Lateral Naval Architects, in collaboration with British international architecture firm, Foster + Partners, has unveiled Outlier, a new 88.5-metre platform which it says is designed to disrupt conventions in the 2,000 GT segment.

“Outlier is more than a platform, it’s an invitation to rethink a yacht from the inside out,” says Ollie Cooper, senior naval architect at Lateral Naval Architects. “It enables designers and owners to imagine spaces differently and explore new possibilities.”

Most yachts at this size, around 75 to 78 metres LOA, fit within what Lateral calls the “baseline” of a 17-knot top speed, a range of 5,500nm and importantly, a double-height engine room located amidships. This layout uses up valuable space, hinders lower deck configurations and places noisy machinery at the centre of the vessel.

Outlier suggests an alternative. Building on Lateral’s Ultra-Efficient Hull series, the 88.5-metre platform is said to offer a 16 per cent increase in length within the 85-metre load line limit, while using 20 per cent less power and achieving 17 per cent lower fuel consumption. By repositioning the machinery forward, enabled by an electric-hybrid system with a 4.0 Mwh battery installation, Lateral claims to unlock uninterrupted lower decks, quieter guest spaces, and improved comfort amidships.

Design freedom is another of the stated goals, as the longer hull and redistributed machinery create up to 40 per cent more exterior space, while internal routing of exhaust systems allows for greater flexibility in the yacht’s profile.

To demonstrate the potential, Lateral consulted Foster + Partners, who created Outlier I, a design concept aimed at showcasing how a 2,000 GT yacht could feature attributes typically found on vessels exceeding 5,000 GT.

The proposal emphasises connectivity between decks and spaces, featuring unobstructed exterior areas and reimagined guest accommodations designed to enhance both privacy and social interaction.

And although developed with the 2,000 GT market in mind, Lateral says the concept can be scaled down to 1,500 GT or even 950 GT, bringing the same technical backbone to smaller formats. The firm is ultimately looking to push the boundaries and debate over whether the long-standing “baseline” still defines what a yacht in this bracket should be.

A scale model is being presented at the Monaco Yacht Show this week.

Profile links

Lateral Naval Architects

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here.