagement with the displayed objects; the chromatic decision to ground this cool metallic superstructure upon a field of saturated crimson establishes immediate warmth and gravitas, the carpet's abstracted pattern incorporating design iconography that subtly reinforces thematic content without overwhelming the spatial experience; technically, the installation achieves remarkable visual clarity through the strategic alignment of structural elements with sightlines, the convergence of arches drawing attention naturally toward display zones while the flanking interactive kiosks invite pause and contemplation; the lighting design merits particular attention, with linear sources following each arch segment to create an almost biomorphic luminosity suggesting perhaps a technological interpretation of natural forms, the ribbing of leaves or the segmentation of marine creatures; one might observe how the space functions simultaneously as threshold, journey, and destination, collapsing traditional museum hierarchies between connective tissue and exhibition gallery; the reflective chrome pedestals supporting angled display screens create visual echoes throughout, multiplying the warm carpet tones and establishing rhythmic punctuation along the processional axis; visitors encountering this environment are invited to consider how space itself communicates values—here, values of innovation, craft excellence, and the synthesis of form and function that characterizes design practice at its most accomplished.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- As the first design museum on a cruise ship, CoDe showcases the broad and renowned creative Italian talents that transformed the world with innovation, design and style. The collection's 470 exhibits connect to the history of Made in Italy, making these design objects true points of reference for Italy's global influence from the 1930s to the present. CoDe's highly contemporary stainless steel portal meets the challenges of the high traffic space with a series of arches lit from the inside. As the rings of the tunnel separate, guests can veer off the pathway to explore the exhibits.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 400 sq/m
- Tags
- Museum, Italy, Italian, Cruise, Ship, Costa, Design Museum, Costa Smeralda, Culture
- Production Technology
- CoDe is located in a high traffic area onboard Costa Smeralda, along the pathway between two major entertainment venues. In order to allow for flow of movement in this space, the museum was designed around a walking path portal made up of a series of stainless steel arches. Guests have the freedom to move through the museum as a corridor space as well as the invitation to discover the various displays by veering off into the exhibits on each side of the portal. This design encourages guests to return to the museum many times throughout their trip, discovering more of the CoDe collection of iconic Italian design and culture at each visit.
- Design Challenge
- CoDe aims to present through a selection of artifacts, most of which are still produced today, the vitality of objects and furnishings that remain the classics of Italian design from the 1930s to the present. The museum is a multifaceted self-portrait of Italy over time, an intricate mosaic made up of many stories.
- Project Duration
- CoDe was introduced December 2019 onboard the new cruise ship, Costa Smeralda, as a permanent feature of the ship.
- Operation Flow
- The cruise guest is part of what we refer to as a 'captive audience,' because they are fully engaged with ship activities during the time spent at sea. CoDe is an innovative and high design concept that provides Costa Smeralda guests with a meaningful and fun cultural experience- and one they can continue to interact with and learn from during the duration of their time onboard.
- Research
- Curator Matteo Vercelloni contributed his expertise in Italian architecture and design as well as extensive research on Italian design from the 1930s to the present. The CoDe collection of 470 exhibits was meticulously researched and selected for its storyline and representation of iconic Italian design, its global impact and its connection to the ship's theme Italy's Finest. Designer Adam Tihany served as Creative Director of Costa Smeralda, creating the theme Italy's Finest and the overall interior vision of the ship. CoDe is the only space onboard that he designed directly.
- Inspiration
- CoDe, or Costa Design Museum, was conceived as a unique and unifying feature of the new cruise ship, Costa Smeralda. Just as every major international city has a proud display of cultural heritage in its museums, CoDe was created to serve as the metropolitan epicenter of ship and a concentrated summary of the ship's theme, Italy's Finest. CoDe crowns the 3,300-cabin ship with a direct celebration of modern Italian design, from fashion and film to transportation and household objects. CoDe's interactive and engaging experience invites guest to step into the Bel Paese through the most iconic Italian designs.
