Q&A with Guido de Groot
With the delivery of Timmerman Yachts' La Stella Dei Mari at the beginning of 2011, SuperyachtDesign caught up with Guido de Groot of Guido de Groot Design to hear about the project and the studio's ongoing collaboration with the Russian shipyard...…
Guido
de Groot
Holland-based Guido de Groot Design has a number of designs under development including a 31-metre trimaran for Finnish shipyard Mobimar, and two projects nearing completion: a 26-metre by Timmerman Yachts and Ginton's 40-metre. With the delivery of Timmerman Yachts' La Stella Dei Mari at the beginning of 2011, SuperyachtDesign caught up with founder and principal designer Guido de Groot to hear about the project and the studio's ongoing collaboration with the Russian shipyard.
SuperyachtDesign: How does La Stella Dei Mari differ from Victoria M?
Guido de Groot: La Stella Dei Mari is the second yacht in the Timmerman 33 series and is slightly longer than the first hull at 32.5-metres, as it has a longer swim platform. The first yacht, Victoria M, is a 31.5-metre vessel and has an extra exterior level with a bimini where you can sit in shade. However, with La Stella Dei Mari, one of the main exterior changes we made was to take this off to create a sleeker looking design. Instead it has a nice sun bathing area with a whirlpool. However, the interior layout and space has been kept the same with this model.
La Stella Dei Mari
SYD: As this yacht is based on the first model, how much freedom have you had in the design of the interior?
GDG: There was minimal scope here, as a lot of effort went into the first yacht and so most of the hard work was already done. The spec for both yachts was quite challenging because they are MCA compliant but we pushed the boundaries as far as we could and the spec is good for a yacht of this size.
The project started with a different client and when the new owner came on board we had to start the interior design process again. We had originally started doing a more modern look but the new client wanted an interior more like the first yacht. So we changed it back to the original style but softened the look by rounding off any sharp edges. We also reduced the number of wood species used, as the first build used a combination of six different woods, whereas we used a dark cherry wood on La Stella Dei Mari. The owner used his own decorator for the project, Andrey Frangulyan—an interior architect from Moscow.
The dining room on La Stella Dei Mari
SYD: What is the most notable design feature on this project?
GDG: I would say the main salon area, as it does not have a dining area but rather this has been situated towards the front of the yacht, offering great panoramic views over the bow. This in turn means you get a very nice and big salon with a separate bar. It also makes it more efficient for serving meals, as the bar and dining area are directly connected to the galley. This aids in the operation of the vessel and is more practical for the crew.
The main salon on La Stella Dei Mari
SYD: Were there any particular obstacles you had to overcome and if so, how did you overcome them?
GDG: Yes, in terms of construction—to make the vessel both water and fire proof, we pushed the boundaries as far as we could without over stepping the mark. There isn’t another yacht of this size that offers such a high spec while remaining completely MCA compliant. The yard fully supported our goal in doing this, as they were keen to push the level of quality as far as possible.
Another challenge was trying to fit all that we wanted within 30-metres, which was the original length agreed upon. However, we had to extend the yacht a little or face losing some of the interior features that we have managed to incorporate. As Timmerman target the Russian market, there is always a nice sauna area included towards the aft. Another feature of these yachts is that the tenders are always housed on the bridge deck, in order to offer more internal volume.
SYD: What input did the owner give during the creative process, if any?
GDG: The client’s wishes were outlined early on in the project and therefore there wasn’t much more to be added down the line. Our direct contact was with Andrey Frangulyan, however, project management was handled by Monaco-based Nakhimov, who also represented the client.
SYD: This is obviously not the first project you have done with Timmerman, what stands them apart from their competitors?
GDG: Timmerman Yachts was the first modern-day Russian yacht builder and I've worked with them for a very long time. Ten years ago we produced our first yacht together, Pallada, which was designed for Russian waters and is still based there. When the yard first started, the team enjoyed coming over to Holland to visit Dutch shipyards, as they wanted to achieve the same quality and standard produced here, and I believe the quality they produce is very good. Even the name of the yard was carefully thought about in order to convey quality. They decided on Timmerman as they wanted a name that links to Holland, and Mr Timmerman was a Dutch carpenter who taught Peter the Great how to build ships. So this seemed like a really good idea and it shows the link that they have to Dutch companies, using Dutch equipment and know-how to build their yachts.
SYD: Are you happy with the overall finish of La Stella Dei Mari?
GDG: Yeah, for sure.
SYD: Are there any future projects in the pipeline with Timmerman?
GDG: They are about to deliver a Timmerman 26-metre and there is still a Timmerman 26-metre under construction at the yard. We still have quite a few projects in Russia but a lot of shipyards in this market have slowed down a little. However, they are still running.
SYD: With Axonite and a 40-metre sloop under construction in Turkey, are we likely to see more sailing yachts from the studio in the future?
GDG: Yes. It is fun to do, especially the interior of a sailing yacht. Owners' of such vessels are a different type of client to motoryacht owners' and you have to think more practically.
SYD: Which do you prefer designing, the exterior of a sailing yacht or motoryacht? Or are you more of an interior designer?
GDG: From an exterior point of view, I prefer doing motoryachts, as I find these to be more interesting, or rather you are less limited in what you can do. However, I really enjoyed designing the exterior of Axonite, integrating all the functional elements into a nice and sleek design. I like doing sailing yachts and I hope I get more projects like this.
Related Links:
Guido de Groot Design - company profile
Timmerman Yachts - company profile
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