On the evening of the 28th of January, the K3 KitzKongress in Kitzbühel, Austria, hosted the awards ceremony for the 2018 Boat International Design and Innovation Awards. Superyacht owners, designers and industry names were in attendance as twice Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson OBE presented category winners with 19 Golden Neptune awards for innovations in efficiency and performance as well as unique undertakings such as an indoor padel tennis court. 

These are the superyachts, builders, naval architects and designers changing what’s possible in the superyacht industry: 

Cyclone – Tansu Yachts 

Best Exterior Styling – Motor Yachts Below 45m – Cyclone, Tansu Yachts 

Cyclone – Tansu Yachts

Naval Architects  Diana Yacht Design produced the award-winning image of 44m/143ft superyacht CYCLONE, which creates a more integrated appearance between the superstructure and the hull, where military influences create strong, sharp lines from bow to stern. Sloped windshields added to her authoritative silhouette while providing practical benefits. 

Jubilee – Oceanco 

Best Exterior Styling – Motor Yachts 45m and Above 

Jubilee. Photo credit Francisco Martinez Photography

At 110m/361ft, M/Y JUBILEE from Oceanco and naval architect Igor Lobanov is already an impressive presence while docked in the marinas or cruising along the horizon. What makes JUBILEE truly stand out from the competition is her wavering hull form an illusion of double-decks, all of which have LED lighting so that the effect isn’t broken even after nightfall. 

Ngoni – Royal Huisman 

Ngoni. Photo credit Breed Media

Best Exterior Styling – Sailing Yachts 

Best Naval Architecture – Sailing Yachts 

Taking two awards for her exterior styling and naval architecture, Royal Huisman sailing yacht NGONI is paid fitting tribute as the final sailing yacht designed by the late Ed Dubois. Plenty of glass panelling along the hull and opening bulwarks push the boundaries of design, while the hull form uses a concave sheer for stiffness without sacrificing lightweight performance and handling – and it was this innovative use of materials that won her the title of best naval architecture for sailing yachts over close competitor RIBELLE. The clean appearance of the deck hides a tender, crane and spa pool to ensure that every bit of exterior space is usable for more than one purpose. 

Telli -  Custom Line (Ferretti Group) 

TELLI – Ferretti Group

Best Interior Design – Motor Yachts Below 399GT 

33m/108ft superyacht TELLI won  Best Exterior Design: 80-125ft  at the  World Yachts Trophies 2017  and impressed the judges at the  Boat International Design and Innovation Awards 2018  for the way her simple and clean interiors concealed a deceptive amount of technology, from widescreen TVs and AV systems to a bar, fridge and cooling system is hidden from sight. Abstract and geometric art adds a burst of colour to complement the rich natural materials, which include Jerusalem marble and crystal. 

Razan – Turquoise Yachts 

47m RAZAN – main

Best Interior Design – Motor Yachts 400GT to 999GT 

H2 Yacht Design was the interior stylist for 47m/154ft luxury yacht RAZAN and the studio needed to meet the requirements of creating a breath-taking interior while also appealing to a wide market audience. Ceiling recesses, matte and gloss textures and a ‘less is more’ approach to the furnishings enhanced the interior space while treating the owner to such details as Swarovski crystals and mother of pearl, all of which reflect the light from the broad windows. 

Faith – Feadship 

Superyacht Faith – Feadship

Best Interior Design – Motor Yachts 1,000GT and Above 

Best General Arrangement & Deck Design 

Taking two awards, 97m/318ft superyacht FAITH combines timeless styling with modern architecture for purpose as well as appearance: Floor-to-ceiling glass panelling and a double-sided fireplace add to the illusion of twice the space in already ample interiors. Broad windows down the length of the port and starboard sides show off the immaculate tonal colour scheme from RWD and the owner’s stylist,  Chahan Minassian. 

The owner’s vision had a clear-cut purpose that also influenced the layout, resulting in the award for  Best General Arrangement & Deck Design. The crew areas were just as well considered as the guest spaces for efficient operations, beating close seconds PINK GIN VI and RIBELLE.  

Ribelle – Vitters 

RIBELLE. Photo credit Jeff-Brown

Best Interior Design – Sailing Yachts 

33m/107ft sailing yacht RIBELLE was one of the smallest luxury yachts nominated for a category at the awards and as ‘Best Interior Design – Sailing Yachts’ has no size limit, RIBELLE proves that bucking the ongoing trend for ever larger builds does not mean missing out on recognition. Created for regatta racing, designer  Rémi Tessier had to remain under a weight threshold and produce stately interiors for living and entertaining. Copper banding complements the glass coachroof and the colour matches in the beautiful striped wood used in the panelling and integrated furniture. A reversed Master suite helps with weight distribution and the galley has excellent illumination for quality food preparation. 

