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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 5

SUBVOYAGE 6
Underwater cruise experience

ANKORÉ 14
Provide refuge seekers
a safe passage

InterC 22
Start to explore the seas

CRUISING THE CULTURE 32

Provide seamless experience
between sea and land

MILLENIAL CRUISE 40
A ‘floating hostel’ experience

THINK OUTSIDE THE SHIP 48

A modular service architecture to
bring outside operators on board

LOTUS ISLAND - 水上蓮 58

Building neighborhoods on
the waterfronts of metropoli

VENHO 66
Born out of water
EERO MIETTINEN
Professor, Design and International
Product Development
Department of Design
Aalto University School of Arts,
Design and Architecture
eero.miettinen@aalto.fi
PEKKA MURTO
Postdoctoral researcher
Department of Design
Aalto University School of Arts,
Design and Architecture
pekka.murto@aalto.fi
4 5
INTRODUCTION
The year 2017 Product Architecture Design master
module was done in collaboration with the program
of Naval Architecture in Aalto University School of
Engineering and with Meyer Yards Turku.
As shipbuilding is once again booming in Finland and
the cruise & ferry business as well, the students were
briefed to explore and create new and alternative
concepts in the topic area. The brief was held as open
as possible and the time horizon spanned from today
to as far in to the future as possible. The negative and
positive sides of growing seafare and related tourism
were highlighted through lectures and excursions,
while a visit to Meyer Yards in Turku well showed the
scale of the business and the vessels of today.
Still, the students’ surprised the tutors and
collaborators with broad and socially and
environmentally responsible concepts. Product
architecture design was effectively applied to the
concepts, making them also feasible to realise in
business. Serious discussions were held around issues
like can refugee rescue vessels be included into the
realm of cruises as the volumes seem to be growing
year by year, or can retired cruise ships be utilised for
permanent floating suburbs, or can ships once again
be build out of wood.
We hope we have managed to open new directions of
thinking with our concept work and naturally hope to
continue the collaboration.
Thank you Jani Romanoff from the Naval Architecture
program, designers Sami Mäkinen, Hesamedin
Pakbeen and Anton Annala from Meyer Yards Turku
for your guidance and support, and thank you students
for interesting moments and great work!
 Underwater cruise experience
SUBVOYAGE

Jukka Jokinen
Heikki Konu
Janne Pärssinen

CONTEXT
In a world where cruising is
trivialized, adventurous people
are looking for more spectacular
experiences. Our planet has a
world of unexplored oceans.
Requisite technologies have been
there for decades, but underwater
experiences are yet to be
commercialised succesfully.

7
 CONCEPT
Subvoyage is the first of its kind
underwater cruise experience
which takes place on a semi-sub
cruise ship. It enables passengers
SUBVOYAGE
to experience worlds both above
and below the surface. Subvoyage
wants to expose the rarely seen
underwater world for everyone
from the curious people to sea
enthusiasts.
CRUISE EXPERIENCE
Up to 200 customers can enjoy
the underwater cruise with
exclusive comforts. Underwater
life can be sighted for the whole
duration of the cruise on the
mothership and with different
types of submersible vessels.
VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS
8 9
ACTIVITIES ON CRUISE
SUB DRONES
MINI SUB TOURS
DEEP SEA TOURS
UNDERWATER LOUNGE
RESTAURANTS
GARDEN BAR
SAUNA AND SPA
SCUBA DIVING POOL DEEP SEA TOURS take SUB DRONES are controlled
passengers to the deep sea inside remotely by the passengers
SUN DECK a submersible vessel which is themselves in an immersive first
equipped with high power lights person view. Exploring fascinating
INFINITY POOL and cameras. underwater locations is accessible
to everyone on the ship.
MINI SUBMARINES are steered UNDERWATER LOUNGE
by trained pilots and can hold up Located on the lower deck, the
to 10 passengers. These vessels lounge is the perfect spot to witness
depart from the cruise ship to the serene underwater view and relax
explore interesting objects near with refreshing beverages.
the seabed.
 A SUBVOYAGE CRUISE PLAN
During the cruise the ship stops at
interesting exploration locations.
SUBVOYAGE

7 DAY CRUISE

GARDEN DOME
The dome is made out of
transparent solar panels which
TOP GLASS LAYER
generate electricity for the needs
of the vessel.
Cosy garden with Iiving green
trees and plants, pools and
recreation grounds is covered
under the dome.

ENCAPSULANT FILM

PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL

ENCAPSULANT FILM

BACKSHEET

TRANSPARENT SOLAR CELLS

Pioneering solar cell technology
developed by Michigan State
University is utilized on the dome.

10 11
SUBVOYAGE

CRUISE DESTINATIONS
Underwater explorations are
possible in clear water seas all
over the globe. Passengers are
able to spot strikingly beautiful
aquatic life, depths of the sea and
lost shipwrecks.

SUN DECK Jukka Jokinen jukka.t.jokinen@aalto.fi

Upper deck is the most
convenient place to enjoy the Heikki Konu heikki.konu@aalto.fi
beautiful landscapes and hot
summer days. Janne Pärssinen janne.parssinen@aalto.fi

12
 ANKORÉ Currently, non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) lend human-
itarian aid to people at risk of dying
Provide refuge seekers at sea, tricked to take dangerous
routes in overcrowded vessels
a safe passage and rafts not suited to withstand
ANKORÉ

the long trip. These humanitarian

André Santos Eduardo Hernández missions have focused on providing
Jiyoung Son Katariina Kantola survival aid, based on alleviating
Manuel Rosales Shreya Kumar physiological needs as hunger,
dehydration and medical aid.

Ankoré aims at improving hu- the different stages of the rescue

In 2017 alone, over 100,000 interna-
tionally displaced people crossed
the sea route between Libya and
Italy, according to reports by
the International Organisation
for Migration. More than 22,500
have been reportedly died or
disappeared globally since 2014
while attempting to cross the
Mediterranean.
Sea routes represent an increasing
risk for displaced populations,
estimates by the World Econom-
ic Forum predict that by 2030 as
many as 1 billion people will have
been displaced due to climate
change, natural disasters, war and
violence.
manitarian aid at sea, by focusing
not only on the basic needs, but
also providing psychological relief
through a redesign of the human-
centered experience and empathetic
aspects of rescue missions. After
a careful analysis of the current
protocols and standards of rescue
mission operations on the Libya-
Italy route, we propose an upgrade
of the different systems of rescue
vessels, taking into consideration
the psychological impact on all
journey, improving psychological
conditions to provide a sense of
security and belongingness. The
following design concepts are the
result of this exercise.
As displacement problems increase
around the globe, so will the need
for services that provide humani-
tarian relief. This platform works as
a template and starting point for
upgrading and iterating on future
solutions for rescue at sea.

