Zaha Hadid Designs Superyachts For Blohm+Voss

The design concept, launched alongside the latest exhibition of Zaha Hadid’s work, is based around the sculptural form of a master prototype conceived for a 128m yacht. The Unique Circle Yachts by Zaha Hadid Architects for Blohm+Voss is a family of five individual 90m yachts that creatively explore the design philosophies of the master prototype within the technical requirements of a fully-engineered yacht design.

The striking exoskeleton structure of the upper section is an interwoven network of supports that vary in thickness and lend a natural aesthetic to the yacht’s external appearance; evoking the organic structural systems found in nature.

This exoskeleton connects the various levels and decks of the ship seamlessly via expressive diagonals. Where traditional yacht design adheres to a strict horizontal order, Hadid has created an intense connectivity between the various decks and elements of the design.

The 90m Project Jazz is the first of the five Unique Circle Yachts that has been technically specified and detailed by the naval architects at Blohm+Voss. Its lineage from the 128m master prototype is evident, with further technical refinements, such as a range of characteristic hull forms, to address the specifications required for ocean crossings.

In addition to Project Jazz, four further 90m yachts have been designed to fulfil the different requirements and individual requests of their designated owners.

Dr. Herbert Aly, CEO and Managing Partner of Blohm+Voss commented: “On an aesthetic level a superyacht is a great design task as everything is customised down to the last detail. A superyacht is by definition an exercise in total design, where every detail is looked at with attention and refinement. In the past, in the era of steam liners, there has been an attempt of utilising ship building elements in architecture. Zaha Hadid and her team have taken this ethos and created a bold new vision and a new benchmark in the design of superyachts.

Aly adds: “The idea of the Unique Circle Yachts allows for variation of a genotype and its phenotypes, offering a range of possible solutions based on an cognate platform. As a result Zaha Hadid’s design is malleable to suit the very individual wishes and needs of a potential customer which lies at the heart of Blohm+Voss’ approach to yacht design.”

“As a dynamic object that moves in dynamic environments,” explains Zaha Hadid. “The design of a yacht must incorporate additional parameters beyond those for architecture – which all become much more extreme on water. Each yacht is an engineered platform that integrates specific hydrodynamic and structural demands together with the highest levels of comfort, spatial quality and safety.”