kaveh najafian conjures eco-system of AI-generated megaships abandoned at sea 

the dockless vessels symbolize the evolving epoch of our future

Exploring a distant realm where a peculiar breed of titans plies the seas, Kaveh Najafian takes on artificial intelligence to traverse the boundaries between the real and imagined. Portraits of the Wandering: The Megaship Diaries presents an ensemble of surreal vessels that have been rendered dockless due to rising sea levels in the near future, transforming into floating, closed eco-systems, each with its own distinct characteristics.

From futuristic innovation hubs, to soil-less vertical farms, these wandering megaships symbolize the evolving epoch of our future. Stripped of their home ports by rising tides, they embark on an endless voyage, embodying the indomitable spirit of humanity, our drive for progress, and the allure of unexplored horizons.

all images courtesy of Kaveh Najafian

kaveh najafian generates a floating closed eco-system

The entities of Portraits of the Wandering: The Megaship are imagined as ‘absurd and improbable’, beginning with ‘Bob’ — an embodiment of vertical urbanism that creates a whimsical floating metropolis against the vast ocean backdrop. Resembling an enormous game of Jenga, designer Kaveh Najafian imagines Bob as a vibrant patchwork of containers which house an array of micro-offices, trendy micro-apartments, and bohemian boutiques within.

‘Sue’, meanwhile, represents the futile future of technology, featuring spinning wind turbines that harness the power of ocean breezes to turn the ship into an undulating canvas of eco-art. Within her cavernous hull, she produces state-of-the-art tech products, acting as a floating incubator for innovation.

Kaveh Najafian traverses boundaries between the real and imagined

‘Bert’ is the embodiment of perpetual motion with its playful arrangement of metallic cranes and containers continually swaying in the open sea. ‘Belle’, the green-thumbed megaship, whose towering forms are equipped with vertical farms that produce an assortment of crops without soil. ‘Sid’ pulsates with vibrant energy offering an endless, electric party experience. The ship’s decks vibrate with music and hypnotic neon lights, reflecting the mantra of ‘sleep is for the land’ for those on board.

Beside them, ‘Misha’ sails with a dreamer’s spirit, adorned with a whimsical array of balloons, and ‘Kran’ captures attention with her Venetian charm. A ‘radiant vision in red’, Kran navigates the seas participating in an eternal masquerade as though navigating the winding canals of Venice. Her hull is adorned with ornate masks, each telling a different tale of mystery and allure.

‘Despite their homelessness, these vessels of vision and creativity underscore our tenacity, our capacity to innovate, and the compelling charm of the unexplored. They are now the drifting embodiments of an ironic fate – the once-docked kings of commerce and symbols of connectivity, are now the wandering, dockless nomads of the sea, on an endless voyage,’ notes Kaveh Najafian.

The Megaship Diaries presents an ensemble of surreal vessels that have been rendered dockless

the ships form a floating, closed eco-systems, each with its own distinct characteristics

Kran navigates the seas participating in an eternal masquerade

Bob houses an array of micro-offices, trendy micro-apartments, and bohemian boutiques

AI-generated ‘absurd and improbable’ entities

the dockless vessels symbolize the evolving epoch of our future

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project info:

name: Portraits of the Wandering: The Megaship Diaries
designer: Kaveh Najafian

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom