(Original title: Glass bottomed pools and a SNOW room: Designers retrieved what it's like to build ￡ 100m superyachs for the world's most demanding customers)
Introduction: Working for the richest 1% in the world is never an easy experience. After all, such customers who have enough spare money to buy a super yacht to play on, their money can not be earned by leisure. (Source: Daily Mail Translator: Li Ruqing)
Galactica Super Nova The rich clients of yacht designers are usually politicians, billionaires and high-level celebrities. Usually, as customers, they are as strict as you think.
The pursuit of hoping that every small request of the customer can be met led the yacht interior designer Cristiano Gatto to say this immortal sentence (he may soon regret saying this): "There is no mission that can not be completed in the world". At that time, he was designing a Heesen with a length of 164 feet (about 50 meters) Cruzy Me.
The super customers of yacht designers are politicians, billionaires, celebrities and celebrities. As yacht consumers, their requirements are as stringent as you imagine. Above is the outdoor bath of the 154 foot yacht "Ariana", which has a continuous supply of hot water and a waterfall like water ladder. Image source: Jeff Brown/Breed Media
He pointed out that they tried to meet the customer's requirements for installing glass stairs on the yacht. Every step of the stairs was a light that could be lit. In addition, he recalled their discussions in the shipyard.
He said: "It is really difficult to design such a yacht, but we will do our best. It is indeed expensive, but we will always turn it into reality. The design process is really hard, but we can do it." So they succeeded, because as long as the customer needs, they will achieve for the customer.
"The owners of yachts are certainly not ordinary customers." Pascale Reymond, from Reymond Langton Design, explained: "The people who can afford this kind of boat must be very smart. Therefore, as yacht designers, they deal with some very talented people. These talented customers are accustomed to high-quality services." "This is a challenge. You must be quick and decisive. This kind of customers usually think very quickly and are very demanding," Ramon added.
This means that if a customer asks for a room where they can see real snowflakes, or for a mini submarine on their yacht, or for an underwater garage to park their Ferrari - to be honest, this will make James Bond jealous - but no matter what they want, they will be satisfied.
Dickie Bannenberg is the award-winning designer of Bannenberg&Rowell Yacht Design Studio. He thinks that the customer's tricky challenges are very agreeable to him.
Dickie of Bannenberg&Rowell? Banleberg said: "Yacht owners have different tastes for yachts." The above picture shows the deck of Heesen's Lady Petra yacht. Image source: Jeff Brown/Breed Media
As the son of legendary yacht designer Jon Bannenberg, it is no exaggeration to say that Dickie was born to design yachts.
He said, "I am my father's son, and I am used to it. I grew up in such an environment. I used to go to the shipyard with him, and he would also bring some customers home for dinner. I am very familiar with such interpersonal communication and the visual image of things."
"As a yacht designer, you must integrate what you have seen and heard, such as the part from diplomats, the part from psychologists, and the part from life instructors," he said.
He said: "This is a very personal journey, which takes about three to four years. We need to find out every detail, so that we can predict what we will create. For example, how do you fold T-shirts? Which side of the bed do you sleep on? Do you like to eat at home or eat out? Who are your friends? What do you like to eat before dinner? "
"These are smart people. They have great achievements and are used to doing things in their own way. You have to be a strategic person, but when you disagree, you must disagree. You need to know when to speak for yourself and when to let go." He continued.
"Every cool and simple interior decoration will be rejected because of agate and faucets without nickel or chrome plating." The above figure is an aerial view of Heesen Ariana. The folding tailgate that can be unfolded downward has been built into a swimming platform. Image source: Jeff Brown/Breed Media
In the end, it will be the yacht of the owner, not the designer. He explained: "You must remember this. Designing a ship is a pleasant process for both of us. You have a moral responsibility to make this experience as pleasant and memorable as possible. If you fail to do so, you will fail."
The pressure of yacht designer comes not only from the designer's desire to create a perfect work, but also from his pursuit to complete the work strictly before the deadline.
