3 things we learned at the Superyacht Design Symposium 2018

Booster Blog

Superyacht Design Symposium 2018

The Superyacht Design Symposium is one of the most exciting events of the year for yacht enthusiasts. It took place from 28-30 January and was full to the brim with exclusive events and exciting displays. One of those events was the hand out of The Young Designer of the Year Award. We had the luxury of seeing the excitement for ourselves. Here’s three things that we learned from the show.

The superyacht industry is alive and well

The superyacht market is looking well. It was apparent at the show that yacht builders have got their hands full with projects. Of course, the superyacht industry will always remain an exclusive one. That is one of the defining characteristics of superyachts; exclusivity. In the same way, the market will always be somewhat limited by this intrinsic nature. However, the market is definitely positive and, as such, people are building on speculation rather than placed orders.

Inspiration comes from outside the market

More and more we see collaborations that span across different industries. Luxury automotive designers are frequenting the yacht scene and designers are beginning to draw inspiration from all kinds of sources. The likes of Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Aston Martin have all ventured into the yachting sphere in recent years.

However, in this event it was clear that the gates of yacht design are widening. The clientele for the yacht industry want luxury design, and luxury is certainly not unique to yachts. Thus, we’ll see the superyacht drawing design themes from hospitality all the way to architecture. Mexican architect Fernando Romero and his work with yachts is a great example of the increasing sphere of influence on design. Having worked on Mexico City International Airport and the Soumaya Museum, he has now collaborated with Benetti ship yard in creating the 77 metre Se77antasette concept.

Design is not one-size-fits-all

When it comes to design, the customer is always right. It became apparent at the event that design is not something that can be imposed upon a customer. Aino Leena Grapin, CEO of Winch Design, explained how often customers do not want what you might expect. According to Grapin, often European clients seek a Japanese Zen influence, whilst Chinese clients want the best of Europe.

This highlighted to us the importance of being flexible. At Bolidt one of our prime objectives is to offer custom design to the utmost extent. When listening to the wishes of the client, discoveries can be made through collaborative co-creation. The process is invaluable.

We are extremely excited to host the Annual Young Designers Getaway. It’s an avenue for young designers to get a hands-on experience with the industry. Here’s to another year of extreme innovation!