The 2024 Superyacht Design Festival took place in Kutzbühel at the end of January where Boat International hosted the International Design and Innovation awards to celebrate the best superyacht designs in the world.
The ceremony included a presentation giving a closer look at 47m superyacht ARTEXPLORER – an innovative blend of superyacht and art gallery. Attendees and nominees came from the industry’s best-known designers, naval architects and shipyards with some of our favourite winners including:
Motor Yachts
Explorer yacht PINK SHADOW | 58m | Damen Yachting and Azure Yacht Design
Superyacht PINK SHADOW
Winner: Outstanding motor yacht exterior design 40-69
Damen Yachting’s SeaXplorer is an unconventional superyacht and earned its place at the top thanks to its statement looks, open beach club and versatile main deck aft – perfect for entertainment or vast tender and toy storage. Her dark green hull and matching superstructure maker her perfect for exploration and a great example of an SUV yacht.
Superyacht LEONA | 80m | Bilgin Yachts and Unique Yacht Design
Superyacht LEONA
Winner: Outstanding motor yacht exterior design 60m +
Superyacht LEONA narrowly won out against Amels ENTOURGE thanks to her bold red hull and elongated profile which play host to a stunning beach club and large owner’s deck. The judges deemed her memorable amongst other yachts which ‘played it safe’.
Superyacht ACE | 44m | Conrad Shipyard, Diana Yacht Design and M2atelier
Superyacht ACE interior
Winner: Best motor yacht interior design 499GT and below
Superyacht ACE boast interior layouts you would expect on a larger yacht thanks to some simple design tricks including mirrored window mullions, fluid free standing furniture and simplicity rather than minimalist. Her look and feel centre around a few carefully chosen materials and textures, with light oak, marble, soft leather, light coloured fabric and dark metal blended together and bathed in natural light.
Superyacht ENTOURAGE | 60m | Amels, Damen Yachting and Burdifilek (interiors)
Superyacht ENTOURAGE © Guillaume Plisson
Winner: Best motor yacht interior design 500GT +
The interior design of superyacht ENTOURAGE is the first yacht project from the commercial space designer Burdifilek and unusual as a winner in this category as a series yacht. A showcase in the study of the yachts interior function, the design creates a tranquil and elegant space which needed to successfully host the owner art collection. The ergonomic shapes on display are both seaworthy and delicate with a blend of textures like stone, leather and glass in dusty tones of grey, blush and blue. The atmosphere across the yacht evolves as she transforms from day to night – a feature which impressed the judges.
Sailing Yachts
Sailing yacht SARISSA | Royal Huisman | Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design | Liaigre (interiors)
Sailing yacht SARISSA
The sailing yacht categories were dominated by sailing yacht SARISSA who swept the board, with wins for Outstanding Exterior Design, Best Interior Design, Best Naval Architecture and both the Innovation and Eco Award of the year. Her name means ‘long sharp spear’ in Greek, and it is easy to see this inspiration throughout the design.
Her naval architecture was judged to be the best all-round for sailing ability, range, comfort and stability. The design perfectly reflects the brief from the experienced owners who wanted a modern-looking yacht with easy water access, comfort, shade, infinite water views and a Jacuzzi. Performance, environmental impact and fun were of the utmost importance and from bow to stern, no details have been overlooked. Her multi-faceted approach to eco-friendliness includes wind-driven propulsion and hydrogenators plus innovative waste heat recovery, grey water treatment and general waste management.
The interior makes great use of the space and is a relaxed, homely environment perfect for family vacations. Custom furniture was created so as not to obscure the views, and the simple colour palette is warm and welcoming and features light oak, white lacquer and accenting leather. The thoughtful layout sees all the cabins offering a unique feel with the owner’s suite leading to a private beach club.
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This year’s winners reflect a new era of innovative and imaginative yacht design where environmental impact sits front and centre with style and function. We look forward to seeing some of these award wining yachts on the charter market but in the meantime, if you have been inspired by this collection, get in contact with us now for a personalised list of charter yachts available in your chosen location.
