QUART ERLY - P.I. 21/07 /2017 Intern ationa l € 10, Spedizione in Abbon Chf 10,50 , UK £ 7,50 Poste Italian e S.p.a. amento Postale - 70% - LO/MI
J A D E I S S U E
JADE ISSUE - n° 11 - 2017 - € 10
• n ° 1 1 • 2 0 1 7
The Art of Sailing
[ MEGAYACHT ]
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Benetti’s new 45-metre full-custom is a masterpiece of powerful, edgy design. A bespoke creation for a repeat client with very clear ideas, she offers a whole slew of generous al fresco gathering areas and Carlo Galeazzi and Paola Asaro interiors that are a hymn to Italian designer chic by Bianca Ascenti - ph. by Giuliano Sargentini
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omorrow is another day. It is also another yacht….
furnishings. It also makes a nice spot for informal al fresco dining. The
the latest in a series, in fact, all named Domani (literally,
beach club on the lower deck is a very generous 33 square metres too.
“Tomorrow”), designed and built by Benetti for one very
In the interiors, the lower deck is home to four two-berth cabins with
dedicated owner who has finally made the transition
the master suite taking pride of place on the main. There is an indoor
to full-custom after four previous forays. The steel and aluminium
saloon on the upper deck that opens into the outer deck, creating one
45-metre FB701 is a four-decker that absolutely bursts with personality,
large area with two bars and a party zone. The saloon on the main
alternating a robust masculine treatment of clear, angular lines with
deck is open-plan with floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding Rimadesio
softer, gentler forms. Benetti, the owner and his trusted crew poured
doors for a bright, cool ambience that feels completely connected to
all of their considerable experience into the moulding of what has
the natural world. The décor by architect Carlo Galeazzi, who worked
turned out to be quite a singular yacht. Every single space, proportion,
with both Paola Asaro and the owner on the look, is refined yet warm
volume and detail has been perfected to meet very specific liveability,
and contemporary. There is a timelessness to it and an effortless flow
comfort, design, aesthetic and technology criteria. The owner wanted
between interior and exterior that has a fluid consistency. Tigerwood
a very outdoorsy yacht that would keep him connected to the marine
and dark smoked eucalyptus are used for the floors and part of the
environment. He also specified plenty of areas aboard where guests
ceilings (on which they alternate with light Foglizzo leather panels). On the lower deck, dark oiled Mafi parquet contrasts lusciously with pale carpeting. The same interplay is picked up again on the main deck, even though Minotti rugs take the place of the carpeting, in the foyer and the Calacatta marble stairs. Most of the finishes are gloss and the main saloon is furnished with Lang and Harvey pieces by Minotti which also provided the Hamilton sofas. The dining table and chairs, on the other hand, are by Maxalto. One of the most striking features of Domani’s interiors is that the Rimadesio sliding panels pop up again and again, both as doors separating the various spaces and also on closets. Most of the direct artificial lighting comes via BCM and Cantalupi spots. The indirect lighting, however, was designed by Promotech using De Lucchi Collezione Privata lamps and also Maxalto’s sleek Leuckon. The flooring in the bathrooms is grey-veined “Statuarietto” marble. There are backlit TVs throughout - in fact, they are actually integrated into the windows on the upper deck. The main stairs is a dramatic confection of oak and Calacatta marble with Foglizzo leather
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could congregate and socialise. Vitally important too was a worldwide
walls with polished steel accents – simply stunning. Moving forward on
hull with a generous beam capable of navigating the planet’s seas with
the main deck, we encounter the full-beam master suite with its own
confidence (a maximum speed 15 knots and a range of 4,000 nautical
office and dressing room. Its furnishings read like a checklist of Italy’s
miles ticked that particular box). Also on the list was a low draft so
designer brands: Cassina’s Volage bed, Peter armchairs and Clarke
that this perfect yacht could nose her way safely into shallow bays
occasional table by Flexform, bedside tables by Minotti and a Montera
and harbours. Benetti stepped up to the mark in no uncertain terms
chair by Poltrona Frau for the lady owner’s bathroom. The suite’s
presenting him with an incredibly spacious, functional yacht designed to
private oceanfront terrace can be furnished with a table, chairs and a
bring guests together in the most convivial of ways, but just as capable of
sun umbrella for cosy breakfasts too. Lastly, the upper deck is home
defending their and the owner’s privacy. The flying bridge, for instance,
to the high-tech Team Italia bridge which is fronted by comfortable
is split between a sunning area aft, a bar and dining area with a veranda
wraparound chairs to allow the owner and his kids share in the secrets
door amidships, and a spa pool forward. The aft section of the upper
of navigation as the captain goes about his job. Although absolutely
deck is exceptionally comfortable with teak and steel chairs, deep,
thrilled with the result, the owner has already come back to the yard
comfortable couches, a glass and tigerwood bar and a 12-seater dining
with ideas for his next yacht. Because Domani really is another day…
table. The forward section, on the other hand, extends over around 100
and another yacht.