15
 PROJECT TITLE

17

ANKORÉ
THE RESCUE DOCKING STATION
The rescue docking station is
designed to improve security and
stabilize inflatable boats while
getting the refugees onboard.
If the boat is at risk of sinking,
the station has a net under the
boat that provides support. Also,
its structure limits the flow of the
people in order to keep order on
the boat. The docking station uses
the same interface connection of
the MacGregor G-Davit cranes to
be stored on the vessel.
18
THE MEDICAL ROOM
The medical room is designed to
reduce stress and make patients
feel at ease. Inspired by analogous
calm-friendly environments and
relaxing patterns, it is designed to
create an innovative, differentiated
and patient-centric experience.
The design of the medical facility
is focused on welcoming and
supporting patients through an
unique environment, easing the
levels of anxiety.
THE ROOM OF SILENCE
The room of silence offers a calm
space for people to grieve. Individuals
and families can find support
in each other and ease the pain
caused by the traumatic experiences
they have faced. The room provides
a setting for healing mental scars
and relieving future trauma.
THE SLEEPING AREA
The sleeping quarters are situated
on the deck of the vessel, under
the shelter structure. Two level bunk
beds are organized in compact rows
and fit almost 300 people com-
fortably. Curtains offer additional
privacy and personal space.
A more humane alternative to
sleeping on the floor.
THE EMERGENCY KIT
Rescued survivors receive an
Emergency Kit to alleviate needs
that arise from been adrift at sea.
The redesigned kit provides useful
tools for their journey once on land,
thus helping people maintain a
level of comfort in the subsequent
days. The kit includes a portable
and stackable water + food con-
tainer that stores dry and wet
servings in separate compartments,
and a spoon/fork. Included is also
a “poncho” that can be turned into
a sleeping blanket or stored in a
practical bag.
19
 GUIDEBOOK & GUIDEIMAGES
The rescued are given a Guide-
book, with their own languages,
and an educational session to
provide basic information for easy
settlement. Also, cultural facilita-
ANKORÉ

tors and volunteers can guide the

rescued with Guideimages that
contents are mainly composed of
images and easy words in case of
the illiterate.

INFORMATION SYSTEM
The clear signage in the ship
navigate intuitionally the rescued
the place where they want to go.
Each pictogram and line has it
own colour and pattern, showing
direction. Everyone can recognise
a destination though a big picto-
gram and color line surrounding a
door without difficulty.

THE GREY WATER WASHROOM recycled water which is the wa-

Washrooms on the Rescue ships
are portable. Due to several res-
cues in a day the water is not
used to its bare minimum and the
washrooms overflow with waste-
water due to over usage. The
washroom concept allows use of
ter used to wash hands, clothes
or body. This is then used for the
flushing system. The washroom
is designed in such a way where
the small space feels comfortable
and ambient through the play of
design and light.

André Santos andre.santos@aalto.fi

Eduardo Hernández eduardo.villalobos@aalto.fi

Jiyoung Son jiyoung.son@aalto.fi

Katariina Kantola katariina.kantola@aalto.fi

Manuel Rosales manuel.ramirez@aalto.fi

Shreya Kumar shreya.kumar@aalto.fi

20

InterC WHAT IS INTERC?
InterC is a comprehensive travel
Start to explore the seas booking service, in which with
one ticket it is possible to travel
with several cruisers to different
InterC
locations within global network of
Jaakko Ranne Mikko Siponen cruise lines and cruise companies.
Miika Lehtinen Jari Miranda The service does not only cover
Sebastian Högnabba Nils Körner the luxurious high-end cruises,
but also ferries and other types of
naval travelling. Intercruising with
InterC gives an unique perspective
to explore islands, coastlines and
harbour cities and allows the ca-
pacity of the cruise to be utilized
more comprehensively.
INTERCRUISING ALL AROUND
THE WORLD
InterC service includes different
areas around the globe where in-
tercruising is possible. For exam-
ple the Mediterranean, Caribbean,
South China Sea, Sea of Japan
and Baltic Sea are environments
that attracts different kinds of
people to attend cruises, wheth-
er they’re on holiday or travelling
because of other reasons. InterC
allows travelers to combine mul-
tiple cruises from different opera-
tors into one journey. In intercruis-
ing the destination, the route, the
operator and the combination of
different vessel types can be cus-
tomized to suit one’s needs.
BOOKING AND TRAVELLING
WITH THE INTERC APPLICATION
22
The travel application for using
the InterC service gives user the
opportunity to book one’s travels
and tailor the journey intuitively
with various filters. The journey
can be customized based on
destination, budget, vessel types,
traveler’s interests and the level
of cruises so different user needs
are fulfilled. In addition of using
the application’s booking mode,
the travels can be customized also
on the go with the travel mode.
Travel mode provides the freedom
of making decisions while travel-
ling instead of planning everything
beforehand.
UPGRADING THE TRAVELLING
EXPERIENCE
In order to improve the travel-
ling experience user can upgrade
one’s status regarding the cabin
on the cruise ship. The upgrad-
ing can be acquired with money
or personal cruising points that
are gathered by using the ser-
vice. Cruising points are used
in upgrading the cabin, getting
discount from the overall price
and also in purchasing services
onboard. Cruising points can be
acquired in relation to additional
cruise nights that are purchased
or how many different cruises
traveler chooses to include in
one’s journey. Cruising points are
valuable in the booking process
and collecting points works as
an incentive for the user to come
back to InterC time after time.
23
 WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE USER?
Intercruising provides users an ad-
venturous, flexible yet easy way of
travelling. The user can experience
a lot in a relatively short period of
InterC
time, and make every second of
their trip count.
EXPERIENCE A LOT IN A SHORT
TIME
Users can see many different
places, enjoy different types of
experiences, and if they so wish
become more established travel-
ers (check things off their list) in a
relatively short period of time. The
intercruising ticket is purchased in
advance and after that users can
go anywhere with the ticket in the
chosen area at anytime.
FROM FULL SPONTANEITY TO
AN ORGANIZED PRE-PLANNED
ADVENTURE – UP TO THE
TRAVELER
Users have the option to go on a
completely spontaneous adven-
ture, where the next leg of the
adventure is spontaneously decid-
ed when the previous one ends;
or they can pre-plan the whole
trip and book as many cruises,
dinners, courses and show tickets
as they wish in advance. The level
of spontaneity vs. pre-planning is
completely up to the traveler, and
can be modified during the trip.
24
MAKE EVERY SECOND COUNT
Cruise ships differ in one major
way from other means of travel
(busses, trains or planes). The ship
is enormous, which means that
passengers don’t have to sit still,
but can enjoy a variety of different
services. Intercruising allows the
user to make the most of the time
spent travelling between destina-
tions. In addition to current offer-
ings like sleeping, eating, drinking,
watching movies or riding water
slides, intercruising ships will offer
a variety of previously non-exist-
ing services - services that pre-
pare the users for the destination.
Services like e.g. basic language
courses, cultural education, his-
tory lessons or physical training
programs will allow travelers to
use the time on the cruise ship to
enhance their experience at the
destination.
25
 PRICING PACKAGES:
InterC
WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE
CRUISING COMPANIES?
Via InterC new potential custom-
er groups are introduced to the
cruise travelling. This means more
people on the ships and opens up
the possibility to partner with new
types of service providers.
MORE TRAVELERS = HIGHER
UTILIZATION OF CABINS AND
CONSUMING OF SERVICES
Cruise ships who are part of the
intercruising network have access
to a new pool of travelers and
can through them increase the
cabin utilizations on their ships.
Intercruisers are somewhat flexi-
ble in their travels, so cruise ships
can use them to fill up the boats,
thus having more passengers on
their cruises, and increasing their
revenue.
26
NEW TRAVELER GROUP = NEW
TYPES OF SERVICE PROVIDERS
Through getting access to this
new user group, cruising ships can
widen their service offerings to
include services that don’t appeal
to the current cruising popula-
tion. Since the new target group
includes travelers, for whom the
destination is more important than
the cruise, services that enhance
the experiences at the destination
can be included on the ships. This
opens up the opportunity for new
types of service providers, like lo-
cal-tour guides, culture / language
schools, personal training compa-
nies etc. These new services can
be offered in existing spaces, such
as a movie theaters or gyms; or
some kind of designated modular
experience space can be created
to offer different services accord-
ing to the passengers
27
 PLATFORM FLOW CHART OF
THE BOOKING MODE
InterC

