Designed to make rescuing human lives efficient, the Fold And Rescue lifeboat flips closed while in storage, thanks to its origami-inspired form.

The inspiration for the Fold And Rescue came from the paper boat itself, showing how inspiration can travel in both directions. Unlike an inflatable lifeboat that poses the danger of deflating or not inflating correctly, the Fold And Rescue is made from a naturally buoyant material, and just needs to be opened to be used. In its folded form, it occupies a third of its original space and can be stacked together. When needed, just open the boat out and you’ve got two seats that can comfortably fit 4-6 people.

Designer: Industrial Design College of LAFA

The Fold And Rescue was designed to address the problem of insufficient number of lifeboats in the ship’s stockpile. It comes with a self-locking mechanism built into the benches, so the boat never accidentally closes shut when open. Each boat is made from a naturally buoyant material, and comes with a flat base that keeps the boat from tipping over by accident. The Fold And Rescue is also equipped with an oar on each side, making navigating to safety easier.

The Fold And Rescue is a winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2022.