The list of global top designers of yachts is no way extensive. Nevertheless, there are luminaries, indispensably recognized both by their colleagues and the industry of deluxe yachting in general.
Carlo Nuvolari and Dan Lenard
Nuvolari Lenard Design Studio was founded in 1990. Nuvolari is a professional naval engineer and architect, Lenard is a designer, which enables them to develop interiors, exteriors and naval architecture, supplying all the required technical documents, without outsourcing third-party engineering bureaus. Notably, their portfolio comprises both small non-customized boats, and mega yachts — as partners say, “we customize very costly objects, never mind the size”.
Tim Heywood
A graduate of the Central School of Arts and Design и дизайна Tim Heywood carried on as a freelancer artist for quite a while, and even worked part time as a construction worker, until 1972 when, fortunately, he encountered Jan Bannenberg. In his studio he worked for nearly 20 years; after the death of the master, he and his wife Vanessa started the company Tim Heywood Design. At present Heywood has gained the position of a greatest living classic master, his bureau is firmly established in the global A-list and specializes in mega yacht design. The source of his inspiration might be whatever to be seen around: nature, art, history, cars, architecture — hence his creations have references to antique and ultramodern trends, bold futuristic concepts.
Espen Øino
By the time he got a degree of a naval architect, he already fancied of building sailing vessels. His debut project in the Francis Design happened to be a motor vessel. But when Oino started his own company, one of his first commissioned projects was design of exterior of a motor yacht. The exterior of the 70m Skat, built in 2002, in the German shipyard Lurssen, was so provocative, that some of the colleagues met the newcomer with applause, others called him a scamper and forebode a rapid failure. Espen took advantage of the instantaneous glory, and turned radical design into his “signature”.
Terence Disdale
This man is granted the name of “rock star” in yacht design. Though Terence Disdale lacked a university degree, at the start of his career he was fortunate to get superb professional training in the bureau of Jan Bannenberg, one of the grand masters in the industry. Having gained experience, in в 1973, the young British started his own studio, and it’s due to his ambitions that a new concept: “Don’t decorate beauty” emerged in yacht design. Instead of imperial gild and imposing decor the designer suggests natural stone and leather, texturized glass — as natural beauty of materials never turns out to be dull, outdated or unfashionable. For many years, Disdale looks remain unchanged, informal, a rocker and he does set the bar high. The pearl of his portfolio is the nine-deck Eclipse, 162,5 meters long, built at Blohm & Voss in 2010.
Andrew Winch
He made a long way to recognition since childhood: he cruised with his father on a sailing boat in the Solent strait on summer vacations, being a graduate of “3D-design” in Kingston College of Art, dashed to the Caribbean soon after the finals to work as a skipper… In 1986 Winch was mature enough to start his own business, and in cooperation with his wife Jane he opened the studio Andrew Winch Designs (now Winch Design). Currently, it is based in London with the staff of 50 employees, working, as well, with objects of land architecture and interior of private jets. Opponents reproach him of being “mainstream”, but Winch is in great demand.
Photo: press-office, oceanmagazine.com.au, youtube.com, boatinternational.com, Terence Disdale, yachtscroatia.com