28 29
 NEXT STEPS / FURTHER discounted tickets to ferries and
DEVELOPMENT cruises. As we gradually grow our
network of ferries and cruising
The main challenge in starting a lines, the infrastructure will grow
business based on a network is until it supports the intercruising
getting the first companies and concept.
InterC

users to join. When we picture the

final service it is easy to see the The application is developed to
value for both cruising companies support the prevailing state of
and users. The challenge, however the service, and will require many
is how do we get the first com- iterations. The prices as well as
panies and users on board, and the pricing model will change
grow the network until we reach throughout the service lifecycle.
the critical point from which the We see that there is a clear de-
growth is self-sufficient? mand for this type of service, and
the goal is to create a world-wide
We will start by approaching a system, that is the go-to service
few companies and offer them a for booking trips on the sea.
way to fill their vacant cabins. At
the same time we will market the
service to users as a way to get

InterC
A comprehensive ticket system for intercruising the seas

Explore seas, islands, harbour cities and coast

lines all around the world

Network of operators for travelling the seas

- all on one platform

Includes different kinds of vessels: cruise lines,

ferries, island hopping and river cruises
Jaakko Ranne jaakko.ranne@aalto.fi

Miika Lehtinen miika.lehtinen@aalto.fi

Intuitive and inclusive
booking application
Sebastian Högnabba sebastian.hognabba@aalto.fi
With flexible booking system, the journey can be
tailored on the go Mikko Siponen mikko.siponen@aalto.fi

Options to plan and customize

one’s travels in advance
Jari Miranda jari.miranda@aalto.fi

Nils Körner nils.körner@aalto.fi

30
 CRUISING THE CULTURE CURRENT SITUATION &
PROBLEMS
various tailored services and activ-
ities based on destinations, we aim
“Travelers want to forge deeper to have the cruisers enjoy more
CRUISING THE CULTURE

Provide seamless experience connections to the people, tradi- meaningful time on a ship with the
tions and customs of the places overall understanding of local cul-
between sea and land they are visiting, and these ex- tures and lifestyle.
periences add a meaningful and
Soyeon Park Vili Holopainen memorable component to a va- OUR DESIGN MISSION
Xinyue Du Yen-Tsen Liu cation”- Terry Dale, CEO, USTOA “Modularize The Cultural Themes”
Yuvin Ha Although Terry has pointed out the In order to fulfill the goal, we would
critical concern of the travelers, change the cultural themes quickly
all activities on the current cruise and efficiently with a modular ap-
ships are almost the same despite proach so that we can make the
different destinations. In addition, transitions very effectively as well
the regular laytime at ports is be- as economically.
tween 6 to 12 hours, which is not
enough to fully experience the cul-
ture of destinations.
There is a huge potential to en-
hance the experience regarding
this situation. According to the
cruise travel report conducted by ATMOSPHERE
Cruise Lines International Associ-
ation(CLIA), people who choose
cruise vacations want to have the

CHINA
JAPAN
opportunities to see and do new

KOREA
things. Besides, they tend to use
more onboard entertainment even
though they regard it less impor-
tant before cruising. Moreover,
the majority of cruisers are looking

TAIWAN

TAIWAN
KOREA
KOREA
forward to grasping some ideas for

CHINA
JAPAN
their later trips to the destinations.
ACTIVITIES FOOD
CONCEPT & VALUE
By providing the seamless expe-
rience between sea and land with

32
 KOREA
JAPAN
CHINA THE OUTLINE OF THE DESIGN is not related to the destinations.
PROPOSAL Moreover, it is perhaps no surprise
CRUISING THE CULTURE

Regarding the current condition of
TAIWAN
the ship, we found several things
to be improved. The restaurants
offer the fixed menus to their cus-
tomers during the entire period of
the trip. In addition, although there
are some learning activities de-
signed for the children, the content
QUANTUM OF THE SEAS
to see the solarium and the SPAs
because they just work as it is as-
sumed to be.
Based on the findings, the most
effective three areas are selected
for design suggestion as shown in
the proposed deck plan below, and
represented next pages.

