How would the experience of surfing change if you could see through your board? An industrial designer asked that question when making a bold proof of concept for a unique surfboard construction.
The project, titled Tidal Waves, was created by Igor Dzukovski. The unique surfboard is comprised of a transparent surface sandwiched over an exposed carbon-fiber skeleton. It also features a visually striking 3D-printed fin modeled after the pectoral fin of a humpback whale. The goal is to create a seaworthy (though not exactly performance-focused) craft that gives the rider a view of the ocean below.
‘I fell in love with surfing from the very first wave,” explained Dzukovski on an Instagram post of the project. “Not long after, I started wondering whether a surfboard could become more than a piece of sports equipment. Most innovation focuses on performance. I wanted to explore the experience itself. The idea came during an early morning swim, watching sunlight move across the water. I started thinking about whether those reflections could become part of the board — not as graphics, but through the way it was built.’
Soon after originally its creation, Tidal Wave was exhibited at Expo 2020 Dubai and Dubai Design Week 2021.
‘Sometimes design isn’t about adding more,’ concluded Dzukovski. ‘Sometimes it’s about revealing what was already there.’
