It is no coincidence that Italy is the home of fashion and design. The latter sector also attracts the attention of foreign designers: “I have always been fascinated by Milan’s rich design heritage,” says Jozeph Forakis, who has his studio in the Lombard capital and also designs boats for CL Yachts. “My approach to yacht design is rooted in the city’s tradition, characterized by aesthetic simplicity and functional innovation, and combines with my American education attracted by cutting-edge technologies.”

But sometimes it is even the artistic sector that sets the course for some designers. Cristiano Gatto reveals: “My design philosophy is intertwined with the art that I breathed in at the Academy, during my years of training. In Venice I find inspiration in its streets, here the sounds of the ancient workshops still echo, where art and craftsmanship are combined”.

Craftsmanship is the common denominator of yachting. “In Ancona, the Superyacht Yard is a strategic and productive site that perfectly represents the know-how, design and care in naval design,” explains Stefano de Vivo, CCO of Ferretti Group, which has a unique portfolio of seven brands: Ferretti Yachts, Riva, Pershing, Itama, CRN, Custom Line and Wally.

“Here take shape the super and megayachts CRN in metal up to 90 metres, the entire made-to-measure range Custom Line, from 30 to 43 metres in composite, and the Branded flagship super yachts entirely in aluminium: the 50-metre Riva Superyacht Division, the 50-metre Custom Line and the Pershing 140”.

The generation of contemporary yachts is beautiful and elegant in its lines, but not only that: it is rational in the distribution of spaces that are customized to the maximum. "Curiosity and a taste for innovation have led me to experiment with new territories, developing a business model focused on a custom-made and experiential approach", says the designer Luca Dini.

Thus, design studios and shipyards themselves are transformed into haute couture ateliers. “Our reality has a strong inclination towards custom construction,” says Guido Orsi, marketing manager of Tankoa. A process that involves a long line of experts called upon to bring equally bespoke elements on board.

"Designing to measure to maximize the wellness experience of the client and their guests is an imperative," explains Fabio Signorelli of Edilfare Piscine, which brings spectacular swimming pools on board yachts. "On board as on land, the swimming pool becomes a place where you can relax in total privacy, in the name of wellness."

Customizing means aiming for excellence: “It means balance between the beauty of the product and technical, functional and performance contents”, specifies Alessandro De Pascalis, Head of Style & Design Maiora and AB Yachts.

And this happens in large yachts but today also on small boats like J Craft which focuses on unparalleled customization: “Each hull is a unique creation, according to the customer's specifications, and combines sophisticated design elements and high performance,” says Radenko Milakovich, owner of the Nordic shipyard.

The watchword is to make the client's dream come true. "The project is born only by listening to their story: our motto is I Am My Home", says Francesca Muzio, founder of FM Architettura. "The project is always the result of cultural contamination. Whether it's a yacht or a residence, the approach to design begins with a dialogue".

Man is therefore at the centre of the project even on board, so that he can experience that sense of intrinsic freedom in sailing, in stylish environments and in contact with nature.

Luca Bassani, Founder and Chief Designer of Wally, knows this well, a designer of boats that for 30 years have been ahead of their time and fashions, establishing new parameters in nautical design: “The aft terrace on the main deck has always been rooted in Wally’s DNA, as is carbon fibre and the feeling of connection with the sea”.

And if we talk about innovation, this “will be one of the drivers of growth in the coming years of Cantiere del Pardo”, guarantees the Chief Strategy Officer, Marcello Veronesi, “thanks also to the entry of the Oniverse Group at the helm of the company”.

Today, boats are dream villas, with finishes and furnishings selected with the best offered by Italian companies in the name of versatility to create new living spaces. "Flexibility is particularly appreciated by our owners, the layout of our boats offers different configurations." comments Maurizio Balducci, CEO of Overmarine.

There are also those who are studying new solutions, such as Bernardo Zuccon, of Zuccon International Project, who says: “As an architect I am focusing on research to improve the quality of life on board. Not because I want to transform boats into houses: I am working on the typological concept. Today you can no longer propose the layouts of boats from the 1980s: you have to work on the space”.

This is how new and original interiors are born, such as those on board the Sanlorenzo 50Steel, the first yacht with a green methanol fuel cell system for on-board energy: “With this launch, Sanlorenzo is celebrating a fundamental stage in its history,” says Cav. Massimo Perotti, President and CEO of the Sanlorenzo Group. “We embrace cutting-edge solutions not only in design, but also in the fields of technology and sustainability.”

A challenge taken up by the Group also with the Blugame brand, which has launched tenders for two teams of the 37th America's Cup powered exclusively by hydrogen and with zero emissions. "The exclusive use of hydrogen as a propulsion system represents a novelty for all recreational boating", comments Carla Demaria, CEO Bluegame.

Other major players in the nautical sector are working to align themselves with the objectives of the United Nations Agenda 2030 to achieve zero emissions by 2050.

Like Baglietto, which this year celebrates 170 years of activity. “Knowing how to look ahead has always been in our DNA,” says CEO Diego Michele Deprati. “Today we talk about hydrogen, ammonia, methanol as alternative sources of propulsive energy. We are in the game with hydrogen. We recently inaugurated the first station of the BZero project.”

Thinking green is a moral duty towards future generations. Azimut knows this well, with its new series of boats that are the result of twenty years dedicated to research and sustainable innovation. “With Seadeck 6 we wanted to set a new starting point for future generations,” says Giovanna Vitelli, President of Azimut|Benetti. “We have always been pioneers of innovation in our sector and, with this new boat, we want to chart a course that will be an inspiration for the entire industry.”

The growing interest in sustainability and reducing environmental impact does not mean compromising luxury and quality: “On the contrary,” says Giuseppina Arena, founder of the eponymous studio, “aesthetic level, functionality and fluidity of spaces blend harmoniously with advanced technological solutions. And great attention to wellbeing, with the inclusion of areas dedicated to wellness and natural materials that create welcoming and relaxing environments.”

Because a yacht is used to disconnect from the daily routine in an exclusive and unique way. “As architects, we are committed to creating spaces that allow this escape,” comment Marijana Radovic and Marco Bonelli, founders of m2atelier, “Every environment must offer comfort and harmony, promoting psycho-physical well-being”.

Because sailing is increasingly sweet. And sustainable.

Cover photo: Glass used on board as a link between boat and nature. 75 meters Kenshō by Admiral Yachts. Ph. Christopher Scholey