Everyone remembers the classic Fred Flintstone car; a simple design made from rock, wood, and animal hide that is powered by the feet of those riding within it. Not only does the design solve the whole ‘internal combustion engines haven’t been invented yet’ thing, but it is also a completely sustainable design that provides quite a workout for the passengers.
Well, welcome to the 21st century version of the Flintstones car with the unveiling of a new design for a floating, mobile gym that is powered by, you guessed it, the people exercising within it.
Named the Paris Navigating Gym and designed by Italian architects Carlo Ratti Associati, the 20-meter long vessel can hold up to 45 people and gets its energy through the use of Technogym ARTIS machines. These machines can harness human energy created during a workout and use it for other purposes. When someone hops onto one of the vessel’s ARTIS bikes or cross trainers, they will not just be getting a workout, but they will also be helping to power the gym along the Seine as it makes its way through Paris.
The boat will have augmented reality screens to show users the quantity of energy created by their workout and data about the river’s environmental conditions, tracked and provided in real time thanks to sensors on the boat. A transparent glass cover allows the boat to be used year round and can open to allow fresh air in during the summer.
In addition to Carlo Ratti Associati and Technogym, the Paris Navigating Gym was developed in collaboration with Terreform ONE, a non-profit architecture group, and the urban regeneration institute URBEM.
Rendering courtesy of Carlo Ratti Associati
Related Stories
Sustainability | Sep 19, 2016
Brussels’ Botanic Center apartment block looks to live up to its name with the addition of 10,000 plants and a rooftop “Chrysalis”
The project, which has been commissioned and is in the design phase, would eliminate CO2 and produce its own energy.
Energy | Sep 13, 2016
Oberlin College to hold conference on post-fossil fuel economy
The gathering will address climate change and new sources of energy.
Sustainability | Sep 8, 2016
Forging a sustainable future: How would a five-year-old design it?
When it comes to design we are in the business of imagining what could be, not necessarily what is, writes HDR's Lynn Mignola.
Sustainability | Sep 7, 2016
New plans call for hundreds of thousands of British homes to be heated by factory machines
An expansion of ‘heat networks’ is viewed as a possible means for Britain to accomplish its goal of slashing carbon emissions by 2050.
Building Team | Sep 6, 2016
Letting your resource take center stage: A guide to thoughtful site selection for interpretive centers
Thoughtful site selection is never about one factor, but rather a confluence of several components that ultimately present trade-offs for the owner.
Sustainability | Aug 30, 2016
New federal project plans must include climate impacts
Agencies must quantify the specific impacts when possible.
Green | Aug 29, 2016
Vancouver, B.C., to require zero emissions on new buildings by 2030
No net GHG emissions will be allowed.
Energy Efficiency | Aug 17, 2016
Investor Confidence Project aimed at raising trustworthiness on energy efficiency projects
The new initiative screens projects to see if they are investor-ready.
Sustainability | Aug 4, 2016
S.F. Bay Area voters approve first-of-its-kind tax to fight impact of climate change
The funds from the tax will be used to restore wetlands
Sustainability | Jul 12, 2016
Wellness is the missing link to sustainable real estate value
Healthier and happier employees benefit a company’s bottom line. Paladino senior project manager Divya Natarajan writes that the proof lies within results from the evidence-based WELL Building Standard.