PROPOSED DECK PLAN

DESIGN SCOPE: EAST ASIA & includes various spaces allowing
QUANTUM OF THE SEAS 16 decks to be accessible for the
passengers. It carries around 4000 DECK 16
By illustrating a design case in East
passengers with about 1500 crews
Asia, a rising market in the cruise
working on it. The ship opens the
industry, our core concept would
many possibilities of developing
be clearly demonstrated.
our initial concept. WELLNESS
SPORTS & MARTIAL ARTS
We choose the cruise ship, Quan-
Cruisers are expected to travel
tum of the Seas, which is the largest
around four countries, experienc- DECK 15
and the most popular cruise ship in
ing a wide range of cultural activi-
this region, and runs throughout a
ties on the sea as follows.
year.
As shown above, the cruise ship
WELLNESS
BEAUTY & THERAPY

DECK 14 FOOD
MARKET SQUARE

WELLNESS
POOL / HOT SPRING

CULTURE EXPLORE ENTERTAINMENT

DECK 5 IMMERSIVE ZONE TRADITIONAL
PERFORMANCE

ENTERTAINMENT SHORE CULTURE EXPLORE FOOD

TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE EXCURSION CULTURE PROMENADE LOCAL COUSINES

34 35
 CRUISING THE CULTURE
LOBBY AREA
CULTURE PROMENADE
DECK 5
The culture promenade is the road
on which travelers can feel the lo-
cal atmosphere surrounded by lo-
cal arts and events in various ways.
The road starts from the shore
excursion shop, the place where
cruisers are linked to the destina-
tions. The road leads people to the
elevator zone, interactive tunnel,
and lobby area in sequence.
Near the elevator, they can enjoy
the seasonal events such as sky
lantern displayed on the screens.
Next, under the interactive tunnel,
they appreciate traditional arts in
Elevator Display
DESIGN
PROPOSAL 1 IMMERSIVE ZONE
an interactive way. Then, in a lobby
area, they can admire local, mod-
ern installation arts while relaxing.
At the end of the road, people are
allowed to go further to immersive
zone.
Interactive Tunnel
CULTURE LOUNGE
DECK 5
DESIGN
PROPOSAL 2
The immersive zone consisting of
two major areas allows people to
learn and experience local cultures
in practice.
In the culture lounge, cruisers can
try local costumes and ritual activ-
ities like tea ceremony.
REST AREAS
The multi-use cells next to the cul-
ture lounge can be used for work-
shops such as traditional crafting
and as a rest space. The flexibility,
which is derived from simply pull-
ing up and down the roller, has the
spaces connected and divided.
WORKSHOP SPACE
Multi-use Cells Culture Lounge
CRUISING THE CULTURE

MARKET SQUARE (DAY / NIGHT)

MARKET SQUARE
DECK 14
The market square is the place
where cruisers can meet the local
food cultures throughout a day.
While staying at ports, food suppli-
ers get on board with local ingredi-
ents. They can easily open pop-up
restaurants by customizing food
modules provided by the cruise
ship company. The atmosphere
DESIGN
PROPOSAL 3
and type of food in the place are
changed between day and night.
In the daytime, people can have
various local street foods while en-
joying the local night culture dur-
ing the night.

Module C
Module B
Module A Soyeon Park soyeon.park@aalto.fi

Vili Holopainen vili.holopainen@aalto.fi

Xinyue Du xinyue.du@aalto.fi

Yen-Tsen Liu yen-tsen.liu@aalto.fi

FOOD MODULES DAY NIGHT
Yuvin Ha yuvin.ha@aalto.fi

38

MILLENIAL CRUISE INTRODUCTION
Based on our primary research
we found that millennials, a
A ‘floating hostel’ experience growing market with potential,
MILLENIAL CRUISE
have negative preconceptions
about cruising. Our aim was to
expand the market by creating
Anna-Sofia Juntunen Rahel Manurung an affordable cruise that delivers
Chiho Kojima Izzan Soedarsono a social, active and casual
Hou Lin Riikka Suominen atmosphere that is more attractive
to our target group of young
travellers.
We also found that millenials
prioritize experiences over
convenience, and enjoy
discovering new places and
meeting new people while
travelling. They are accustomed
to travelling with a backpack and
staying in hostels. Capsule hotels
are also becoming more common
as travellers are looking for easy
and affordable ways to stay
overnight. We took inspiration
from this current market to create
a new concept for cruising, with
an emphasis on socialising and
discovering new destinations.
Communal Space
CONCEPT
The ship’s new layout will
encourage passengers to spend
time away from their sleeping
quarters, and instead socialize
and enjoy activities together in
communal areas. Every passenger
has their own sleeping pod to rest
and have privacy if needed.
The concept could be taken
anywhere, but we believe would
be best situated in locations with
‘hidden gems’, places that are not
yet frequented by tourists. This
way we can combine the offering
of interesting, undiscovered
destinations with a ‘floating hostel’
in one package, designed to
attract the younger traveller.
The possibility for increased
capacity through use of sleeping
pods as well as reduced need for
services on board would ensure
affordability.
Sleeping Area
Reference cruise - Pacific Princess
www.cruisecritic.com/pacific-princess-deck-plans/dp/
41
MILLENIAL CRUISE
COMMUNAL SPACE
Based on our concept, we want to
change the existing structure of
the public facilities on cruise ships
to better match the needs of our
target group.
We created an open space that
would encourage socializing
and help build connections.
Rather than a traditional space of
separate floors or a grand lobby,
we created a space over several
open levels that feels like one
large, open area. This modification
creates a more open athmosphere
on the cruise.
SOCIAL EXPERIENCE
Multifunctional
In the open kitchen and dining
communal space
area passengers can prepare
their own meals and socialize.
Kitchen and dining area/
We’ve adapted this concept from
main communal space
the hostel travel trend, where
travellers often share a kitchen
and spend time together. This also
means the need for services and
staff on board is reduced, helping
to bring down costs.
The open levels are for casual
socializing, inviting people to
spend time with other passengers.
They are also multifunctional
spaces that can be adapted
to different activities, and
passengers can choose their
preferred activities, such as a
movie night.
We wanted to create a more cosy,
casual feel than on the ‘luxurious’
cruise ships on the market today,
as this idea of luxury often
doesn’t resonate with the millenial
traveller. Instead we offer spaces
with a relaxed, ‘living room’ feel.
43

MILLENIAL CRUISE
SLEEPING POD
The sleeping pod is a multifunc-
tional, private space for the pas-
senger. The main function is to
provide a space to rest and sleep.
The size of the pod was careful-
ly considered to provide enough
comfort for necessary activities,
but remain small enough to ena-
ble increased capacity, as well as
encourage passengers to spend
their time in communal areas.
We wanted to make the pods as
comfortable as possible as the
cruise lasts for several days, whilst
also utilising the restricted space
to maximum effect. The capsule
door provides soundproofing
and a sliding mechanism is used
44
Climbing | Handling luggage Browsing | Playing on computer
Make Up Sleeping
to facilitate opening the door
on the second level. The door
can be locked both inside and
outside to keep passengers and
their luggage safe. Inside of the
pod, the door surface is a mirror.
A locker for luggage is provided
at the foot of the bed and on the
wall there are clothing hooks, a
shelf and a folding table.
The pods are in groups of six and
on two levels, with a ladder going
up to the second level. Passengers
have common toilets and washing
facilities, with one bathroom per
four passengers. Men and women
have separate bathrooms, and
each bathroom has a toilet and a
shower.
45
MILLENIAL CRUISE

Anna-Sofia Juntunen anna-sofia.juntunen@aalto.fi

Chiho Kojima chiho.kojima@aalto.fi

Hou Lin lin.2.hou@aalto.fi

Rahel Manurung rahel.manurung@aalto.fi

Izzan Soedarsono izzan.soedarsono@aalto.fi

Riikka Suominen riikka.suominen@aalto.fi

46

THINK OUTSIDE THE SHIP
THINK OUTSIDE THE SHIP
A modular service architecture to
bring outside operators on board.
Annukka Svanda
Jaakko Raami
Cruises are all experience. Even
on the Baltic ferry lines − trans-
port services at their core − most
people buy the ticket not to travel
fast but to spend time with friends
and family. The experiences are
built by using the diverse services
on board, but cruise companies
are able to renew their service
offering very slowly.
The biggest competition for the
leisure cruises nowadays are not
airlines or malls, but the couches
at home, the streaming TV and
food delivery services. We want
to help in making the boats more
appealing by precipitating change
and bringing new, surprising
experiences on board. We take
the best, most unique and most
popular amenities from land and
outline a framework for real, sub-
stantial and seasonal variety in the
form of a modular service archi-
tecture for cruise ships.
48
Eeva Lehto
Niko Aho
PROPOSAL: RENEWING SER-
VICES
For the cruises to stand out and
be able to deliver unique expe-
riences year after year, a system
facilitating regular change should
be implemented. Making change
happen on the huge vessels is dif-
ficult, as a lot of the infrastructure
is built already at the dockyard
as immobile modules. Instead of
making physical alterations to
the cruise ships, in this propos-
al we concentrate on creating a
modular service architecture that
enables the ship companies to
establish short- and long-term
cooperative relationships with
land-based service providers. Our
hypothesis is that this will result
in new, diverse services becom-
ing available for cruise passen-
gers, attracting new clientele and
better satisfying the regulars. By
taking popular and/or surprising
operators from land and creating
suitable spaces for them to op-
erate in for prearranged periods,
likely to work best with the staff
we can ensure differing service
experiences through the various partly brought aboard by the ser-
restaurants, shops and wellbeing vice provider and partly issued by
services onboard. the ship company. In this way, the
changing services would be an
We propose the creation of an
interesting addition to the experi-
architecture for modular, pop-up
ence of cruise ship employees as
style service experiences. The
well.
modular structure of services
creates a palette for variability by In this report, we outline our
using the same spatial resources proposal by viewing the concept
for completely different experi- through the different lenses of
ences. Instead of changing the several stakeholders. A spread
decoration of a space, the service from a “sales catalogue” gives
itself is changed. The ship spa can insight into how the concept
could be presented for poten-
offer atmospheres and experienc-
tial visiting service providers; a
es parallel but distinctly different
if the provider’s unique concept page from a cruise ship employee
changes Mid-Eastern hammam to manual describes what the work-
Japanese sentou. ers would have to benefit and
shows a sketch of a timeline for
The proposal also comes with an
one year of operation; and finally
opportunity to add value to the
a mock-up of a cruise program
more peripheral and less tributed
will demonstrate how the concept
decks, opening up reasons for
would generate exciting variation
passengers to explore the parts
to the passenger experience. Our
of the ship left outside the main
aim is to draw out a vivid picture
shopping corridors. Options that
of a future concept for cruise ship
can be suited for the lower decks
service design.
can be found, for example. This
would even out the passenger
load around the ship.
CONTENTS OF THE PROPOSAL
For the pop-up periods to suc-
ceed careful planning must be
undertaken. The spaces reserved
for these activities have to be
described eloquently, with details
on the facilities, equipment and
staff requirements made available
for the visiting companies. The
bigger pop-up services would be
49
 So you want to bring your
service to a cruise ship?
THINK OUTSIDE THE SHIP
Bringing a land-based business on
board of a cruise ship requires of
course careful planning from be-
half of both the business and the
cruise company. By implementing
a modular architecture for se-
lected spaces on their ships, the
cruise company is enabled to sell
space on board in a similar way to
how shopping malls operate. This
allows for much thorough chang-
es in the experience of the cruise
passenger. Taking a successful
service, and building a pop-up
version onto a ship that brings
together residents from all over
the country, and other nations as
well, will accelerate the growth of
the business and build a base of
customers in a much larger area.
The visiting service provider will
gain knowledge on the number of
passengers and specific data the
cruise company has on passenger
spending within different demo-
graphics and during different
seasons. The cruise company will
provide employees for busy hours,
and training will be given for the
service provider’s own employees
on safety and other sea-specific
areas.
Some spaces will be outside
the main shopping areas of the
ship: for example, there might be
50
PROJECT TITLE
demand for small services in the CHOOSE POP-UP SPACE 1. CHOOSE THE SPACE
lower decks. Different services will CATEGORY We have multiple pop-up
require completely different kinds spaces for you to choose
of setups, but the spaces are Marketplace one the most suitable for
categorized to suit most types of your business.
anticipated services. Food & Dining
2. BASIC DETAILS
Wellness A summary of what your
For the purposes of feasibility
business is about.
and logistics, the different types
Hotel 3. ADDITIONAL DETAILS
of spaces have different length
The service particulars you
periods for renting. The longest
think we need to know
period will be available for home
before you start.
furniture / hotel businesses, who DEFINE SPACE SIZE
4. FURNITURE/SETUP
will be able to change the interiors
We have a large selection of
of a limited number of cabins. The
furniture and props. Let us
shortest periods are reserved for
know what you need.
companies who can move in and 15 35 50 80 120
5. ADVERTISING OPTIONS
out in a rapid pace.
Choose the level of visibil-
The types of services included in ity for your business in our
the pop-up activity are hotel, well- campaigns.
ness, food & dining and market- 6. BILLING &
place. Switching the services will CONTACT INFORMATION
take place either during a short 7. SUMMARY
50m2
stay in the harbor, a maintenance 8. WELCOME ONBOARD!
break or during cruise, according
to the level of service-specific
infrastructure required.
51
 Employee motivation for
working with external service
THINK OUTSIDE THE SHIP
providers
In our proposal, services from
outside providers would be treat-
ed according to the category in
which they are planned to be. The
service provider can either just
rent the space or also have part of
the service done by the ships per-
sonnel. Different pop-up services
rotate and change within each
category to utilise the installation
and disassembly of service points.
Examples of what kind of pop-up
services might be onboard are
described below.
During our research, we found out
that at least one cruise ship com-
pany operating on Baltic sea has
their employees participating in
job rotation in their ships. In this
case, the job rotation contains
mostly employees changing their
service points within the same
Jewelry
Marketplace Store
Food & Dining Sandron Kulma
Wellness
Hotel
Jan
52
department. Sometimes the job
rotation might happen also across
departments or between ships,
but this is not standard in the in-
dustry. As the interviewed person-
nel managers noted, the job rota-
tion increases wellbeing at work
through more versatile working
environment and having flexibility
in tasks and service points in, for
example, avoiding bad job ergo-
nomics as much as possible.
On the shady side of job rotation,
it does not make the on-board
services pop out from each oth-
er. Moreover, it does make the
whole cruising program into a
flat, non-distinctive, and repet-
itive service entity, which also
mirrors to the cruising experi-
ences of customers. The flatness
of the services is an outcome of
Acu- Flea Flying Äpy
pressure Market Tiger sales
Lappi
Hammam
Vepsäläinen
Feb Mar Apr May
the fact that while a ship compa-
ny observed during our research
executes the job rotation, they
put emphasis on the foundational
guidelines and instructions for the
whole department. In addition,
the concepts of services stay only
as superimposed, without care-
fully tailored full service path and
service attitude of the personnel,
which would distinguish from the
other services from the same cat-
egory. An example of this would
be evening on a cruise ship in an
a la carte Italian restaurant, where
happens to be the same staff as
had been in the morning buffet,
without a change of neither in
their way of approaching custom-
ers, nor in their uniforms.
Our proposal takes in consider-
ation both the more versatile and
attractive experiences of cruising
customers, as well as the wellbe-
ing of ship company’s own per-
sonnel. For the employees this
means more variety on board,
possibilities for self-development
and a chance to provide more
Tailor- Foot HELMET Reiki
shop Locker Library Treatment
Skiffer
Sentou
BoConcept
Jun Jul Aug Sep
distinctive service experiences for
customers. The ship company’s
staff gets training about the ser-
vice attitudes and different ser-
vice paths, which depend on the
possible service tasks and service
point’s location on board. With
this, their working time in the ship
would include more diversity and
change to learn more; the enthusi-
astic employees could take this as
an opportunity for profound self
development, and as an alterna-
tive way to climb up the ladder.
Since the working periods on sea
demand the ship’s personnel to
stay on board for several days
before having the same amount
of vacation on land, they naturally
spend their free time there as well.
Having constantly changing ser-
vices from outside entrepreneurs
close to them would bring more
variable opportunities for them to
enjoy and relax during their free
time.
Cabin Phone Cobbler’s
Choir Repair Workshop
Farang
Blue Lagoon
Oct Nov Dec
53
 Cruise program
THINK OUTSIDE THE SHIP

