Onboard Atlantico: Pioneering Space with Studio Pastrovich

Despite her modest length of 27.4m, Atlantico’s wide beam of 10.2m and fold-down side terraces provide plenty of space for socialising and relaxing onboard. The brief was that of a rational aesthetic, with large open plan spaces designed to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional. 

‘Atlantico is the result of lengthy research and development,’ Pastrovich says. ‘It is the answer to the question: how can yacht design best meet the needs of modern owners?’

Pastrovich subscribes to the Mies Van Der Rohe concept that ‘Less is more’, meaning that architecture can be beautiful while still being based on what is most essential. This, he explains, is what moulded the design logic on the Atlantico project from the outset. The yacht’s main deck measures 27 x 8m for a total area of 145 square metres of space. There is no fixed furniture, except for the helm console and the pilot’s seats. All furnishings are fixed to the deck by easily removable pins, allowing for clear and open space in a moment’s notice.

‘We think that designing a deck without fixed furniture helps to free the mind and give space to the personal creativity of the owner,’ says Pastrovich. ‘Drawing on the essential is a bit like drawing silence or emptiness. It is a work of surgical difficulty, because it requires great concentration to abstract the mind from daily reality of information overload.’ 

Another significant design motif on the project is the essence of continuity and connectivity between interior and exterior spaces. This hallmark of Pastrovich is particularly pronounced onboard Atlantico with uninterrupted teak decking from bow to stern, as well as the abruptly vertical lines of the aft section of the deckhouse - designed without an aft door to provide free circulation and diminish the feeling of indoor/outdoor spaces. 

The static design of the roof provides for a covered space which still retains an outdoor feel, complete with supporting pillars and large side windows. 

‘We have overturned the concept of perimeter roof supports by introducing the interior ‘pilotis’ - columns or pillars - developed by Le Corbusier in the 1930s,’ Pastrovich explains. ‘The roof loads are supported on these pillars, which means we were able to lighten the glass perimeter structure and increase the visibility outboard.’

These pillars are a marked shift away from the traditional window design and replacement with curtain wall windows as used in land-based architecture. Indeed, Atlantico has a distinct penthouse feel to her design, which Pastrovich attributes to wanting ‘to recreate the freedom offered by a residential loft apartment, where the owner can give space to his own creativity by choosing to change the layout or modifying the decor and function.’

Pastrovich adds that his experience over the years has resulted in the realisation that shorter and wider yachts offer optimal advantages in terms of layout management and navigability. Conventional yachts of this length offer much shorter beams on deck, only bolstered by Atlantico’s side platforms. 

Combined with a top speed of 28 knots, Atlantico is the perfect ‘chase boat’ for fast, comfortable transfers between islands to explore remote bays and alcoves while feeling ultimate connectivity to the sea.