"This is a very serious problem." Raymond explained: "You have reserved your time in the shipyard, and then you must go out within the specified time. An 80 meter (262 foot) powered yacht may take four years to build, and you cannot extend the construction time. In the shipyard, you can hardly leave the ship. You can't keep delaying the project, not like a house architect. "
The discipline and technical requirements of yacht design mean that the nature of the industry itself determines its exclusiveness. Only about 10 companies in the world can accept such projects. "What we are involved in is the highest level of technology," Raymond said.
"This is more challenging than designing a house. The ceiling of the yacht is very low, and the room is not as big as an ordinary house. You can see every detail. There is no shortcut anywhere, and it must be very perfect."
The yacht hop yacht school in the port of Monaco shows a corner of the yacht world carnival (right). Heesen 164 feet (about 50 meters) long yacht deck (left). Image source: Jeff Brown/Breed Media
The yacht design industry is dominated by a small number of elites, most of whom are from Britain. "All the top yacht designers are from the UK, and many craftsmen from small companies also choose to make things in the UK." Raymond said: "And although most shipyards have moved overseas, almost all yacht brokers are from the UK."
"This is very beneficial for the UK. Yacht design is a very serious industry, which has created more jobs for the UK. We are really at the top of this industry, even if we no longer actually build these ships."
"Indeed, rather than think of the yacht design industry as such a bad thing, let's think about how much it has brought to Britain," she stressed.
If most yacht designers are based in the UK, it can be said that their customers are much more international than they are.
"This is a bit of archaeological excavation," Dickie said. "You can see the changes of countries that are keen to buy yachts over the years."
The industry is dominated by a few elites, many of whom are from Britain. The above picture shows the breakfast on the yacht Asya. Image source: David Churchill
The largest consumer group of yachts has experienced ups and downs with the change of the world economy. In the 60s and 70s, the largest consumer groups were mostly Greek and Middle Eastern customers, followed by the U.S. West Coast telecom giants, followed by Russia and Ukraine. As the Western countries put in place new sanctions against Russia after the Crimea issue, they also gradually subsided, but before that, they changed the whole yacht world.
"Before the sudden rise of the Russian market, 50-60m yachts were also considered as large yachts," Raymond said: "The Russian people quickly built 80m, 90m, 100mga and other yachts, and the output was huge."
"Russian customers have indeed raised the standard of yachts. They are often very young, well-educated and don't like second-hand goods. They hope everything they get is fast and good. If there were no Russians, the industry would certainly be much smaller than it is now," she added.
With the rise and fall of the world economy, the largest consumer group of yachts. In the 1960s and 1970s, Greece and the Middle East were the main consumers, followed by the U.S. telecommunications giant on the west coast, which replaced them. Now, the supremacy of yacht consumption has given way to Russia and Ukraine. The picture above shows a Klkea yacht in progress, which is priced at $62 million. Source: Bannenberg&Rowell Design
Interior view of the swimming pool deck of Klkea yacht: the project was completed by Shackleton Superyachts&International Shipbuilders Vard and Bannenberg&Rowell Design. Image source: Bannenberg&Rowell Design
Today, more and more people become billionaires in the Internet industry in the United States because they make money through technology in Silicon Valley. In addition, the markets in China and Hong Kong are also growing. So, will this change in the main countries of customers affect the design inspiration of yachts?
According to Raymond, this is not as simple as we thought. "It is not a good thing to summarize the general preferences of various countries," she explained: "Some people prefer classic styles, while others prefer modern ones. This is not a matter of time or country, but a matter of customer preferences."
Indeed, as young customers who advocate new technologies continue to pour into the market, they are likely to bring aesthetic needs different from those of Saudi oil billionaires at the age of 70. Under the impact of this new wave of young American customers, Dickie has realized this.
