Project Spotlight — PGK Venezia Mestre: Elevating Indoor Karting Experiences

Welcome to PGK Venezia Mestre, the world’s longest kart track located in a shopping center.

Project Overview

PGK Karting Network expanded its franchise to Venice, Italy, introducing a 550-meter-long, two-level track inside the Porte di Mestre mall—the world’s longest kart track in a shopping center. Together a visually compelling and brand-consistent environment that enhances the racing experience for visitors.

Flowing white-and-red stripes dance around each visual element to create a cohesive visual identity.

My Role & Design Approach

As the lead designer, I was responsible for:

• Developing the branding and graphic design for the venue.

• Integrating PGK’s signature red-and-white aesthetic into a fresh visual identity.

• Ensuring brand consistency across track elements and facilities.

Through an iterative process, I worked to evolve PGK’s well-established design language while introducing engaging new elements to differentiate this location.

The “track layout” motif creates continuous stripes on the stickers, repeating along the length of the track’s barriers.

Challenges & Solutions

1. Maintaining Brand Consistency

Challenge: Align the track’s branding with PGK’s existing design identity while keeping it fresh.
Solution: We carefully refined color schemes, motifs, and track graphics to ensure a cohesive and recognizable aesthetic. We further focused on having the red-and-white motifs mimic a track layout to reflect the company’s roots in designing and constructing kart tracks around the globe.

2. Space Utilization & User Engagement

Challenge: Create designated spaces for visitors beyond the track itself.
Solution: Introducing the Crash Zone, a dedicated lounge and game area with bold, pop-art-inspired graphics based on Mr. Gagliardini’s helmet design, provided an engaging space for visitors between races.

3. Accessibility & Inclusivity

Challenge: Making the experience enjoyable for a broader audience, including those with mobility challenges and families with younger children.
Solution: The introduction of Sodikart’s two-seat X2Drive karts allowed individuals with limited mobility to experience the thrill of racing, ensuring a more inclusive environment. These karts also allow parents to race alongside their children, providing an opportunity for families to enjoy the track together when younger kids aren’t yet ready to drive on their own. Its livery was developed to match seamlessly with the pre-established design of the single-seater karts.

The pop-art helmet graphics are inspired by the iconic design that has adorned Mr. Gagliardini’s helmet throughout his three championship-winning seasons.

Results & Impact

• Enhanced Visitor Experience: The combination of bold graphics, immersive branding, and thematic areas like the Crash Zone enriched the overall atmosphere.

• Stronger Brand Presence: The track’s visuals reinforced PGK’s identity while pushing the boundaries of what an indoor karting facility can look like.

• Increased Accessibility: The introduction of adaptive karting options made the venue more welcoming to all visitors.

PGK Venezia Mestre’s motifs adorn the structural columns throughout the track, ensuring the brand’s logo and identity are visible in any shot taken by visitors.

Conclusion & Takeaways

This project showcases how strategic design choices can transform a karting venue into an immersive, brand-driven experience. By blending PGK’s heritage with innovative elements, we created a space that stands out in the industry.

Visit the PGK Venezia Mestre project page to learn more!

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