MOTAR YACHT A DESIGNED BY
PHILIPPE STARCK
Blohm + Voss strike again with the 390 ft (119m) luxury motor yacht,
“A”. Built in Kiel and launched in early 2008, it’s currently one of the
largest motor yachts in the world. It features a panoply of unique
features, from her innovative engineering and design to the fantastic
and completely ostentatious three swimming pools that create
currents. It can accommodate up to 14 guests and is designed for 35
crew members on board.
Its modern and sophisticated design and environment feature excellent use
of space and wood furnishings, with a structural design and engineering
that bring many benefits, including waveless cruising. Both the exterior
and interior were designed by Philippe Starck, a French designer and
architect, mostly known for his light and contemporary designs, as well as
for his use of shapes and materials. Costing around 300 million dollars, the
superyacht is an homage to the contemporary design, although its interior
is also very under wraps. Its owner, Andrey Melnichenko, is a Russian
billionaire, industrialist, and philanthropist.
A fun curiosity about this massive yacht is the fact that its name, “A”, was
used in order to make the vessel always appear first on the shipping lists.
SERENE DESIGNED BY ESPEN ØINO
The long history of this vessel is anything but serene. After the Italian
shipbuilding company, Fincantieri delivered this massive ship in 2011 to
Yuri Shefler, owner of the SPI Group, for 330 million dollars, the 439 ft
(134m) superyacht was leased by the founder of Microsoft Corporation,
Bill Gates, for 5 million dollars a week. Ultimately, in 2015, Serene
was bought by Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia for
approximately 500 million euros.
Serene holds up to 24 guests across 15 cabins and fully ensures as
luxury yacht experience, boasting a helicopter hangar, two helipads, an
internal seawater swimming pool, hot and cold jacuzzi and a jet stream
swimming pool on the sundeck. The lavish interiors were designed by
Reymond Langton Design, a talented design team whose individual
blend of skills has produced countless impeccable yacht designs.
The imposing black exterior was designed by Espen Øino, an award-
winning naval architect studio based in Monaco. With an aluminum
superstructure and steel hull, the custom made superyacht is equipped
with ultra-modern technology in order to provide the ultimate comfort
and luxurious experience.
Serene is an absolute inspiration for its internal and external designs,
providing a sense of opulence and extravagance in every square inch.
