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ISSUE

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N°

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2025

Stefano Gattini, Studio Borlenghi

[ MEGASAILER ]

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The Monaco Yacht Show saw the debut of the new Swan 128, with naval architecture by German Frers and a main deck of extraordinary purity by Micheletti & Partners. The interiors are by Misa Poggi. This 128-metre yacht redefines the contemporary sailing concept – pure, exciting, with the spirit of a superyacht by Paola Bertelli

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Taut lines and calibrated proportions: German Frers has created a naval architecture that blends an imposing presence with lightness. BeCool measures 39 metre in length with an 8.65 maximum beam. It is built entirely in carbon fibre. Opening, the guest cockpit with deep sofas and sunpads, and the extra-large companionway leading below

t’s a concept of seagoing beauty. With the new Swan 128 BeCool the Finnish yard has built the largest Maxi Swan ever launched, not in terms of overall length – that record belongs to the Swan 131 – but for total volumes. Presented as a project at the Monaco Yacht Show three years ago it was presented in material form this year, once again at Monaco. The Swan 128 not only has impressive dimensions, it also embodies on a larger scale the aesthetic and functional cues that have led the brand to become a benchmark in nautical design. But balance, rather than size, is the dominant theme – balanced proportions, visual continuity and lightweight shapes. But most of all the Swan 128 is a sail yacht, to experience on the water – because Swan is famous not only for its elegant lines but also its ability to provide a pure, exciting sailing experience. The increase in scale has not affected this DNA, as the craft remains true to its sports yacht heritage while introducing a level of comfort and personalisation more typical of superyachts. The presence behind the project is that of German Frers, one of the great masters of naval architecture, who has been collaborating with Swan since 1980. His work has spanned an entire epoch, and with the Swan 128 Frers confirms his ability to combine performance and harmonious shapes, retaining the purity of the sail yacht spirit on a model nudging forty metres in length. “The hull has a graceful shape, pleasant sheer, and powerful back end that reaches maximum sailing length while under way with a low resistance while heeled, excellent balance through the range of heel angles,” says Frers. Her performance is intended to excel in 6 to 10 knots of true wind speed for the enjoyment of the owner, an experienced racing sailor and his family. At the same time, it would be easy to manage and fast on deliveries with a reduced sailing area to facilitate the handle by the crew. The deck plan and deckhouse are by the Micheletti & Partners studio, and the interiors are by Misa Poggi in 152

Stefano Gattini, Studio Borlenghi

collaboration with the yard’s dedicated in-house department. The hull and deck lines are some of the most striking results of the collaboration between Frers, Micheletti and the Nautor Swan team. Every detail, every connection between volumes and shapes is the result of extensive shared effort, with the objective of achieving maximum purity of form. The result is extraordinary – perfect proportions, taut surfaces and a deck of exceptional elegance that is notable for its uninterrupted visual continuity and essential geometries. The semi-raised deckhouse almost dissolves into deck, thanks to a millimetre-precise study of curves and proportions. A roomy flush deck extends forward of the mast, and behind it are three areas, distinct yet seamlessly connected – the guest cockpit with two infinity sofas followed by a series of sunpads, an area dedicated to sail operations and controls, and then a slightly lower area, the beach club linked to the sea deck. The purity of the lines and balanced volumes create a feeling of lightness and strength, with a natural harmony that can be perceived from every perspective. Below deck, the interior design by Misa Poggi translates the sail yacht spirit into material and light. The atmosphere is nautical, built around a direct relationship with the sea and a search for functional, personal comfort. The saloon, below the deckhouse, opens out with generous glazed surfaces that diffuse the natural light and create a constant dialogue with the exterior. Two steps separate the conversation and dining areas in a flowing, coherent sweep. The colour palette is light, textured and essential, with neutral tones, natural woods, leather and soft fabrics with original tartan upholstery that adds a note of warmth and personality. The owner’s suite forward is surprisingly large and brightness. It occupies almost a quarter of the interior length, with open spaces, airy volumes and a full beam bathroom. The crew area aft is designed with the same attention to detail, providing superyacht-style comfort and functionality. nautorswan.com 153

Eva-Stina Kjellman

154 Eva-Stina Kjellman

Eva-Stina Kjellman

The contemporary below deck interiors interpret the lightness and reflections of the sea, creating an intimate, fluid setting. Innovative materials and lightweight surfaces evoke the texture of stone and marble, combining them with warm inserts and original tartan fabrics. Almost a quarter of the interior length is occupied by the owner’s suite (this page). Forward of the sleeping area, the full-beam bathroom with lightened marble top and surfaces. To side, top, the saloon beneath the deckhouse and bottom, the dining areas

Eva-Stina Kjellman

guest (left) and crew (right)

