Piero Dri
- LABORATORY: Il Forcolaio Matto
- PRODUCTS: Oarlocks, Oars
- MATERIALS: Wood
- NEIGHBORHOOD: Cannaregio
- AVAILABILITY: Open to the public
- OPENING HOURS: 8.30am–1pm / 3pm–6pm (Mon–Fri)
- ADDRESS: Ramo dell'Oca, 4231
From the doorway of his workshop, just off the bustling Strada Nova, an inviting scent of fresh wood wafts out, drawing you in. Inside, Piero Dri is intently focused on refining a piece of wood destined to become one of his signature forcole (oarlocks)—sinuous, sharp-edged, and sculptural.
It’s immediately clear that Piero is anything but conventional. A graduate in Astronomy, he made a radical life choice, leaving academia to reconnect with his native Venice. A lifelong rower, Piero found that returning to the ritual of rowing was essential to re-establishing his bond with the lagoon. Crafting forcole felt like a natural extension of this reconnection, and he soon became Venice's youngest remèr—an artisan who creates the distinctive oarlocks needed for navigating Venetian waters.
Piero began his journey apprenticing with renowned boatmaker Paolo Brandolisio. In 2013, after restoring a warehouse, he opened Il Forcolaio Matto, where he now crafts oars and forcole for gondoliers, professional rowers, and boat builders. This ancient craft, which dates back over 700 years, is something Piero embraces with enthusiasm and dedication towards the raw materials as much as the city’s heritage. Each forcola he creates is a harmonious blend of aesthetic and performance, custom-designed and carved from hard, seasoned, elastic woods—often walnut—finished with oil to preserve its beauty.
Piero emphasizes the importance of precision: achieving perfect balance between the oar and the forcola, and between these and rower requires meticulous adjustments, where even a few millimeters can make all the difference.
Deeply connected to the rhythms of the lagoon city, Piero is committed to preserving traditional artisanship while advocating for a sustainable future for Venice where rowing is more than a tradition—it’s a healthy, eco-friendly way to experience the lagoon city from the perspective of water.