For the potential customers of must be more than just a seasonal

cruising ship companies, cruising
is characterized as an escape from
the daily life. It is often enjoyed
with family or friends, all conve-
niently close to each other on
the same ship. The same goes
for services, which are constantly
present and reachable during the
cruise.
change in the restaurant menu’s
and a different dance act. This is a
proposal creates a way for cruise
ships to offer their customers
fresh, exciting service concepts
that have the emphasis on experi-
ence.

Since there is a growing amount

and variety of easily reachable
services on land, it is about time
to reconsider what are really the
customer needs on board. How
can the cruising industry offer
variable, up-to-date, interesting
service ideas for the customers?

What is offered for the customer

CRUISE PROGRAM ON 14.12.

Ship time Deck
15.00 Tokyo ry Jewelry shop opens in cabin 310 3
VR games presentation in cabin 412 4
16.00 Boat leaves Helsinki
17.00 Japanese style Sentou baths open 8
17.30 Maroccan restaurant ElWad starts serving 5
18.00 Aromateraphy demonstration by Helsinki Aroma 2
(needs reservation from info)
20.00 Shibari demonstration in nightclub 12

55
 Conclusion
THINK OUTSIDE THE SHIP

The cruise ship industry is under
constant pressure to renew itself,
but the ships themselves are built
to last. By bringing fresh services
from land for limited periods, the
companies who operate in this
field could give new services with
onboard experiences that would
really differ from each other.
This would benefit not only the
companies and their passengers,
but also employees who would
find new things to learn and do at
work every season.
would fit well in the thinking that
is already prevalent in the indus-
try. The result would be ships that
are able to offer ever-changing
experiences for passengers.
This course project is based on in-
terviews of ship crew and officers
from two major passenger ship
companies operating on the Baltic
sea, a review of a body of articles
on the cruise industry, and two
articles on modularity in services.

Implementing the concept would

require creating a modular ar-
chitecture for the service points.
The ships are already built with a
modular architecture, small units
brought together and fitted with
whatever is necessary. Designing
the services in that way as well

Eeva Lehto eeva.lehto@aalto.fi

Annukka Svanda annukka.svanda@aalto.fi

Jaakko Raami jaakko.raami@aalto.fi

Niko Aho niko.aho@aalto.fi

56
 LOTUS ISLAND - 水上蓮
Building neighborhoods on the
LOTUS ISLAND
THE CONCEPT
Lotus Island is a concept designed
to respond to the overpopulation
that coastal metropoli are facing
PROBLEM AREA
According to the World Health
Organisation, over 70% of the
world’s population will live in

today. By recycling and repurposing cities by 2050. As most of these

waterfronts of metropoli old cruise ships, cities can create metropoli are located by water, the
affordable, floating neighborhoods spread of an already overcrowded
Amanda Colliander Janne M. Salo that enable them to expand over urban fabric is restricted. These
Sami Markkula Hilda Ruijs waters beside the city. space limitations have caused
Yi Ning Chuang an increase in rent prices and
commuting times.

Many cities have attempted to solve

the problem by building higher and
denser developments. However,
this has led to overpopulated and
unpleasant neighborhoods. In
recent years, cities have begun to
imagine the possibilities of what
the waterfronts could offer.

For the sake of imagining the

concept concretely, the team chose
Hong Kong as a possible site for the
Lotus Islands. The city has much
been affected by overcrowding,
high rents, and lack of space in the
last decades – making it an ideal
and probable site for the concept
to flourish.

