BENETTI 52m “SAI RAM” – EXTERIOR DECK AND INTERIOR DESIGN

Benetti [2002-2005]

LPA Collaborators: Barbara Fragale, Michael Stahlmann / Naval Architecture and Styling: Stefano Natucci

Photo Credits: Matteo Piazza

Description

Commissioned with the design when the yacht was already under construction, the office opted for an operation that exalts both the horizontal and the vertical. Mirrors and glass were used to develop an original solution that emphasises the complexity of the boat’s spaces. For example, the upper deck features a large common area with a glass floor that offers a view of the lower deck. To accentuate the use of the spaces in the horizontal and vertical, a continuous steel band covered in red leather running from one level to the other visually dominates the entire project. Exalting the sense of fluidity, the red line marks a promenade architecturale.

A long perspective, manifest in the floor by a clear strip and the steel of the fire separations, introduces depth to a succession of spaces that trail one another like a row of Chinese boxes. An unusual choice is the placement of a transparent cube containing the bathroom of the master cabin at the end of this sequence. Longitudinal bands in the deckhead cover cabling runs, with lateral access panels ensuring that everything can be easily inspected.

The furnishings introduce terrestrial elements once unknown to the world of nautical design: Kilim rugs, oriental objects, antique Chinese furnishings, all from the owner’s collection. The client’s passion for the Orient is shared by the architects and considered an assurance of interior comfort. Anything but a banal ‘ethnic style’, it represents a more relaxed and natural dimension of dwelling. Precisely for this reason, the paving is in dark wengé, which the architects call “silky”; guests can wander barefoot or sit on the floor. A chromatic counterpoint is offered instead by luminous white walls, finished in leather or light coloured wood. Other materials include raw silk fabrics and warm, autumn-coloured linens, with an evident reference to the vegetal hues of Indian textiles. Even the sofas, characterised by their deep seating, confirm the nature of an interior dedicated to relaxing.

Awards

● 2005 – Millenium Yacht Design Award – First Prize – SAI RAM