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Nick Munro Ventura Interview

Nick was commissioned by P&O Cruises to complete more than 200,000 items for Ventura, including cutlery, glassware, ceramics and in cabin amenities. In a recent interview Nick to speaks about the project and his inspiration for the items on board.

How did you become involved in the Ventura project?

I received a very brief email from P&O Cruises inviting me to attend a ‘meeting about a joint project concerning our new superliner’ – all very intriguing and

mysterious!!

What was you perception of cruising before taking on this project?

Although I have never been on a cruise before, I have always enjoyed sailing and love the freedom of the open water. The appeal of a cruise holiday was therefore already in place and having an insight into the quality of every aspect of life aboard Ventura, my plan is to take my family up to see the fjords in

2008.

Where does your brief start and end?

From the outset, I knew that I wanted to be involved with as many aspects of the design of Ventura as possible, which luckily was exactly what the P&O Cruises team was also looking for. This has allowed me access to countless aspects of its operation, from the not so glamorous such as waste disposal – we needed to figure out if the drains could cope with washing away coffee grounds before we could design and specify a cafetiere for each cabin – through to the spectacularly expressive, in the shape of my glass ‘anemone’ sculpture to be sited in the grand atrium! Along the way we have overcome all sorts of obstacles, such as the weight of the cutlery; thousands of pieces of steel cutlery weigh in at several tons and so the thickness and weight of each piece had to be signed off by the chief engineer. However, with perseverance and patience, the result is approximately 200,000 new items on board Ventura when she sails in

April.

What is your favourite Nick Munro design on Ventura?

Hard question but if I had to choose one thing I think one of the most beautiful objects is the new cafetiere – inspired as it happens by a classic ship’s

funnel.

Have you worked with any new materials on this project and how did that affect the design and final product?

The world of sculpture is a new one for me and I’ve loved working on the ‘anemone’ project. It took quite a lot of figuring out both from an artistic point of view and from an engineering point of view – right up my street you could

say!

When Nick was asked what the inspiration for the Anemone sculpture was he stated:

My 'Anemone' sculpture was inspired by the wonders of the world's coral reefs. I love the diversity and splendour of the forms and colours that are to be found on the ocean floor, and designed 'Anemone' to be an expression of my passion for our underwater

treasures.

We also asked Nick what the sculpture was made of ...

I chose 'bubble glass' as the medium which would best capture the living and breathing energy that is beneath Ventura as she crosses the

oceans.

What would you like Ventura customers to come away from their trip with?

Lots of sparkling

memories!

The Ventura is currently being constructed at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard, just outside Venice, Ventura will be a truly inspirational superliner designed specifically for her British customers. Every inch of her is being crafted in meticulous detail and she will showcase over 7,000 works of contemporary art. At 290 metres in length she is 22 metres longer than Tower Bridge and has an impressive 15 passenger decks.
It is due to enter service on April 18th 2008.

Find out more »
Ventura public rooms and cabins | http://www.virtualventura.co.uk/

Nick Munro studied engineering and design at Imperial College of Science and Technology and The Royal College of Art, London, and launched his career in design by turning bedsprings into egg-cups - an instant hit which won him the prize of UK Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Since then, the Nick Munro brand has become synonymous with original, modern British design and his signature collection has grown to include pewter, ceramics, glass, furniture and lighting, all featuring his distinctive combination of craftsmanship, integrity and wit.

Over recent years, a number of prestigeous international companies have commissioned Nick to contribute to their design programs, and joint ventures have come to fruition with Wedgwood, The Victorian & Albert Museum, Spode, Tyrone Irish Crystal, Bugatti in Italy, CHF Industries in the USA, and Royal Selangor in Malaysia.

In the press and with design critics at home and abroad, Nick's reputation has blossomed and his collections are now to be found in some of the best stores in the world including Selfridges and Harrods, London.

In 2004 the first Nick Munro furniture collection came to market in the UK with Fired Earth Interiors.

In 2005, Nick's designs came to the High Street for the first time with the launch of Nick Munro for John Lewis.

In 2006, Nick received his first commission to work on the interior of a ship when he was appointed as Design Consultant for ‘ Ventura’ – the latest and largest addition to the P&O superliner fleet due to be launched in April 2008.

Lear more about Nick at www.nickmunro.com

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