The luxury yachting sector is constantly changing, with shipbuilders always looking to bring forth innovations in terms of design, technology, and construction. Driven by the pursuit of excellence and the desire to offer their customers the best possible yachting experience, yacht designers come up with revolutionary concepts that envision the future of the industry.
De Basto Designs is a Miami-based multi-disciplinary yacht design studio that specializes in luxury yachts, custom and production boats, as well as commercial watercraft. It was founded in 1995, and its chief designer, Luiz de Basto, is a professional with over thirty years of experience in the field, having been involved in the design of more than 250 boats and yachts.
Called “Project MED,” the studio’s latest creation is a 302-foot (92-meter) superyacht with a reflective glass superstructure that seems to float above the hull. The vessel is characterized by sinuous and soft exterior lines that reminisce the gentle waves that bathe the Mediterranean coasts, and the whole design is inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle and focuses on open spaces and a deep connection with the sea.
De Basto Designs collaborated with Lateral Naval Architects on this superyacht concept to ensure the practicality of the design. Lateral is responsible for creating the structural lattice system of the glass superstructure, which they have designed with a minimal footprint and just four supports that keep it “suspended.”
This gravity-defying superstructure is the most outstanding feature of this conceptual vessel, and it stands out through its unconventional shape and how it creates the illusion of floating over the hull.
Because this unique superstructure is only connected at minimal points, the main deck of Project MED is an expansive, entirely open space called the Agora deck. This area is envisioned as a multi-purpose al-fresco space where guests can meet and socialize, dine, and enjoy the sun, hence its name. In Ancient Greece, “agora” was the public square or marketplace where people used to gather and socialize.
Photo: De Basto Designs
The polished and well-sculpted superstructure offers some much-needed shade, deftly conceals the hull windows and openings, and also reflects its surroundings. The hull’s windows are covered in serigraphy, but because it is in the same color as the hull, it is basically invisible from the outside and allows the superstructure to catch the eye.
“I wanted to strip the profile of everything superfluous, leaving just the right number of elements to convey the concept. The flying superstructure volume touches the hull delicately, dissolving the main deck into a void space and leaving the Agora deck open,” explained Luiz de Basto.
The Project MED concept is an imposing 2,300 GT superyacht that offers generous interior spaces. While the Agora deck is open and invites conviviality, inside the hull, there are two other decks that include more private spaces, though these, too, feature an open layout configuration.
The designers envisioned the yacht with accommodations for up to 14 guests across seven staterooms, with an owner’s master suite located on the upper deck. Guests, on the other hand, have four suites and two VIP cabins to choose from.
For an unforgettable yachting experience, Project MED is accoutered with luxury amenities, including a large pool toward the stern, a gym, a helipad, and plenty of plush lounging spaces.
In terms of propulsion, the designers envisioned the superyacht with a hybrid diesel-electric system that would endow it with a top speed of around 16.5 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots. Futuristic and innovative, Project MED is an exciting new design that, even though it might not be turned into an actual yacht, is poised to inspire models that will shape the future of luxury boating.
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