QUART ERLY - P.I. 31/10 /2019 Intern ationa l € 10, Chf 10,50 , UK £ 7,50 Poste Italian e S.p.a. Spedizione in Abbon amento Postale - 70% - LO/MI
N A C R E I S S U E
The Art of Sailing
80m Dragon Col umbus Yachts brand of Palum bo Superyachts
• n° 2 0 • 2 0 1 9
NACRE ISSUE - n° 20 - 201 9 - € 10
[ CREATIVE MINDS: NAUTA DESIGN ]
THE SEA AT YOUR FINGER TIPS by Désirée Sormani 64
Nauta Design is a Milan-based studio founded in 1995 by Mario Pedol (left) and Massimo Gino. It was an offshoot of Nauta Yacht, a brand that has been working right across the board in the nautical industry since 1985. It started out in building sailing yachts but also offers brokerage services. Nauta Design’s drawing boards have produced spectacular sailers of the likes of the magnificent Baltics My Song and Nikata, and the Lßrssen Azzam, which, at 180 metres, is the world’s largest private yacht
This could well be the mantra of Nauta Design, one of the most eclectic studios on the yacht design scene. Now the clever and innovative 78m Slipstream is a neat encapsulation of its mission to bring people and nature together
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[ CREATIVE MINDS ]
T
hey’ve done it all from the world’s largest private yacht to elegant, performance sailers, tenders, chase boats and imposing explorers capable of venturing to the world’s most remote regions. And they’ve worked with both leading international yards and private clients of all
kinds from the ultra-competitive to the most laid back. Nauta Design is one of the most eclectic studios on the international design scene, a standard-bearer for Italian creativity that has been making the sailing dreams of well-heeled owners come true for over three decades. All of its sailing yachts have their own character, personality and signature: an unmistakeable elegance always matched by a certain athleticism. Ten years or so ago, the studio also began designing motoryachts, bringing a unique sensibility to the area perhaps influenced in no small measure by its sailing background. Now, having produced thousands of metres of boats of all kinds and sizes, it feels only natural to ask whether its team feels most comfortable designing motor or sailing craft. “Both - in terms of experience, ability and creativity,” says Nauta Design president Mario Pedol. “But it doesn’t take any huge effort sailing-wise because we have such a well-established reputation. In the motor arena, we are competing with the big design names that only work in that segment and have a solid position on that market. Let’s just say that that is our challenge right now. We are involved in a lot of tender competitions and we do actually win some. But the sailing world is part of our DNA. We are almost all sailors ourselves anyway”. He goes on to say: “You can see that in our motor work too as we pour all our skills and megayachtrelevant styling exercises into it. For instance, we know that what makes people happiest is contact with the sea and nature. So that is our mantra”. This is something the studio has been focusing on since 2007, the year it presented the Nauta Project Light 180m, one of the first yachts centred around lightness, transparency and harmony with nature. A boat in which the interconnection between interior and exterior spaces – currently so on trend in megayachts – made its first appearance. But there were precursors even to that. “We like to make that contact felt even inside, by creating very simple spaces that are full of atmosphere – very much like a home,” says Pedol. Those concepts have become even more clearly defined in the new 78m Slipstream. Spread over
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The 78m Slipstream is clothed in clean lines that are raked in certain areas to lower her proportions and bring occupants closer to the sea. Her beach area is a circular indooroutdoor affair, thanks to open-out platforms. A large six-metre pool on the swim platform is another new addition. Below left, the interior of the beach area with the Nemo Lounge and its underwater views, right
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[ CREATIVE MINDS ]
The master deck has an entirely private al fresco area forward. This is a genuine
five decks, the latter is wrapped in exceptionally clean lines
suite rather than just a stateroom. Very much like a loft, it can be fully enjoyed
which work to lower its proportions and keep guests even
and has lots of different areas. Below, the two Italian designers, who work with
closer to the water.
the leading international yards on craft of all kinds
Aesthetics and function are cleverly balanced to reflect Nauta Design’s philosophy. This is true in particular of the upper deck, which is also the master deck with a private area forward. Indeed, the suite goes well beyond a mere cabin to become a refuge where owners can fully relax and enjoy themselves and the space. “Another example is the saloon on the main deck which has large vertical windows from which guests can enjoy views of the outside world. Most interesting of all though is the beach area. It is not just big but also completely open, a real sea platform that becomes even larger when the side hatches are opened, creating a circular indoor-outdoor route and completely immersing users in nature. That is why we call it the ‘island’, in fact,” continues Pedol. “Another original feature is the ‘Nemo Room’, a lower area of the beach club with underwater views providing a tantalising glimpse of the undersea world. Skylights alternate with artificial lighting to create a feeling a great light throughout and there is literally glass everywhere. Plus lots of quiet corners, sunken areas very much like the cockpits on sailing yachts. These feel cosy and private, once again taking the centre of gravity of life aboard back to sea level. Which is the whole point of the design, of course”. www.nautadesign.it
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