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Exterior Design Lucio Micheletti, founder of Micheletti & Partners

hen we took the Swan 128 project, for me it was clear that it didn’t involve just designing a larger yacht, it was also about following the path begun with the Swan 88 and then the 108. Every step was a new development, and the 128 was the fulfilment of this research. The main aim was to make the deckhouse less obvious. We couldn’t lower it totally but we could work on its proportions. We introduced teak coamings that are raised in relation to the fibre glass sections. In this way the white band seems smaller and the deckhouse appears lower. It’s a play of visual equilibriums that makes the yacht more streamlined and harmonious. We also dedicated a lot of work to the geometries. We used radii and curves that create the sensation of surfaces shaped by the wind. The idea was to lighten the visual perception while restoring power. Lighten and make more powerful - it only seems to be a contradiction. This equilibrium is what makes the design functional and elegant at the same time. The flush deck is free of obstacles, designed to provide freedom of movement and clean visual lines. The cockpits are designed with an emphasis on ergonomics, for both the owner and guests. The space must work when under way but also when the yacht is not moving, when it becomes a place for living. The beach club at the stern is the element that marks a step forward – it enhances the relationship with sea and introduces a contemporary language to a Swan build. The entire project is based on one concept – balance. We didn’t want any excess, we didn’t want any element to overpower the others. The challenge was to combine lightness and strength, elegance and functionality. I think the result succeeds in this because no single detail imposes itself on the others and an overall coherence holds everything together. For me the 128 is a fundamental step forward. It’s the proof that we can maintain the Swan identity even on this scale, working on the proportions and the visual perception. It’s a project that’s enabled me to handle large dimensions without losing gestural delicacy. And in the end that’s the biggest source of pride – finding a natural equilibrium between power and lightness, architecture and wind.

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BeCool is the largest Maxi Swan by volume ever built by Nautor. The exterior design is the result of a joint effort by German Frers, Lucio Micheletti and the yard. The light, dynamic lines of the deckhouse are the result of an intense study of proportions, shapes, materials and

Stefano Gattini, Studio Borlenghi

chromatic details

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The sketch for the saloon reveals the origins of a space designed as a refuge and as a personal expression of the owner – a light, bright space made-to-measure to interpret the sea as an unrestricted, intimate experience

Interior Design Misa Poggi, architect

he project’s underlying theme is a constant dialogue between two poles – on the one hand, the authentic structure of the sail yacht, the Swan language that holds all the truth of the sea, and on the other, the owner’s desires, imagination and energy. My design builds a bridge between these two worlds with a language that must respect both spirits, which at their roots remain closely linked, because someone who wants a sail yacht is driven by a love for the sea and sailing. The interior design never imitates the domestic space, it seeks to translate the lightness of the wind, the shifting reflections of the sea, the intimacy of the relationship with nature. The Swan language guided me in this – the brand has always offered the highest expression of sail yachting, it’s loved by sail yacht enthusiasts for its coherence and functionality. On this authentic base, my task has been to “dress” the yacht, to interpret it as a second skin that expresses the same sporty spirit, making it a living, fluid, poetic experience. I create through materials, colours and techniques. Nowadays technology offers extraordinary solutions, genuine “intelligent lies”: what initially seems to be marble or stone is actually light, functional and adapted

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to on-board life. Combined with noble materials they create an image of the authentic material without the restrictions imposed by weight. In this project I also made some daring, even courageous choices, like tartan and very personal details that hold within them the energy of the owner and tell a unique story. Light is crucial, both natural and artificial. Daylight enters and changes the spaces, The lightness of the materials diffuses and reflects it while the nocturnal light constructs new ambiences. The yacht breathes with the sea, and this continuity between interior and exterior becomes a concrete experience, not an abstract concept. As for the exteriors, for me it’s simply a continuation of the interior story, or vice versa. On the water the yacht is supersporty – it commands the sea, the wind and the rain. It commands functionality. As a result the exterior should be an ideal synthesis of rationality, functionality and spontaneity, never contrasting with the interior but in correspondence with its logic, with sobreity and style. We should not forget that a sail yacht lives the moment and should do so in safety. Every choice should respond to the truth of what sailing is all about, not passing trends.

Shipyard Giovanni Pomati, CEO Nautor Swan

Stefano Gattini, Studio Borlenghi

he Swan 128 is the most important yacht Nautor has ever made, not only because of its size but also because it’s the greatest expression of the values that define us – style, performance and reliability. In this yacht everything is refined to the nth power. Style is embodied in the hull, the deck, the interiors, performance is provided by a modern sail plan, designed for genuine easy sailing and reliability is ensured by the careful construction that has enabled us to launch this yacht at the end of July and cover 5,000 miles without problem. It’s not a collection of special effects, but a harmony, a balance of many things that function together. We were able to rely on a high-level team. Frers with his naval architecture, Micheletti with the deck, Poggi and our in-house design office with the interiors. Micheletti’s signature on the deck design is not there by chance – it’s the mark of our desire to open up to new influences and to promote complementary points of view. Surprisingly, from the construction point of view work went very smoothly. We didn’t come up against the same type of challenge we had in other projects – it was a harmonious process. The client is a passionate sail yachtsman and participated with great courtesy in the entire project, the suppliers provided continuity and the owner representative, Odo Giordo, was impeccable. The experience gave us strength and awareness. The Swan 128 is a springboard towards what is to come. I’m thinking of alloy supermaxis that will allow us to grow even further and enter the over 40-metre segment. But even here, with the 128, we have gained respect – presenting at the show a yacht with superyacht-level interiors means positioning ourselves in another size range. If I had to say what makes me proud, I’d say the deck most of all. It’s a masterpiece of proportions, the fruit of intense work with Micheletti and the owner. Then there’s the division of the interiors and the light in the saloon. Finally, the crew area, because the idea of good quality of life must apply to everyone on board. If I had to sum up the Swan 128 in one word, I’d say harmony. That’s the concept that holds everything together.

The cockpit is laid out in three sections – guests behind the deckhouse, operations in the centre and beach club aft. The Swan 128 is a semi-custom yacht. The flat, unencumbered floor makes it possible to personalise the configuration to reflect owners’ requirements

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