square metres and provides the perfect showcase for its Minotti outdoor
www.benettiyachts.it
Domani is a steel and aluminium four-decker that delivers a 4,000-nautical mile range at 10 knots. Opposite page, the sliding balcony in the master suite. Opening shot, a view “snatched� from outside the saloon on the main deck
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Muted colours for the furnishings, glossy finishes and luxury woods abound in the interiors where Italian design dominates. This page, the main saloon features Minotti Hamilton sofas and Martin armchairs, while the Calacatta marble table is by Maxalto. Opposite page, top, Flexform Wing sofas in the saloon on the upper deck and, bottom, the Volage double bed by Cassina features in all the cabins
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Exterior Design Michele Guerrieri
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he owner is a trusted client with whom Benetti has built five yachts, starting with an Azimut 116’ and going all the way to the present 45m steel and aluminium full-custom. The very strong bond built up with the yard over all those years and the owner’s active participation at every stage of the project produced an excellent outcome: a genuinely unique and original yacht that reflects his tastes and requirements. The profile, which alternates sinuous elements with much squarer, more masculine lines, gives the yacht a decisive character that is also very reassuring. It is, after all, designed to be able to negotiate all the world’s seas in complete safety. Right from the very first briefing, two specific requests were clear, regarding the separation of the technical/working areas from the communal guest areas, and the optimisation of all the interior and exterior spaces which aboard Domani are comparable to a 60-metre. As the owner likes to live the sea al fresco and feel he is in contact with the water, we created modular exterior spaces that are large and comfortable. This means there is plenty of room for onboard
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socialising but also privacy for the family. A good example is the beach club - it is completely separate from the rest of the boat and has a hatch that opens out to produce a 33 square metre area at water level, complete with bar area and sun deck. It can be divided into three areas or enjoyed as a single area where guests can relax and have fun. The clients also really liked the forward area on the upper deck where there is a sunning area of around 100 square metres – perfect for cocktails or casual dining with fantastic ocean views. The Domani platform has also enjoyed great success with other clients who were impressed by the layout, solutions and hull. Now all they have to do is personalise their boat to ensure it’s a real one-off.
Domani has a balanced silhouette that mixes sinuousness with angularity. As requested by the owner, the yacht has lots of al fresco living areas. Right, a close-up of the 100 square metre lounge forward on the upper deck and, below, one of the many sofas in the main deck cockpit area
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Interior Design - architect Carlo Galeazzi
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he owner had already had previous craft built for him by Azimut-Benetti and on those the décor was really very classic. But when we first came aboard, the style evolved into something more pared-back as we moved away from excessive decoration. Later, the owner expressed a desire for a boat that would reflect the kind of taste typical of Italian design which he felt was epitomised by Made in Italy furniture. We went even further in that direction with this latest project. On the basis of the client’s requirements, we attempted to make the furnishings really stand out in the interiors by clearly separating the packaging of the spaces (the container) from the individual pieces (the contents). This made the boat’s interiors more similar to those of a beach house. We feel the alternating colours (dark and light) are very successful, as are the materials we selected which pair luxe woods with leather, marble with carpeting, etc. Most of the finishes are glossy to contrast with the matt textured leather and fabrics. The Rimadesio panels (sliding doors in the various spaces and closets) are particularly striking as they are a primary visual reference point that really characterises the entire boat. We also made a huge effort to create a sense of stylistic continuity between exterior and interior because that is one of prerogatives. We have always put that relationship at the centre of our designs including the ones we’ve done for other brands.
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We did not have any difficulty in interpreting and realising the owner’s wishes, even though we did have to work hard when it came to doing the same for our innovative ideals, particularly the lighting. You always have to reconcile décor with technical solutions but in this case, that really wasn’t a major issue. I feel this boat is particularly successful on all levels and the owner is absolutely delighted with it. If I had to choose one area, though I would say the cabins, particularly the master suite where haute design pieces are put to the most impactful use and where there is a truly sublime custom desk which is a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
The décor is restrained and contemporary with dark and light colours alternating cleverly. In the master suite, there is a Montera chair at the vanity table and a Ginger model in the office nook. Minotti bedside tables are topped by Maxalto lamps. Right, the Metafisica lamp from De Lucchi Collezione Privata
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The Shipyard Martino Tani, Project Manager Domani has set a new Benetti benchmark: a further two owners, both repeat clients, have also chosen the same platform on which to craft their yachts
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omani’s exterior lines are instantly recognisable because of their clear Benetti family feeling. Interior-wise, the Benetti platform offers a rational, tried-and-tested layout that is the product of the yard’s lengthy experience. The fact that two further owners – both repeat clients – have chosen to use the Domani platform for their custom yachts clearly demonstrates how sound the project is. It has been successful principally with American clients but is also attracting good levels of interest in all markets. Because of its characteristics it is just the right combination for owners that like having direct contact with the sea – something still possible on a 50-metre – but who also want to take an active part in choosing all the details – as is the case in every custom project. As with all designs, many of the aesthetic solutions are crafted to suit technique requirements. In fact, Domani works around the 500 GT limit, by increasing the available volumes as far as possible and also identifying solutions that will make every single area usable and enjoyable. One good example is the layout of the sun deck where ample coverage and a veranda with sliding doors mean that guests can enjoy the same
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comfort on the exterior deck as on an interior one. We also focused on the dimensions and arrangement of the technical spaces – the engine room is particularly large – and the crew areas. To dampen noise and vibrations as well as test out some insulation solutions, we developed a floating floor system that makes the guest areas even more comfortable. Aft, there is an integrated sliding passarelle and a hatch which, once open, increases the size of the beach club by creating a generous seaskimming platform. The garage hatch also opens on the port side and there is a sliding crane for the tender and jet ski. Lastly, the master suite has a panoramic sliding balcony. Working with an owner who already knew and appreciated Benetti is a definite advantage: a sense of trust in the yard’s ability to deliver what the client imagines and wants on both a technical and aesthetic level underpins every conversation. We feel that Domani sets a new benchmark for the superyachts of the future with a carefully researched and tested platform providing the starting point from which each new client’s custom project can be interpreted and realised.