DESIGN-DRIVEN INNOVATION: AVANT GARDE 50M SUPERYACHT UNDER 500GT

The reduced regulatory framework for superyachts under 500GT offers a significant opportunity for a greater percentage of interior volume to be assigned to guest activities, due to a reduction in both crew area requirements and fire insulation and the absence of certain requirements such as an emergency generator. There has been growth in the value of the superyacht charter market in recent years, with the 30m-50m segment representing 58% of the market in 2013. In 2012 33% of the World's superyachts were delivered to Europe with Loa averaging 42.5m. Therefore, there is market opportunity for a privately owned yacht built with consideration to generate the maximum possible income when chartered. Clients expect to have their emotional needs fulfilled to elicit feelings of luxury and pleasure. The design challenge here is to address the cultural specificities of luxury for a range of potential charter clients. Adaptability of space is critical to facilitate a range of user activities through optimising the reduced space is the sub 500GT segment. This paper presents a design proposal which engages in Design-Driven Innovation, resulting in an avant garde vessel, which effectively engages in a range of roles through the use of transformable interior space, which has a reconfigurable layout combined with a highly adaptable exterior space. This is in contrast to current designs, which tend to have a linear approach to the usability of a vessel through elements that can add valuable extra client space, such as platforms that unfurl. Due to the sub 500GT interior volume being stretched over 50 m, the resulting superstructure is sleek and well proportioned. The styling is fluid and biomimetic, resulting in an elegant dynamic form, which is in contrast to the more architectural forms of contemporary vessels. Due to the vast amounts of exterior space it is aimed at the high net worth owner who prefers to cruise the warmer climates such as the Mediterranean, resulting in a yacht more suited to outdoor leisure usage. The sundeck canopy is a biomimetic design feature, which is partly constructed from ETFE. This facilitates Passive Design implementation through the heating effect of air trapped in the leaf like structure, which promotes the stack effect air flow from the interior, reducing the HVAC load. The design proposal addresses the sustainable luxury agenda through the implementation of Passive Design, and the use of a transformable interior layout to achieve a high degree of space utilisation, thus providing a range of user activities emulating the experience of a larger vessel.