The Art of Architecture Page 3

In the automotive world, Rolls-Royce stands heads and shoulders above the rest. Its cars aren’t the fastest, sleekest, or most tricked-out, but that doesn’t matter—what does matter is the name and the product stand for the utmost in luxury. Witness the fact that wealthy individuals ranging from heads of state to heads of multimillion-dollar corporations want and/or own one—indeed,

By Mike Smith

February 1, 2007

The Fab Four

Think Fokkema Architecten’s ideas were out of the box? Try these other competitors’ designs on for size:

Dubbelm. This creative team incorporated design elements representing water (glass and acrylic), the horizon (horizontal wood panels), sunrise (soft colors similar to ones at dawn), and sunset (warm, deep reds).

Merk + Girod. In an unexpected, contemporary twist, these designers decided the interior should echo exterior aesthetics such as stainless steel and teak. One stateroom, for example, features a floor-to-ceiling chain-mail curtain.

Piet Boon. Piet Boon grouped furnishings and arranged rooms along the yacht’s natural longitudinal axis, with each deck having its own color and materials scheme.

VFD Architects. This team, with experience designing cruise ships, created two proposals: the European, highlighted by elaborate modern elements, and the American, featuring baroque furnishings and artwork.

This article originally appeared in the February 2007 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.