Image 1: Lotus Island

58 59
 CIRCULAR ECONOMY: THE END
LIFE OF CRUISE SHIPS
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform
has approximated that 1,250
LOTUS ISLAND
cruise ships reached the end
of their service in 2012. Instead
of recycling or repurposing the
ships, they are often ran ashore in
developing countries in Southeast
Asia and broken down. Therefore,
refurbishing the ships would be
both a sustainable and economical
way to reimagine the future use of
these ships.
Repurposing the space inside
ships can be done by renovating
the interiors and keeping the
steel structure intact. A typical
cruise ship has 90 000 m2 of air
conditioned area to . In a modern
cruise ship, 80 % of the volume is
used for hotel functions. Joining
cabins and moving inner walls can
be done easily. If needed, the steel
structure can be altered to some
extent. Entrances can be cut to the
hull to add more entrances, even
close to the sea level, as the ship
will not be in heavy water in the
port.
Leisure & Recreation Areas:
- Cafes & Restaurants
- Library
- Gym & SPA
Business Areas:
- Offices
- Meeting rooms
- Working spaces
Image 2: Service Architecture of cruise ship
60
EXPERIENCE
Each ship can be customised to the
needs of different user segments
in order to maximise their living
experience. A ship designed for
wealthier young professionals
may be refurbished to facilitate
high-end restaurants, a spa, and
a small-scale cinema, whereas a
low-rent apartment ship would
offer less services.
Based on the socio-economic
architecture of the inhabitants
of the floating neighborhoods,
the floating plazas can serve
as platforms for a wide variety
of services and businesses. For
example, parks, entertainment
venues, services, and stores can
be constructed on the plazas. This
way the plazas would become
a physical forum for the cruise
ship inhabitants’ interaction while
also helping them to feel like a
community.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Repurposed cruise ships with small
cabin designs might not facilitate
the needs of families.
However, young professionals
– willing to compromise on living
space in order to live close to services
and work in the city – may find the
floating neighborhoods an attractive
option through which to conduct
their lives.
MODULARITY
Several ships can be used to 1. Basic structure of
floating island with cruise
build larger neighborhoods by ships, plaza and docks
connecting them with a floating
plaza. This enables the developers
with the possibility to vary the
architecture structure of the floating
neighborhood based on the city
needs. In other words, the floating
plaza functions as a platform around
which the ships can be organised.
PRODUCT ARCHITECTURE
The team defined product
2. Conceptual visualiza-
architecture as a plan based on tion of park-like plaza
which functions of the concept are
assigned. The refurbished cruise
ships serve as platforms to provide
housing. Many of the ship’s core
functions, e.g. air conditioning and
sewage systems, can be used as
they are or with little changed. This
enables the minimization of costs in
building the new neighborhoods.
Logistical functions and services are
taken care by private contractors. 3. Conceptual visuali-
zation of floating island
in detail
The working infrastructure from the
ship is joined to the corresponding
systems of Hong Kong. For
example, both the sewage and
Image 3: Concept visualization of customized ships
the power system of the floating connected by the floating communal plaza
neighborhood will be connected to
the city’s urban utility envelope. In
61
 addition, the ship’s water purifying
systems can be used to clean the
bay water from waste.
LOTUS ISLAND
Overall, much of the functions of
the ships can be kept the same
while the floating plazas become
a chance to bring in new services
and business opportunities for the
neighborhood. With the use of
plazas, the cities can expand the
floating neighborhood modularly
based on its unique needs.
Image 4 & 5: Two alternative compositions of
modularity
62
In addition, the making of a
floating neighborhood allows for
the possibility, if needed, of taking
it down in the future. This would
possibly harm the ocean system
less than a more permanent
structure would.
FLOATING MECHANISM
The floating plaza is built on top of
a pontoon platform.
Image 6: Pontoon platform
To ensure safe logistics the
platform is reinforced and clad with
a decking to distribute the weight
of the load, so cars can be used
to supply the ships. Lightweight
structures can be built on the
platform to provide facilities for
services on the plaza. Similarly the
decking can be covered with soil to
grow a park.
REFURBISHMENT
By refurbishing the existing cabins,
costs can be kept low when
recycling the ships. Some walls can
be taken down in order to compile
larger living solutions. The cheapest
way to redo the ships would be to
maintain the original floor plan.
For example, the cabins could be
converted into apartments and
restaurants into cafes. With higher
investment, more radical solutions
could be executed. Based on the Image 7 & 8: Birdview of floating plaza and dock
needs and the available space of
the city, different kinds of cruise BRIDGES AND DOCKS
ships could be refurbished and The ships are connected by
incorporated into the floating both upper floor level glass
neighborhoods. Because of the bridges and wooden docks to
enormous surplus of old cruise ensure convenient people flow
ships, the city would enjoy many between different parts of the
options to expand over waters. neighbourhood. Wooden docks
connect the boats and the main
plaza on ground floor level. This
enables smooth ground floor traffic
63
Image 9: Visualization of the floating plaza and cruise ships
 for the including services and
business in the neighbourhood.
The upper level bridges tie the
different ships to a tighter whole
LOTUS ISLAND
enabling easy flow of residents of
the ships.
ECONOMICAL BENEFIT
By utilising their waterfronts, the
cities encounter a plethora of
possibilities: new housing, services,
businesses, and public spaces.
This would result in an increase of
opportunities for the inhabitants,
tax revenue, and sustainable
consumption. The islands allow for
a new architectural landscape for
64
metropoli to explore.
SOCIAL BENEFIT
The floating island concept will
leave a positive impact on the
coastal metropolis by enabling an
alternative solution for living near
the city center. It offers a dynamic
living environment comprising
of vibrant cafes and restaurants,
large green areas and distinctive
apartments and public spaces
to meet the demands of young
professionals.
Image 10: Bridges connecting cruise ships to eachother
Image 11: Visualization of refurbished cruise ship
Amanda Colliander amanda.colliander@aalto.fi
Janne M. Salo janne.m.salo@aalto.fi
Sami Markkula sami.markkula@aalto.fi
Hilda Rujis hilda.rujis@aalto.fi
Yi Ning Chuang yi-ning.chuang@aalto.fi
 VENHO
Born out of water
VENHO

NORDIC TOURISM by 2025. Some of the priority

The cruise industry is the fast-
est-growing category in the lei-
Lucas Delaire Antti Käkelä sure travel market. As the Finnish
Petteri Heinonen Samuli Saarinen tourism roadmap for growth and
Lara Jasim Agnesa Vavrinova renewal reveals, Finland’s tourism
strategy has set the goal to make
Finland the number one tourist
destination in Northern Europe
areas are to turn Finland into a
top country of wellbeing tourism
by demonstrating a project that
would target sustainable water-
way transportation as well as
making the Finnish archipelago
internationally known [2].

