SYDW 2015 Day Three: Morning Highlights
Day three of SuperyachtDESIGN Week 2015 focussed on planetary protection. The morning brought with it a number of engaging and interactive sessions…
After the previous nights Wonderland themed party, which saw plenty of thirsts quenched, stomachs filled and contacts made, it was perhaps sensible that day three was shorter than the preceding two. Kicking off a day woven together by the thread of ‘Planetary Protection’ was a keynote speech on sustainable design by Arturo Vittori, co-founder and director of Architecture and Vision.
A proponent of efficiency and sustainable design, Vittori factors these elements into all his work regardless of which industry the work pertains to. Guests were intrigued as to how this can affect the superyacht industry. "Each industry has something to learn and gain from each other. It is by looking outside each one that we can bring something new in”, he explained.
Arturo Vittori: Sustaining Design
Concluding positively and leaving delegates with a taste of when not if, Vittori rounded off a wonderfully optimistic start to the day. "It isn't so much a question of should the yacht industry design more in line with nature, but actually sitting down and discovering ways in which we can make it a possibility".
Following Vittoris eloquent and thought provoking start to the day - and a brief recess for refreshment - it was on again to the workshops. The Altfield showroom played host for AkzoNobel's Colour Trends interactive session. Surrounded by vibrant patterns and print, Stephie Sijssens, colour trends analyst for AkzoNobel, led the SYDW guests on a journey through the complex world of colour trend forecasting. Looking at the automotive, consumer technology and marine industries.
Marnix Hoekstra inspects a colour pallet: Colour Trends
Rory Marshall, marine coatings consultant for Newmar Overseas, joined Sijssens to discuss how colour trends are making their way into the superyacht world. "It's been white or blue for as long as I can remember", Marshall joked describing how gradually yachts and their designers are branching out with the colours used throughout the design process, "the pace has now accelerated'. Maybe the Monaco of years to come will be a myriad of colourful yachts, colours that brighten and darken a view, colours that allow owners to express themselves.
York Ilgner: Re-Thinking Refit
Like all projects, planning is crucial to ensuring mistakes are avoided, budgets are kept and delivery times are met. With a fleet growing in length, what does the future look like for the refit sector and how can the refit of a vessel be improved? This was the focus of a workshop, held in J. Robert Scott's showroom, led by York Ilgner, director of Yacht Refits at Blohm+Voss.
"The most important aspect of a refit is in the preparation and project management," said Ilgner. "It is important when a yacht is created that the designer takes into consideration that there will be changes in the future. Additional systems and toys are incorporated in a vessel later in its life and the design of the yacht can help this process by providing adequate access where possible." Ilgner also stressed the importance of effectively educating an owner as to the costs he will incur, be it time or money they lose.
Jonathan Rhoades: Meet the Designer
Rounding out the Meet the Designer Q & A series at SuperyachtDESIGN Week 2015, partner and director at Rhoades Young, Jonathan Rhoades shared his design experiences, talked about the boutique studio they run and answered questions from a full room of delegates.
“We really don't even have a house style!" Rhoades justified to the crowd. Gaining inspiration from a number of unique places, Rhoades explained that if a client asked for a period yacht, they might spend time at the Victoria and Albert museum or exploring other items, places and inspirations from that time to ensure they are getting a real feel for a certain time period or theme. "We want to truly understand why furniture was designed the way it was or how objects were created from different times. It needs to be a fully encompassing experience".
Fuel for the Future
An excellent concluding technical workshop assembled Fincantieri's Andrea Ivaldi, Imtech's Peter Rampen and Feadship's Ronno Schouten to discuss the future composition of superyacht fuel. What was a wonderfully interactive session was also the platform for Ivaldi to premiere the Italian yard's new FC SWATH 75 concept, a local zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell design.
Unfortunately, he said, the IMO has overlooked sustainable energy solutions in its latest IGF code meeting and it is the fact that there are no specific regulations in place that is stifling client confidence in these fuels of the future. It was agreed by all that the next five years will be a period of great change in the area of superyacht fuel, so far as innovation, regulation and classification.
Click here to read highlights from the afternoon of day three.
SuperyachtDESIGN Week is proudly sponsored by
Gold level: Awlgrip and Blohm+Voss Shipyards. Silver level: Clyde & Co and OceanLED. Bronze level: Hacker-Craft, Heirlooms, RINA, SA Baxter Architectural Hardware and ZEZ Fabric
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