Jon Bannenberg designed the 433 foot "Rising Sun" yacht for Lawrence Ellison, the founder of Oracle, who is at the peak of the telecommunications boom in the United States. Image source: ALAMY
Technology giants such as Lawrence Ellison (left), the founder of Oracle, and the late Steve Jobs (right), the founder of Apple, changed the design status of yachts. Dickie said: "In fact, when it comes to designing those guys, it is more challenging, adventurous and exploratory." Photo source: ALAMY
Dickie's father, Joe, was Larry, the founder of Oracle? Larry Elliso built a 433 foot yacht called Rising Sun. At that time, it was the peak of the prosperity of the telecommunications industry in the United States, and then the prosperity of the telecommunications industry was quickly replaced by the technology and Internet boom. It happened that Dickie's own customers were rich in the technology Internet market.
"When it comes to designers, as the name implies, these guys are more challenging, adventurous and have more sharp eyes than us," he said.
Dickie added: "Many of our customers are much younger than me. They have made a lot of money in the technology industry, which is really frustrating."
"They are today's planners. This is a younger, more complex and delicate market, and most people in the market are also more design minded. In addition, they have a deeper appreciation of excellent and modern design."
Of course, he said that there are still several companies doing traditional yachts with the shape of "mahogany, curtain curtain decoration", especially in the United States. "It is eternal," he said, "but there are many people who are keen to break the convention, and from the perspective of designers, it is very valuable."
Dickie Bannenberg pointed out that the newly emerging high-tech billionaires are very young, and they make the yacht market more complex. These customers are more proficient in design and have a good aesthetic appreciation of contemporary design. Above is the "Sunrise" yacht.
With this group of younger and more design minded people, there comes more desire for light, yacht space sense and more pursuit of "indoor outdoor applicability" lifestyle.
"In terms of structure, they make more use of glass, which makes the yacht look more transparent and provides more freedom in terms of architecture," he said.
"And now customers have come up with a requirement to establish a stronger connection with the sea - such as beach clubs, swimming platforms and folding balconies. The space outside the yacht also needs more design."
Heesen's latest "Haute Couture" yacht, the 230 foot (about 70 meters) Galactica Super Nova yacht with three decks, will be unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show in September. Image source: Heesen Images
On Galactica Super Nova, the swimming pool under the glass has its own waterfall, allowing natural light to spill into the beach club below. Image source: Heesen Images
"In the past, it was very common to build a formal restaurant indoors, but now 95% of people prefer to eat outdoors," he said.
This is very luxurious for space utilization, and one yacht contains all these elements, that is, Heesen's latest "Haute Couture" yacht. This yacht has three floors and is 70 meters long. It is called Galactica Super Nova and made its debut on the Monaco yacht show not long ago.
A glass bottomed infinity pool equipped with waterfalls allows natural light to flow into the beach club below (there is an LED wall in the club with music flashing constantly), and the tailgate is low against the sea level to form a swimming platform.
Steve Jobs' $200 million super yacht "Venus" (above) had not been completed before his death. The cruise ship was designed by UBIK, a design company owned by Philippe Starck, and architectural glass was used aggressively in the design. Image source: ALAMY
Part of the design of "Venus" was completed by Apple store staff, and its smooth white lines echo the aesthetic view of Apple designers. Image source: Woodsholeinn via instagram
Steve Jobs' yacht, named Venus, was designed by UBIK, a design company owned by Philippe Starck, and used architectural glass very aggressively in the design. It is not surprising that such a design is from the shape of the Apple store, but Jobs could not see the complete yacht before his death. Indeed, some parts are designed by people who work in Apple stores.
We must not take this as evidence, however, the days of interior gilding and mahogany panels have been far behind. "There is such a diversity of preferences in the circle of yacht owners," Dickie said. "Every cool and simple interior decoration will be rejected because of agate and no nickel or chrome plated faucets."
Of course, luxury yachts always attract those of us who don't have yachts.
