Paola bertelli on home for the one issue 02 2018

[ MEGAYACHT ]

This uncompromisingly modern 50-metre from Heesen is a strong, chiselled beauty on the outside but a triumph of sophisticated complexity on the inside. Even her hybrid propulsion system is as new as it gets and delivers the most prized luxury commodity of the moment: silence

by Paola Bertelli - ph. by David Churchill and Jeff Brown | Breed Media 118

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eesen’s new 50-metre, Home, has not one but a

provided by the owner who wanted the nature and sea surrounding

whole slew of signatures. But let’s start with a few

his yacht to be the stars of the show.

of the most obvious: a chiselled, sober exterior that

The enormous rectangular windows dominating both main and

lends her a powerfully independent personality,

upper decks are used to frame the natural world outside and the

expansive full-height windowing and interiors that

interiors take the lead from this. The logical consequence for

are deceptively simple on first meeting yet soon reveal hidden

Gatto was a simple, linear style with anything unnecessary pared

depths of sophistication. Home also brings one other major plus

away with surgical precision to create a stage that never steals the

to the party – a factor that has become the new frontier when it

show from the stars. But what looks like simplicity at first glance

comes to luxury at sea: silence. The all-aluminium 50-metre is,

actually reveals a great deal of fine detailing and complexity on

in fact, the very first Fast Displacement Hull Form yacht to be

closer inspection. There are, for instance, a dazzling 14 different

fitted with a hybrid propulsion system. This is rather exciting

shades of white aboard as the result of in-depth research into how

as it means she can cruise in full-electric mode, an achievement

specific materials reflect light to produce the desired hue of white.

that won her the Best Naval Architecture Displacement and Best

In the spaces themselves, formal rigor coexists with elements

Ecological Design & Operation Innovation plaudits at the Boat

that create a sense of relaxed elegance. Geometrics and very

International Design & Innovation Awards 2018 in Kitzbühel.

strong architectural elements are skilfully softened by the likes of

In practice, this new talent translates to a sound level around 46

a stainless steel Franco Poli lounge chair in the veranda leading

decibels in the owner’s cabin. In layman’s language that is kind

to the main saloon, unaligned segments, also in stainless steel,

of noise levels of a rainy day or an evening at the theatre – much

and striped light fixtures that break up the pattern on decorative

quieter than the 60 decibels of an ordinary conversation or the

panels and bar counters.

80 of a busy restaurant.

Flashes of the owner’s favourite reds and burgundy also add a

Underway, Home’s profile is unmistakable and was hewn respect

spark of colour to spaces dominated by the contrast between icy

the aesthetic canons around which all Heesen yachts are crafted.

total white and warm teak floors.

For her exterior styling Omega Architects chose forms that,

The main saloon, owner’s suite and sky lounge are all bathed in

although radical, are never brutal or harsh. Her imposing straight

light, the latter being an extraordinary seafront veranda where

stem has a sculptural grace thanks to tapering lines and elegant yet

interior and exterior melt into each other to the extent that the

practical double spray rails. Home’s superstructure is striking too

outside world seems to flow into and through the teak-floored

and the sweep of the central staircase linking the aft saloon on the

space and its Paola Lenti furnishings.

main deck with the fixed swim platform is a striking architectural

Guests have five staterooms on the lower deck, including a full-

element in its own right.

beam VIP suite. There is also a wellness and gym area aft adjacent

Cristian Gatto was given the job of creating Home’s interiors

to the engine room – it even direct access to the main deck.

when she was already in build, working from a very specific brief

www.heesenyachts.com

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The pleasure of silence‌thanks to her hybrid propulsion set-up, Home also has an whisper-like all-electric mode. Left, the bar area on the sun deck. The chairs and loungers are by Paola Lenti while the bar itself and coffee table were custom-designed by Cristiano Gatto. Opening page, the saloon on the main deck with a Franco Poli stainless steel lounge chair in the foreground

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Formal severity and a cool colour scheme warmed by flashes of red for the interiors.

Large floor-to-ceiling windows give a wonderful en plein air feel. The dining area on the main deck, above, is a prime example. The large table is the work of Cristiano Gatto while the chairs are by Cassina. Top left, the sky lounge with a teak floor to mirror the exterior decking. Bottom, the owner’s apartment on the main deck includes a panoramic cabin and private office

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Exterior designer Frank Laupman, CEO of Omega Architects

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he design brief asked for a straight bow and generous use of glass. These are just two of the design features that make Home a cut above the rest. Her chiselled bow with its sharp lines gives her progressive buoyancy when carving through rough waters, not to mention good seakeeping capacity, while her effective spray rails help to keep the bow dry.

Her angular shapes continue with the rectangular openings in the bulwarks, the use of straight sliding doors only (there are no rounded glass elements), and saloons tapered to give an emphasised elegance to the aft area.

Home boasts a striking profile and head�turning aesthetic, with a design that allows for a larger amount of space forward on the main deck.

