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Marine

Superyacht concepts get the Zaha Hadid treatment

By James Holloway
October 17, 2013
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Zaha Hadid's master concept
Zaha Hadid's master concept
The concept has been revealed as part of an exhibition of Hadid's work at the David Gill Gallery in London
Zaha Hadid's master concept
The concept is for a 128-m superyacht, along with a set of five 90-m yachts which, according to the Blohm+Voss press release "creatively explore the design philosophies of the master prototype"
The seemingly organic lattices are supposedly evocative of "natural marine formations,"
The concept has been revealed as part of an exhibition of Hadid's work at the David Gill Gallery in London
The concept is for a 128-m superyacht, along with a set of five 90-m yachts which, according to the Blohm+Voss press release "creatively explore the design philosophies of the master prototype"
It sounds as though the master prototype sets out the design intent, whereas the five companion designs are practical, buildable interpretations
Her work may have its critics, but you can't fault the consistency of Hadid's design language
The concept has been revealed as part of an exhibition of Hadid's work at the David Gill Gallery in London
The concept is for a 128-m superyacht, along with a set of five 90-m yachts which, according to the Blohm+Voss press release "creatively explore the design philosophies of the master prototype"
It sounds as though the master prototype sets out the design intent, whereas the five companion designs are practical, buildable interpretations
The seemingly organic lattices are supposedly evocative of "natural marine formations,"
It sounds as though the master prototype sets out the design intent, whereas the five companion designs are practical, buildable interpretations
A model of the master concept
The seemingly organic lattices are supposedly evocative of "natural marine formations,"
A model of the master concept
A model of the master concept
View gallery - 18 images

Her work may have its critics, but you can't fault the consistency of her design language. Even those with the most fleeting of interests in architecture and design cannot fail to recognize that this yacht design for Blohm+Voss has Zaha Hadid written all over it.

The concept, newly revealed as part of an exhibition of Hadid's work at the David Gill Gallery in London, is for a 128-m (420-ft) superyacht, along with a set of five 90-m (295-ft) yachts which, according to the Blohm+Voss press release "creatively explore the design philosophies of the master prototype."

The seemingly organic lattices are supposedly evocative of "natural marine formations," and though that may be true, the same can surely be said of her prior designs for the Nuragic and Contemporary Art Museum in Cagliari, Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Centre and Zephyr Sofa. This yacht fits comfortably into the lattice-y subset of her uniquely curvilinear oeuvre.

It sounds as though the master prototype sets out the design intent, whereas the five companion designs are practical, buildable interpretations. One of these sub-designs, named Jazz, has apparently been fully specced-out by Blohm+Voss. And, "four further 90m yachts have been designed to fulfil [sic] the different requirements and individual requests of their designated owners," so perhaps all five will one day make it onto the high seas.

It sounds as though the master prototype sets out the design intent, whereas the five companion designs are practical, buildable interpretations

A specification for a 90-m yacht included with the press release lists these additional details:

  • Beam (max): 16 m (52 ft)
  • Draught: 4.2 m (13 ft)
  • Maximum speed: 16 knots (30 km/h)
  • Cruising speed: 14 knots (26 km/h)
  • Range: 5,000 MM (presumably a typo for nautical miles, and not millimeters. That would make it 9,260 km)
  • Class: Lloyd's Register
  • Propulsion: 2 x 2,160 kW diesel, via gearbox to fixed prop
  • Maneuvering system: 1 x bow thruster

Sources: Zaha Hadid Architects, Blohm+Voss

View gallery - 18 images

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MarinePrototypeZaha HadidSuperyachtBlohm Voss
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James Holloway
James writes about science and technology from his home in rural East Anglia. Whether it's the internet, nature, video games or AI, he pays particular heed to the flash points with culture, society and the planet.
14 comments
BigGoofyGuy
It looks like an alien water craft on a distant aquatic world. It has a very scify look to it. It is both beautiful and odd at the same time.
DonGateley
Simply stunning. This woman's vision fascinates me.
Slowburn
I find it hard to believe that people would buy something that ugly.
Marco McClean
It's clearly a baby Wraith hive-ship.
mommus
That is the most hideous thing I've ever seen.
It looks like something in the latter stages of decomposition.
Er. A.K.Mittal
A truly interesting but intriguing design. I wonder what will be the views of the structural engineers on the shapes on the basis of aerodynamics and the wind drag ? Or is it that considering the low (16/14 knots?) speeds the drag may not be a factor worth paying attention to ? Or the beautifying outer structure will also be of aerofoil design ? At any rate, a good and novel design .
Stanley Owens
I like that it has such an abundance of windows.
Bob
Interesting design but the performance is pathetic. All show and no go. It's just a pretty party barge. No ocean going ship should be slower than 20 knots cruising. For what it probably costs, 30 knots would be better.
SuchN3SS
Certainly stunning in appearance but appears to lack practicality. What's it's mode of propulsion as it probably requires gross quantities of energy to move. Why not make it an advanced hybrid (sailboat/engine). Use computers to generate models for the appropriate size, quantity, and placement of mast and sails that could be made of graphene or synthetic diamonds with Teflon (like the curtains on the Austrians winning design for the solar decathlon- with out the permeability). Then have the deck and even perhaps parts of the hull and anywhere exposed to light covered with solar panels. Then also when moored/anchored maybe the masts could have retractable wind turbines inside them that could capture more energy (if not in the mast then retractable stand alone turbines). With the size of that beast I image there could be a decent sized green house for increased independence inside the cabin or under the bilge which would be under an advanced engine that perhaps could capture solar/wind power to dehydrogenation plant the power a hydrogen engine that would emit more water for the green house, passengers, and fuel. If not at least an electric engine that captures solar and wind to occasionally supplement sails. Expensive of course but given the grandeur of Zaha's design, why not?
Bruce Williams
It looks like the sinewy face of Freddie Krueger and the interior has all the warmth of an operating room on the Starship Enterprise. It has been said the two happiest days in a yachtsman's life is when he buys a boat and the day he sells it. Every owner knows the provenance of the major boats and I doubt if anyone would want to admit he purchased this white elephant off the pre-owned market.
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