Eighty-eight years ago American industrial designer Norman Bel Geddes (1893-1958) modelled his vision of an ocean passenger liner. He may not have been thinking sails, rotors, solar panels or fuel cells but without question he was thinking streamlining, scale and aesthetics.

When contrasted to ship design trends of his time, such as plumb bow, fantail or cruiser stern, sqared-off superstructures and stove-pipe smokestaks, Bel Geddes' concept of a trans-oceanic greyhound was outlandish. Yet,in the decade leading up to the centenial of his design, many of Bel Geddes' ideas will become reality, starting (again) with the notion the ship should be a thing of graceful proportion and uncompromised beauty.

Trend line followers and status quo defenders take note: Bel Geddes was not a naval architect and did not work in the maritime industry. True, it has taken a long time for the world to carch up to his thinking, but change is coming faster now due to climate crisis. Dreamers are dismissed until they are vindicated, then they are called visionaries.

Source: Museum of The City of New York