She boasts vertical and horizontal elements that yield a calm and elongated silhouette, but there is still a reference to the soft-lined Heesens of previous years. This is beautifully exemplified by the mast foot on the top deck which rises up like a wing and supports the roof in a romantic reference to Heesen’s design heritage.

There are no less than three separate spaces on board Home that provide impressive views and a clear visual line of both the water and the sky, thanks to full-height windows and the lack of architectural barriers: the Owners’ suite, the aft saloon and the sky lounge, one of the most outstanding areas on board.

The wide, sweeping central staircase in the aft saloon, masterfully proportioned in keeping with the bulwarks, leads directly out on to the large fixed swim platform, where there is ample space for sun loungers, and which makes Home particularly attractive and open from the aft end. Awash with natural light and clear, uninterrupted visibility, the saloon provides direct access to the open stern and deep platform, inviting guests to swim in the open waters, as well as making for an elegant space from which to receive guests from the tender.

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The aerial photo above reveals the scale of Home’s exterior spaces. Tender storage is provided via a foredeck crane, leaving the transom clear for guests to enjoy the large fixed swim platform. Right, a close-up of the double spray rails that adorn the bow

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Interior Design Cristiano Gatto, founder Cristiano Gatto Design

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n line with the owner’s brief, we created a consistent and memorable design. The owner had asked for an easy, clean design that matched his lifestyle, and put exterior views and landscapes into the foreground. It was not easy for us to create a design that was rich and simple, linear and extremely complex all at the same time. As the Owner requested, our design provides a sense of pared-down emptiness internally that allows outdoor vistas to take centre stage.

We succeeded in doing this by discarding conventions and introducing some seriously refreshing thinking.

We stripped away all unnecessary decorative elements and focused on what really needed to be there. Home’s interior is not about the lack of illustrative elements, but rather the careful choice of where and how to use them.

The colour scheme balances the yacht’s design, declutters it and helps it breathe. The basically two-tone palette features no less than 14 different hues of white. Fabrics, leathers, and lacquered surfaces are in polar white contrasting with the warmth of teak, while iconic deep red and burgundy pieces of loose furniture catch the eye and juice up the design. Two main veneers - brushed Spruce and grey Koto - are used in different finishes and hues throughout the yacht.

Conviviality is a major issue on board, so the bar on the

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Sun Deck, for instance, is a main socialising point. The Owner asked for a design feature that had both aesthetic and functional qualities. We designed a bar counter with an asymmetric, organic shape which gives character to the whole deck and acts as its focal point.

Throughout the yacht, linearity and clean design create a fresh and extremely relaxing atmosphere, as the Owner requested.

Home was a challenging yet very rewarding project for us.

Cristiano Gatto custom-designed a whole slew of Home’s furnishings. Above, a sketch for a bookcase with another drawing for a table to its left. Below, a coffee table. One of the most iconic pieces is the asymmetric, organic bar in the sky lounge (bottom left). It is made from natural acrylic stone (70 per cent natural stone powder, 25 per cent high-quality acrylic resin and 5 per cent natural pigments). The LED lighting system adds a touch of drama at night too

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The Shipyard Mark Cavendish, Director Sales and Marketing

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eesen believes passionately in marrying performance with efficiency. We do this in different ways. In the case of the 50m Home, the world’s first Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) with hybrid propulsion, this is achieved by combining diesel and electrical propulsion.

The result is a unique, high-performance, supremely quiet displacement yacht with reduced environmental impact. This stunning piece of technology is wrapped in an elegant design package with exterior lines

by Omega Architects and an interior design by Cristiano Gatto.

Project Nova was sold to her enthusiastic owner in July 2016, and was launched and christened Home in April 2017. The short delivery time is thanks to the fact that at Heesen we are able to start construction in anticipation of the market demand for hybrid propulsion. A sister ship is already in build. It is a great advantage to be able start building on speculation: it is one thing to have that technical knowledge on paper, but quite another to put it into practice.

The term ‘hybrid’ refers to a drivetrain that draws on two or more power sources for propulsion and hotel needs, commonly diesel engines and electric motors, which can be used together or individually. When we consider such systems, the emphasis is usually on energy saving and reducing emissions. This is relevant in a hybrid car, but hybrid propulsion at sea has a wider set of aims. From an owner’s perspective, the main advantage is the enhanced comfort that the option of silent cruising provides. And Home is exceptionally quiet. In the quest for quiet, some hybrid yacht systems provide silent power, but their output is usually limited to hotel loads when at anchor, which was not Heesen’s primary objective. We want to also cruise in silent mode.

Home’s exterior are characterised by a long waterline and floor‐to‐ ceiling windows. In fact, she has 33 per cent more external glass than previous 50m Heesen semi‐ displacements.

Page opposite, two of Home’s signatures: her sculptural bow and theatrical central staircase aft

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