Home – Heesen 

Home. Running shot. Photo credit Heesen Yachts

Best Naval Architecture – Displacement Motor Yachts 

Best Ecological Design and Operation Innovation 

Taking two awards, HOME proved her appearance and performance as the top of the range of modern luxury yachts. 

Van Oossanen Naval Architects modified its Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) to economically perform at displacement speeds. Using a small engine and a hybrid propulsion system, the studio had to ensure comfort in waves and achieved 16 knots with the least horsepower to claim  Best Naval Architecture – Displacement Motor Yachts. 

1 of 7 – Dynamiq 

1 of 7 Dynamiq

Best Naval Architecture – Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts 

1 of 7 is a receiver of  RINA Comfort Class and Green Star certification and this 36m/116ft motor yacht was designed for comfort, performance and long range. To meet these needs, Dynamiq fitted state-of-the-art electric stabilisers and an interceptor system for comfort while cruising and at anchor. Furthermore, a patented Hull vane foil from  Van Oossanen Naval Architects creates hydrodynamic lift to work in conjunction with the bilge hull and bulb bow for a range of 3,300 nautical miles, a top speed of 21 knots and a computed fuel burn of only 0.465 l/h/t. 

Azimut Grande 35 Metri – Azimut Yachts 

Azimut Grande 35 Metri

Best New Production 

The latest flagship for Azimut Yachts is packed with amenities such as a stern beach club, side tender garage, a Master suite with fold-down terrace and four more guests cabins plus a bow Jacuzzi. A wider beam was implemented to fit all the facilities on board and a carbon fibre hull combined with aerospace technology reduces the weight and noise for excellent performance. Capable of a top speed of 25 knots using a D2P hull form, the Azimut Grande 35 Metri is as capable in performance as she is exquisite, featuring exteriors from Stefano Righini and interiors from Achille Salvagni. 

Seven – Perini Navi 

Seven. Perini Navi

Best Lighting 

The category of Best Lighting was added to the awards in 2017 after there was a noticeable difference in quality when compared to other aspects of superyacht development and design. Aboard sailing yacht SEVEN, three generations of the same family would be using the lighting for their own pursuits, whether reading, working or playing computer games. Dante O Benini & Partners carefully placed lighting aboard S/Y SEVEN for safety, illuminating artwork and using automated features to anticipate guests entering a room. 

Aviva – Abeking & Rasmussen 

Abeking & Rasmussen 98m AVIVA

Best Lifestyle Feature Design 

Luxury yacht AVIVA has her own padel tennis court measuring 10m x 20m x 6.65m and to make her up to standard for a truly authentic experience, two tons of sand were used for a bounce, along with special flooring and side panels. Also of concern was the sound deadening so as not to affect other guests as well as evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. As a result of the technical and safety achievements, AVIVA received her recognition and may have set the groundwork for future interior padel tennis courts. 

Faith tender – Tenderworks 

Best Tender Design 

The tenders were not forgotten among the awards, and the M/Y FAITH tender from Tenderworks stood out for her mahogany and carbon composite form and walnut and leather interiors that match the sweeping appearance of her superyacht beautifully. Capable of over 40 knots and built with such features as lighting for night-time use, she is as much a work of art as a way to ferry guests back and forth in style. 

Young Designer of the Year – Student Designer 

Nicolò Piredda for concept  Galàna 

26 students from 12 countries entered the category and Special mentions went out to  Guehun Lee from the Republic of Korea and 13-year-old  Jens de Klerk. It was  Nicolò Piredda who took the award, expertly presenting his development sketches and fulfilling of the brief requirements by designing an interior layout for a 60m/197ft expedition yacht which allowed guests and crew to move freely. 

Young Designer of the Year – Professional Designer 

Damien Bovie for concept Mirage 

Sponsored by Oceanco, the ‘Professional Designer’ category differs from ‘Student Designer’ in that there were realistic technical guidelines to accommodate.  Francesco Conte, Yilin Huang and Damien Bovie were selected as finalists and Yilin Huang received a Judges’ Special Mention, while 26-year-old Damien Bovie received the award for a practical design that incorporates a helicopter hangar, a snowmobile and an excellent collection of tenders and water toys without neglecting the crew facilities. 

Lifetime Achievement 

Giovanni Zuccon for Zuccon International Project

Giovanni Zuccon was recognised for Lifetime Achievement in the superyacht industry and his career spans over 45 years: Starting as an engineering student at college before moving on to architecture at La Sapienza University, he went on to open a studio in Rome in 1972 with his wife, the late architect Paola Galeazzi. Using experience as an industrial designer, he found solutions through examining the connection between space and the furnishings within. 

His early career saw him help design a city for 50,000 people beside the Congo River in Zaire and in 1984 he worked on tourist buses and buildings for the European Space Agency. 

Today, Zuccon International Projects continues to conceive and create superyacht interiors that range from neoclassical to contemporary, having worked on such famous names as CLOUD 9.