In summer, the coastline of Riviera is full of large floating meeting halls, which are more than 6 stories high. The vivid underwater lighting at the bottom of the boat lights up the sea around the yacht.
In 2013, Beyonce and Jay-Z were on a Galactica Star super luxury yacht from Spain to Italy. This trip was to celebrate Beyonce's 32nd birthday. Photo source: Splash, Beyonce Instagram
The rental fee is estimated to cost 350000 dollars, which does not include the cost of fuel, food, tips, or the 15 liter bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne they brought on the boat. Image source: Heesen Yachts
Dickie, as a designer, always said that Galactica Star yacht has a "strange but magnetic attraction" for luxury brand Ibiza. The yacht's "modern and interesting" atmosphere and sleek and colorful appearance almost doomed it to be a party yacht. Image source: Heesen Yachts
In 2013, Beyonce and Jay-Z were photographed renting Galactica Star in the Mediterranean. Galactica Star is a 213 foot long three deck yacht designed and produced by Dickie for Heesen. It was originally designed for Beyonce's 32nd birthday party.
The rental fee is estimated to cost 350000 dollars, which does not include the cost of fuel, food, tips or the 15 liter bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne they brought on the boat. They rented a yacht to hold a crazy luxury trip from Spain to Italy.
The yacht itself was built by Heesen according to specifications. Dickie, as a designer, always said that this yacht has a "strange but magnetic attraction" for the luxury brand Ibiza. The yacht's "modern and interesting" atmosphere and sleek and colorful appearance almost doomed it to be a party yacht.
High end "toys" hold obvious attraction. It is very common to equip yachts with speedboats, motorboats and even helicopters. Raymond recalls that she designed the interior of a mini submarine that can dive down from the yacht, while Super Galaxy is equipped with an amphibious motorboat, which is equipped with tires so that it can run on land.
Top class gym, vertical paddle board, fully equipped spa, all the things you can find in a five-star hotel are very standard accessories on a super yacht.
This 213 foot (50 meter) three-layer yacht can be chartered by 1% of the richest people in the world to travel around the Mediterranean Sea. Image source: Heesen Yachts
One of Raymond's customers wanted a snow house, that is, a house with snow in it.
"One customer said that he hoped that there would be a place on the yacht where they could enjoy real snowflakes," said Raymond. She also said in her usual casual tone that it was not a luxury to have a room on the yacht where they could enjoy real snowflakes.
She said: "When you think of your customers coming from a cold country, such as Russia, they are used to hot springs and ice fountains, which are very common there. Some people think that it seems very unlikely to see fresh and beautiful snowflakes on a yacht, but when looking out of the window, they find that the sun and people in swimsuits are also quite surreal."
According to Dickie, the special object that can represent him in all his designs is a customized cigar table, which Dickie designed for the customer's study. The material is tobacco leaves.
A cigar box can be hydraulically lifted from the middle of the table, and a cigar knife is placed in the ultra-thin drawer after it is opened. "This is a great pleasure on the emotional level, as well as on the technical level."
He said: "It's a great opportunity for me to create something like this. It's also a great opportunity to have the freedom to design and manufacture it. As a designer, it's very exciting."
They said that ostentation is an exception, not a normal state.
Raymond explained: "Yachts always fail to perform well." It is not just a floating discotheque or a boat used by people to hold parties in southern France (you will find that those yachts are always rented. But for more people, their yachts are their homes).
Pascal Raymond said that the most important thing for every designer is to remember that what he designs is a home that can move around the world. Above: Galactica Star
This makes the whole industry "unbelievable". She said, "Yachts are a beautiful thing. You are designing a home inside and outside, but this home can move around the world."
"Yachts can take you to New York, Boston and the Bahamas, but no matter where you are in the world or in which country, you can wake up in the same bedroom, and you can still enjoy your usual food and clothing. Your home has taken you to all parts of the world," she added.
