Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Company L'Observatoire International
Lead Designers Hervé Descottes
Other Designer's names Francesco Secone, Leah Xandora
Client Belmond
Photo Credits Courtesy of Belmond
Completion Date 2023
Project Location Venice, Italy
Entry DescriptionBelmond’s timeless Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train reclaims the bygone glamour of luxury travel along Paris, Rome, Venice, and beyond. At the heart of its set of carriages is the signature vintage charm and innate opulence synonymous with the historic line.
In collaboration with the Belmond team and Chef Jean Imbert, we redesigned the ambiance of the iconic train’s carriages for a deeper, richer transport experience through location and time. Hand-dipped lamps engineered by Venetian and French artisans to uphold the technical conditions of the train glow a creamy, diffuse texture, warming deeper as natural light ebbs with the day’s turning. Subtle accents and retail spotlights layer radiance, much like a painter in the Golden Twenties might have stroked his brush for more intricate charm. In soft lustre, nostalgia breathes throughout the interiors and highlights the twentieth-century art deco impeccably featured across the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express’s existing design. Palpable history comes to light for a journey both indulgently ornate and unmistakably modern.
Sustainability ApproachWe have been invited by Belmond to restore and reinvent the lighting of the historical train carriages and participate in the adventure of "step onto a legend in motion" the Venice Simplon - Orient Express. The scope includes the refurbishment of 4 carriages, including the existing Bar carriage and the existing dining cars.
