Fly Aweigh My Pretties

November 23, 2013 7:07 PM

Luigi Prina: The Ships That Sail Through The Clouds — Italian architect creates beautiful flying air ships.
posted by cenoxo (26 comments total)

Yes!
posted by TedW at 7:10 PM on November 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

Magical.
posted by panaceanot at 7:24 PM on November 23, 2013

Darn you to heck! I was just composing a post on this. Lovely stuff.
posted by gamera at 7:43 PM on November 23, 2013

Yes, indeed.
posted by davebush at 8:08 PM on November 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

This man and Hayao Miyazaki need to collaborate on something.


I don't care what. Anything.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:25 PM on November 23, 2013 [7 favorites]

Wow - this is lovely. Thanks for posting.
posted by postcommunism at 8:42 PM on November 23, 2013

Beautiful
posted by quazichimp at 8:54 PM on November 23, 2013

Seriously neat. I clicked on it expecting generic renderings of cartoon airships, and instead was blown away.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:01 PM on November 23, 2013

Indeed, TheWhiteSkull, if this man isn't shown Miyazaki's Porco Rosso or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind immediately, that would be a shame. Two kindred spirits.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 9:20 PM on November 23, 2013

This man and Toyota need to collaborate on something.

I don't care what, anything.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:53 PM on November 23, 2013

This guy and This guy!
posted by boilermonster at 10:10 PM on November 23, 2013 [3 favorites]

This is just lovely. I want to live in his study.
posted by arcticseal at 10:15 PM on November 23, 2013

His awe like that of a little boy. There's a message in that.
posted by a non e mouse at 1:42 AM on November 24, 2013

Is it bad that I immediately thought how easy it would be to turn these designs into kit form and how well they would sell?
posted by Segundus at 2:26 AM on November 24, 2013

Is it bad that I immediately thought how easy it would be to turn these designs into kit form and how well they would sell?

No, you'd be doing me a favour. I'd buy 'em. I'd buy 'em all!
posted by Sourisnoire at 4:07 AM on November 24, 2013

It's bad, but I would buy the shit out of them.
posted by lydhre at 4:07 AM on November 24, 2013

So this is the guy who gets sent back to 15th century Italy in 2017 after SkyNet becomes aware and when the locals who find him in the haystack ask him his name he says "Luigi de Prina" and they say "Leonardo da Vinci"? And it sticks and he spend the rest of his life in that century making beautiful models of airships no one can understand and painting pictures and being really frustrated he didn't learn how to make a combustion engine or remember the point spread on Naples vs. Turin in the 1457 national finals.
posted by chavenet at 6:27 AM on November 24, 2013 [3 favorites]

Favoloso! Also, I just realised I missed a great opportunity by not naming one of my kids "Luigi".
posted by sneebler at 6:50 AM on November 24, 2013

Posts like this are the reason I'm still on MetaFilter.

Thanks, cenoxo!
posted by jason's_planet at 7:51 AM on November 24, 2013

faaaan-tastic
posted by mwhybark at 10:28 AM on November 24, 2013

When I grow up, I want to make these. Beautiful, this post made my day. Thanks.
posted by Dr Ew at 11:14 AM on November 24, 2013

Beautiful. I love the little detail where one of the boats has eyes woven into the prow. The craftsmanship is amazing, sadly I don't think model kits of these would be anywhere near as wonderful as the originals.
posted by happyroach at 12:05 PM on November 24, 2013

Beautiful, amazing vessels of dreams.
posted by Pallas Athena at 12:30 PM on November 24, 2013

Reminds me, in fact, of this (previously).
posted by Pallas Athena at 12:35 PM on November 24, 2013

Oh yay yay yay. Thank you for this.
posted by FirstMateKate at 5:21 PM on November 24, 2013

I wonder if the ships are designed for indoor flying- or is he making it circle just by the way he launches it?
posted by beau jackson at 9:58 PM on November 24, 2013