Have you ever considered human energy as a form of renewable green energy? If you are now picturing a human running in a giant hamster wheel, you’re not far off. International design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati partners with Technogym, Terreform ONE and URBEM to present the Paris Navigating Gym: a fitness vessel that moves along 
the Seine River by harnessing energy from passengers’ workouts.

Though only a concept for now, the intention is that the Paris Navigating Gym, a 20-meter long fitness vessel, can host up to 45 people. The fitness area features Technogym’s ARTIS machines, which are a special type of sports equipment that harnesses human energy and makes it available for further uses. There are two types of equipment available on the boat: bike and cross trainers.

The boat is a little more sophisticated than an oversized pedal boat it may seem at first glance. By doing exercise on the training equipment, guests can contribute to powering the boat. Human powered energy will be supplemented by renewables, such as photovoltaic cells on the gym roof. The Paris Navigating Gym will sail along the Seine on its route through the city, activated by electric propellers.

The vessel’s current design pays tribute to the symbolic Bateaux Mouches, the traditional ferryboats that have been carrying tourists on the Seine since the early 20th century.

The Navigating Gym will allow Parisians to sail on the river all year long. Augmented-reality screens installed on the boat will show guests both the quantity of energy sourced from the workout, as well as data about the Seine’s environmental conditions, tracked in real time by sensors incorporated on the vessel.

The gym is encased within a transparent glass covering, which is open in summer and gives view of the city. At night, the boat can be used for parties.

The Paris Navigating Gym can be implemented in less than 18 months, including design, construction, and testing, before starting its cruise to celebrate human power.

Project credits
A project by Carlo Ratti Associati (team: Carlo Ratti, Emma Greer, Andrea Galli, Andrea Giordano, Gary di Silvio)
Co-design: Terreform ONE
Fitness strategy: Technogym
Mainland fitness concept: Optraker
Business strategy: URBEM
Urban strategy: UR Lab