66 67
 FOCUS POINT
The primary rationale behind Ven-
ho is to introduce a novel cruising
concept as an alternative to a
market dominated by near-identi-
cal experiences. We aim to create
VENHO
– as both cultural and aesthetic
element.
The use of wood could serve not
only as a foundation for a unique
brand identity but most impor-
cable mass-production methods
and modular design. Indeed, our
goal is to use the newest technol-
ogy and top-of-the-line design in
combination with these traditional
materials.
STRUCTURE
Venho’s hull and superstructure
are made out of steel, since this
material provides durability and
is therefore suitable for the chal-
lenging marine environment. Also,

an experience for the Baltic Sea,
one that is an exclusively Nordic
experience down to its essentials.
Everything, from the ship to the
themes and destinations of the
cruise, will be tailored to reflect
the best of the Nordic mindset
and culture, as opposed to the
generic kitsch luxury of normal
cruise ships and ferries sailing
the Baltic today.
SUSTAINABILITY REVOLUTION
The goal is to create a wholly new
paradigm for a different kind of
cruising, one that will support
‘sustainable tourism’. Defined as
“tourism that respects both local
people and the traveller, cultural
heritage and the environment”
this approach brings economic,
social and environmental pillars
into balance in order to ensure
sustainable development in the
long term [3]. Through our core
values: modularity, transparency
and cleantech we want to offer
an alternative that is long-stand-
ing, authentic and recyclable.
UNIQUE BRAND IDENTITY
We seek to utilize ‘authentic’
materials that are natural to the
chosen area. When thinking about
the Nordic mindset and cultur-
al heritage, we think of wood
tantly as a way of providing more
sustainable alternative to conven-
tional cruising today. We explored
the use of wood as a shipbuilding
material of the past, as well as an
upcoming material used in the
architecture of the present and
future.
Finland as one of the Nordic
countries and also our starting
point has a long history of wood
industry and shipbuilding and thus
provides the perfect background
with the needed knowledge and
skills. Furthermore as the rest of
the Nordic countries, it nourishes
an environment that embraces
and applies the newest technol-
ogies and principles, which pro-
mote the futuristic vision of green
transportation and the personal-
ized well-being services.
WOOD AS A CONSTRUCTION
MATERIAL
Today wooden ships are mostly
rich people’s private ventures,
and it is the private yacht busi-
ness that pushes wooden ship
construction technology forward.
Through the Venho concept, we
seek to usher in a renaissance
for wood as a commercially via-
ble material in ship construction
thanks to the use of easily repli-
the structure of the boat needs to
We found that there is a rich va- be reinforced because of the wave
riety of wood available, the tradi- induced moment on the hull gird-
tional kind in its natural state, as er. The interior and upper section
well as wood further processed are mostly wooden or out of other
into composites or products such wood-based materials.
as cross-laminated timber. The ↘
latter is well known and widely
used for its advantages such as
providing a positive CO2 balance,
lightweight, insulating properties,
fire safety, easy assembly, struc-
tural properties, indoor climate,
etc. and currently mainly used
in the construction industry.
FORM EXPLORATION
By sketching we explored the ship
construction and the use of alter-
native means of propulsion such
as wind power hybridized with
conventional engines. ↓

68
 WOOD & FIRE SAFETY
One of the main issues we have
to deal with when introducing a
concept in which wood plays such
an essential role is the fire safety.
The regulations on fire safety on a
VENHO
reduces the resistance working
on the ship’s hull 10-15%. As a re-
sult this leads to a CO2 emissions
reduction, along with significant
savings of energy. ↓

cruiser are strong. In our research

DESIGN FOR THE JOURNEY
The play between the exterior and the interior, reflecting the rough-
ness and purity of the landscapes seen in the Nordic countries with the
warmth of the wood, creates an environment designed with the custom-
er journey in mind. It provides an open and flawlessly connected organic
space that feels safe and sincere.
“Wood is the best tool in archi-
tecture, it creates a connection
to nature [1].”
INTERIOR LAYOUT EXPLORATION
technical spaces
terrace
pool
cabin area
public area
visitor area
we did our best to understand
what issues we would face when
using wood. As an example, the
spaces must be well isolated to
stop fire from spreading. The limi-
tation is a distance of 40m and an
area of 1600m². Another material
may be needed for isolation.
There are multiple ways of im-
proving fire properties of wood.
Pressure impregnation, intumes-
cent varnish and compression
of wood are examples of such
treatment. It also appears that
mass timber panels burn in a pre-
dictable way, which increases fire
safety.
EMISSIONS REDUCTION
The Venho concept utilizes the
Air Lubrication System, an arising
technology which distributes air
bubbles across the hull surface
CRUISING – MORE THAN
TRANSPORTATION
Instead of being a means of trans-
portation, the idea is to feel the
Nordic experience while traveling.
The natural atmosphere and the
contact with materials and func-
tionalities is our main idea. More
than proposing activities, we want
to create places for relaxation,
sharing and creation. This can be
linked with the sauna experience,
image of well-being and convivi-
ality.
Journey and destination are
in harmony and provide the

70
 integrated cruising experience.
The Venho cruise ship also aims to
serve as an attractive destination
for residents of cities being visit-
ed over the course of the cruise.
While many of the cruise pas-
VENHO
sengers are visiting a city on the
given route, the locals are able to
use some of the ship’s recreational
facilities such as restaurants and
the theater. Here, various concerts
and events using latest technolo-
gies supporting the full immersion
can be experienced.
HEALING ENVIRONMENT
The feelings of natural warmth
and comfort elicited by wood
has the effect of lowering blood
pressure and heart rates, reducing
stress and anxiety and increasing
positive social interactions. Wood
also greatly improves the indoor
air quality by moderating humidity
[4].
Leaves
Branches
Trunks
72
Lucas Delaire lucas.delaire@aalto.fi
Petteri Heinonen petteri.heinonen@aalto.fi
Lara Jasim lara.jasim@aalto.fi
Antti Käkelä antti.kakela@aalto.fi
Samuli Saarinen samuli.2.saarinen@aalto.fi
Agnesa Vavrinova agnesa.vavrinova@aalto.fi
STIMULATING ALL FIVE SENSES
Through organic shapes, natural
light and connected spaces we
want to influence passenger’s
emotions and let him reconnect
with nature. In the interiors this
can be achieved by using different
surfaces, that create a light-shad-
ow play and thus evoke the pres-
ence of the forest. ↙
References
1. Green, M. 2013. Why we should build wooden
skyscrapers. Retrieved November 16, 2017 from
https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_green_why_
we_should_build_wooden_skyscrapers
2. Roadmap for growth and renewal in Finnish
tourism for 2015–2025 . 2015. Ministry of Economic
Affairs and Employment. Retrieved November 16,
2017 from http://tem.fi/en/roadmap-for-growth-
and-renewal-in-finnish-tourism-in-2015-2025
3. Tourism Megatrends. 2015. Retrieved November
16, 2017 from http://horwathhtl.com/files/2015/12/
Tourism-Mega-Trends1.pdf
4. Wood, Housing, Health, Humanity Report. 2015.
Retrieved November 14, 2017 from http://makeit-
wood.org/benefits-of-wood/wood-for-health.cfm
www.aalto.fi