It can be a home, but the yacht is ultimately an excellent shipping tool, and it must be built to withstand the harsh and arduous crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
When the summer in southern France is coming to an end, the contents of the yacht will be carefully packed by the crew. That is to prepare for crossing the Atlantic Ocean to warmer Caribbean waters, where many people will spend winter.
It is indeed a home, but it is always a luxury yacht, which needs to withstand all kinds of bad conditions from crossing the Atlantic Ocean, explained a luxury yacht expert. Above, the swimming pool deck of the Kilkea yacht. Image source: Bannenberg&Rowell Design
The process of preparing for the transatlantic journey takes weeks, and customers rarely do it themselves.
All works of art that were not nailed to the wall were removed and packed into boxes. Vases and sculptures are protected by special molds. The furniture not fixed on the floor will be protected, and most other large pieces of furniture have been nailed and screwed into the ground.
Other large items - especially the grand piano - must be properly protected. "We have all heard about the dinner table, or I dare say, the horror story of the piano, which tumbled through the main hall and destroyed everything he met." Dickie said, "Protecting it is the main task of the whole process. On a more general level, it is to push all the dinner chairs together and try to tie them with protective ropes. This is very routine. "
Even the room itself can be dismantled if necessary. No matter how luxurious the interior of the yacht is, it can be dismantled and moved off the boat one by one. In fact, they are often assembled in factories elsewhere before being taken to the yacht, disassembled and reinstalled on board.
No matter how luxurious the interior of the yacht is, it can be dismantled and moved off the boat one by one. Next. Above, Aysa yacht Photo source: David Churchill
To achieve high performance and speed without sacrificing the shape of the yacht, designers need to have very professional knowledge. Everything is made of a very light matrix and uses the same kind of honeycomb material. This material is usually used in aircraft manufacturing. In addition, marble is cut to only 3 mm thick. It doesn't look like a thick piece cut from a solid at all. This technology requires real craftsmanship to achieve success.
The decoration installed on the 72 meter long Predator was described by Dickie as "a thick piece of black and gold marble with zebra wood grain", but it can be lifted with two fingers. The 65 meter long Ann G in Heesen has an agate bathroom, and its white marble main hall could not be used without cladding. "The trick is to make it look like it has weight, so that people will not think it is light," Dickie said.
When the owner was immersed in the luxury decoration of the marble cladding on the upper floor of the yacht, the real luxury was running downstairs. A yacht is a "mini city". As Raymond pointed out, the bigger the yacht, the more staff it needs. A 100 meter yacht with 16 guests needs 50 staff, including cooks, maintenance personnel, spa staff, gym coaches, helicopter pilots, etc. In addition, there are more staff members you can't imagine. They only exist to provide better services. These workers have their own cabins on the lower deck, but they must maintain a "invisible" state in front of the ship owner, Raymond said.
The service on the yacht should surpass the five-star hotel. The above picture shows the yacht passengers diving on the Aurelia yacht. Image source: M Morrell
"The service on the yacht must be impeccable," Raymond commented: "At least it must reach the level of five-star hotels, which is the worst situation. Usually the service on the yacht is better than five-star hotels. But the ship owner does not want to see the staff on the ship very much. When you want to have a drink, they must appear, and then leave immediately without your reminding. This is an unbelievable level of service. "
The crew on board must keep the ship in perfect condition. "They spend most of their time cleaning," she said.
Some yacht employees come from a special training school in Morocco, but most of the more experienced employees come from large hotel training schools, or grow up step by step after starting to work on the boat.
This is a job that requires high professional knowledge and high requirements. Yacht designers fully understand the pressure and feelings of yacht employees, and serve the most demanding people in the world. Only those with strong will can stay at their posts all the time.
However, as Raymond said, this is an ideal job for those who have a travel addiction. "They can be well paid, they eat well, and food and uniforms are included. If you want to travel around the world, this is a very interesting job, and you won't get tired of working for years."
To be honest, it doesn't sound bad at all, even if we haven't experienced a snowhouse.
Then where can I apply for boarding?
