The Young Designer of the Year Award 2016 recognizes the best projects by young designers seeking recognition. Six finalists were chosen by a jury of yacht designers. The winner of the year will be awarded a gold trophy and a check for 5000 euros. Last year, the award went to Timur Bozca and his project Cauta.
This year, the young designers had to invent a realistic project for an imaginary client: An Italian fashion designer wants to sell his vacation home in Porto Fino and have a 45m motor superyacht built instead. The young designers had to think of the whole project, from the deckhouse to the complete layout of the cockpit and interior spaces. Here are the 6 selected projects:
1. Baoqi Xiao
Baoqi Xiao's project is inspired by the structure of knitwear. Both the shape of the threads intertwined with each other and the zigzag pattern of the knitwear were highlighted in the superyacht. "The zigzag pattern has been expanded and paired with color to become an iconic design language in the fashion industry," he explains. "The zigzag shape is the main style design language of this concept."
The outdoor space is well used with a beach club on the lower deck, leading to the main deck, where outdoor seating has been placed around a teppanyaki grill. The interior too is interesting with an upper deck reserved only for the owner with access to the movie theater, located on the lower deck. Aft are the main salon and guest cabins. The lower deck houses a spa and sauna and crew quarters.
Baoqi Xiao is currently studying automotive and yacht design at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
2. Lujac Desautel
Lujac Desautel's proposed project maximizes the outdoor space with private and public areas for the enjoyment of the owner and guests. The boat decks are large cantilevered terraces connected by stairs.
"Portofino is known for its villas bordering the Mediterranean Sea and their generous outdoor space embedded in the hills. These architectural nuances are a source of inspiration for the lifestyle style the owner desires on his yacht." explains Lujac Desautel.
"The result is a layering of spaces: decks of different sizes that create an interplay between indoor and outdoor living and the need for flexible spaces for everyone on board. Each terrace has a unique shape that lends itself to a variety of uses such as an outdoor cinema, diving board, outdoor lounge, fitness room, dance floor, or even a fashion show runway. The Little Terrace is like a house on the water."
Lujac Desautel studied at the California College of Art School of Architecture in San Francisco, California. He spent three summers working aboard superyachts and joined the Pastrovich studio as an intern.
3. Leah Gowoon Park
He drew inspiration from the sweeping lines of the dresses shown on the catwalk, incorporating them into his monochromatic design to appeal to the fashion designer client. The design includes an outdoor area with loungers on the upper deck (fly), as on all aft deck spaces. An outdoor dining area is located on the center deck. Stairs lead down to the lower deck, where there is a large swimming platform.
Inside, on the main deck, a large space is reserved for the ownerâ??s cabin with a huge dressing room and a cinema for 5 people. The upper deck space, located above the salon, is divided between two guest rooms, a spa and a beauty salon. Crew quarters are located forward on the lower deck.
Leah Gowoon Parc is studying transportation design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
4. Ben Hills
Ben Hills' design features a very large deck space at the front of the boat, which can be used as a catwalk, perfect for a fashion designer client. The young designer named each deck after its use. There's the catwalk deck, which features a dressing room, a beauty salon and a large outdoor dance floor. Below is the DJ Deck with mixers, a spa and lounge chairs. The main deck houses the owner's suite forward, with a starboard side floor-to-ceiling glass-walled design studio, as well as a lounge and movie room aft.
Behind this area is the green room, a convertible outdoor/indoor space with weatherproof doors. The relaxation deck offers a spa, with sauna, massage room, steam room and bathing platform. Two guest cabins are located forward with two more crew cabins forward.
Ben Hills is a recent graduate of Coventry University with a degree in Automotive and Transportation Design. He currently holds a full-time position at Bannenberg and Rowell.
5. Marlene Ratajska
Her design features glass surfaces on the sides to encourage guests to interact with the sea. The upper deck houses the owner's suite, which offers the best view of the yacht thanks to the glass walls. Below, on the main deck is the dining room and a teppanyaki grill aft, with two hot tubs, a lounge and a beauty salon. Forward is the outdoor dining area and an entertainment area with a movie theater and spa nestled in the bow. Aft of the lower deck is the swim platform with beach club.
The center of the lower deck is reserved for the crew, with two bedrooms, a gym and a sauna forward. "All the shapes around us give us a spectrum of possibility to create a unique design," explains Marlene Ratajska. "The ZESA yacht combines exceptional design with functionality and comfort while cruising."
Marlene Ratajska is currently studying for a Master's degree at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Gdansk University of Technology.
6. Dave Rowles
The young designer has maximized the outdoor space. The upper deck has a large outdoor area with comfortable seating and a dining area, all protected by an adjustable bimini to provide shade when needed.
Below, at the back of the main deck, there is a generous outdoor seating area that can be transformed into an outdoor movie theater. Inside is the main salon, with the owner's suite, spa and sauna. On the lower deck, there is a swim platform, a garage for water toys and a tender garage, as well as accommodations for guests and crew.
"The exterior design is representative of the Milan fashion industry: bold, trendy and contemporary," says Dave Rowles. "By using this original layout, I am able to design something low and open âeuros that is not really seen this size."
Dave Rowles has a degree in automotive design from Coventry University. He interned at Feadship and Pastrovich Studio.