- Image Credits
- Image #1 Photographer Andrea Martiradonna, Curator Matteo Vercelloni, Designer Adam D. Tihany, CoDe Portal, 2019
Image #2 Photographer Andrea Martiradonna, Curator Matteo Vercelloni, Designer Adam D. Tihany, Transportation Exhibit, 2019
Image #3 Photographer Andrea Martiradonna, Curator Matteo Vercelloni, Designer Adam D. Tihany, Iconic Italian Design Exhibit, 2019
Image #4 Photographer Andrea Martiradonna, Curator Matteo Vercelloni, Designer Adam D. Tihany, Memorabilia, 2019
Image #5 Photographer Andrea Martiradonna, Curator Matteo Vercelloni, Designer Adam D. Tihany, Furniture Design Exhibit, 2019
Colors of CoDe Italian Design Museum
Get CoDe Italian Design Museum
Design Interview about CoDe Italian Design Museum
In a few words- Italian pride. Since its inception, Costa Crociere has come to represent Italian travel, and thus a piece of Italian identity shared with the world. Anchored by the theme ‘Italy’s Finest,’ Costa Smeralda is a 6,600 passenger celebration of Italian spirit and creativity designed in part to re-ignite a sense of national pride at home in Italy and from a global perspective.
Just as every major international city has proud displays of cultural heritage, CoDe was created to serve as the metropolitan epicenter of the cruise ship Costa Smeralda; the concentrated summary of the ship’s theme. I wanted to crown Italy’s Finest with a direct celebration of modern Italian design, from fashion and film to transportation and household objects. Expertly curated by known Italian scholar Matteo Vercelloni, the museum is interactive and engaging, inviting guests to step into Bel Paese through the most iconic design of Italy. As Creative Director of Costa Smeralda, CoDe is the only space onboard that I designed directly. - Adam D. Tihany
Just as every major international city has proud displays of cultural heritage, CoDe was created to serve as the metropolitan epicenter of the cruise ship Costa Smeralda; the concentrated summary of the ship’s theme. I wanted to crown Italy’s Finest with a direct celebration of modern Italian design, from fashion and film to transportation and household objects. Expertly curated by known Italian scholar Matteo Vercelloni, the museum is interactive and engaging, inviting guests to step into Bel Paese through the most iconic design of Italy. As Creative Director of Costa Smeralda, CoDe is the only space onboard that I designed directly. - Adam D. Tihany
The vision was to create an interactive, cultural and educational space onboard targeted to the ship’s wide audience. Costa clientele are primarily Italian nationals and travelers from Greater Europe; families, couples and solo adventurers. The museum itself is an exciting and engaging space that appeals to everyone. - Adam D. Tihany
As the very first design museum on a cruise ship, CoDe is truly one-of-a-kind. Unlike museums on land, visitors can return to the exhibits every day – even multiple times a day- during their cruise. The ship and museum feature products and furniture from some of the most notable Italian manufactures including Kartell, Poltrona Frau, Alessi and Flos, infusing an authentic ‘Made in Italy; sensibility to each space onboard. - Adam D. Tihany
The name CoDe, Costa Design Collection, takes inspiration from the major international contemporary museums. - Adam D. Tihany
The museum is located between two popular entertainment and dining venues onboard, making CoDe both a captivating destination as well as an interactive ‘pass through’ attraction, encouraging guests to visit the museum multiple times during their cruise. Unlike any other passageway onboard, the museum’s highly contemporary stainless steel portal meets the unique design challenges of the high traffic space with a series of arches lit from the inside. 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. - Adam D. Tihany
CoDe offers Costa Smeralda guests with a cultural, educational and entertaining experience while traveling. Truly a labor of love, the museum aims to tell a 'history made of many stories' and celebrate generations of Italian talent and passion for design, craft and creation. As the first design museum at sea, it opens the door for much more cultural and design focus in the future of the cruise industry. - Adam D. Tihany