From the Ied an eco-sustainable project

Eco-sustainability is an increasingly hot topic in the nautical world. Designing yachts with low environmental impact doesn’t just reflect a trend, it’s a crucial contribution to ensuring a better future for our planet. As training grounds for the next generation of designers, colleges are proving to be fertile fields for ideas and experimentation. In collaboration with Material Connexion Milano, the Cantù-based research company, Clac, has promoted Eco a Bordo, a furnishings and nautical design initiative focusing on innovative materials, together with the European Design Institute and Milan’s Hot Lab Yacht and Design studio. Ten groups of aspiring yacht designers have each come up with a design. Three of these are particularly interesting and could provide a hint of what the near future may offer in the nautical field. We present the first, Life Source, described here by its creators.

The design concept re-examines the relationship between humankind and the environment. The growing demands we are making on eco-systems through industrialisation, waste and resource exploitation is causing the destruction of natural habitats. As a result, we must establish a new equilibrium by learning to live with nature without upsetting its balance.

A desert island is a perfect model of the cycle of life. Energy and materials interact, causing neither waste nor pollution. This idea of an island as a microcosm of nature is the basis for the Life Source design concept of a self-sufficient, eco-sustainable yacht.

THE HULL
The yacht’s external lines express the idea of harmony with nature through soft, organic curves and large open-air spaces. The superstructure has been moved back to create a roomy open air space forward and encourage contact with nature. Sustainability is the concept underpinning the choice of a hydrogen cell propulsion system with electric motors. The yacht’s electrical power system also employs a number of adaptations to soften the environmental impact. A series of Acquair turbines is installed in the lower section of the hull, and their energy is stored in an energy recovery space. The bow area also features large parasols that create shade, collect rainwater and generate electrical energy with Sharp solar panels.

THE INTERIORS
To encourage contact between guest and nature the upper deck has been designed as a single, sweeping open air space with uninterrupted views. The grassy carpet that covers one part of it defines a social and relaxation area, offering a variety of seating and furnishings with organic forms inspired by nature. The lawn has both an aesthetic and practical function – it provides acoustic and thermal insulation while saving money and energy.

The upper deck living area is also the location for a bar/galley zone with a dining area defined by a different flooring material, Cobam Bamboo. The colours and shades used for the furnishings and upholstery of the open air living area range from brown to green, with a strong emphasis on natural colours.

On the aft upper deck stands a greenhouse for growing food plants used in the galley. Hydroculture technology replaces soil with a solution of nutrients in water that can feed a variety of plants.

Harmony, lightness and balance are the inspirational concepts behind the design and furnishing of the main deck living area. Grey and white are the dominant colours, with a splash of green provided by the plant life. The divans and furnishings form a sinuous, uninterrupted structure around the living area, without creating barriers between the various functional zones. Above all, they never obstruct the view through the extensive windows. The shape and look of the furnishings draw inspiration from rocks, as the grain of material used for the veneers, Alpilignum, recreates natural banding. Wood is used for the flooring, with recycled aluminium inserts defining the walkways and creating a decorative motif. The furnishing and panels in the owner’s cabin feature warm, welcoming yet refined tones, with a range of brown and beige colours brightened by touches of orange. The relationship with nature is expressed through a number of elements – the curves of the furnishings give a feeling of lightness, also emphasised by the hanging bed and divans. Glass tubes with water collected by the upper deck parasols flowing through them also reflect the idea of a closeness to nature that permeates the space. The flooring is in EcoCork, with Aquavit paper on the walls, a material with a soft, warm feel. The wall next to the bed is clad with a Studio Art Tiles mosaic. The grotto on the lower deck is another of this yacht’s distinctive features. Its soft, embracing forms make it the ideal place for guests seeking isolation and reflection.

The furniture reflects the soft, sinuous lines seen throughout the yacht, and includes a soft, roomy lounger and peninsula and corner sofa, with no angular shapes and volumes. They are all upholstered in Angelo fabric, with Duralmond structural panels and Soyoyl padding. Recycled aluminium inserts provide a bright, modern look. They are complemented by a table/chest and solar table. Displaying the same organic lines, both these objects are embellished by a recycled aluminium cross on their surface. The table/chest is panelled in Alpilignum, with an ultrathin panel of Stone Veneer forming its top. The small solar table has slender aluminium legs and a Durat surface with a transparent photovoltaic Microfilm, which can absorb enough energy during the day to power night-time courtesy lights.

Han Gwe Ahn, Vittorio Peroni

(Yacht Design, n. 5/2008)