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Megayachts of time based on aesthetics alone. What is fashionable now becomes outdated very quickly. So my intention from the beginning was to design something that would not only look good 10. 20. 50 years from now, but also function equal- ly well. Following this thinking, I uti- lized classic geometric forms through- out the vessel while making maximum use of space and volume. Nothing was designed haphazardly, but with the spe- cific intention of how best to optimize each person's experience on board.

Q: Your basic design concept for the yacht provides for various spatial ele- ments such as loggias, balconies, oriels, and sun-decks rather than the traditional long, continuous ship's decks. What are you aiming to achieve here in terms of the atmosphere on board the yacht and the feelings that the passenger experi- ences?

A: In keeping with the lifestyle con- cept, the goal was to imagine every pos- sible scenario owners and guests would want to experience on board and to make that a reality. In doing so, I paid particular attention to ensure each per- son's privacy. For example, guests and owners have the option of enjoying the outdoors in complete privacy should they choose to do so as each cabin is fit- ted with a private sundeck. On the log- gia one can enjoy the outdoors without being directly exposed to the elements.

Other unique features include a helicop- ter deck designed to allow three helicop- ters to be stored, maintained and refuled out of sight via descending elevators; a port housing a 12-person submarine which can descend directly into the water completely undetected so as to ensure maximum privacy; and a sun- deck equipped with a bar and fully adjustable canopies which can even be lowered to completely cover the bar area and its contents during high speed cruis- ing. So it was really a question of pro- viding various options and flexibility for those on board without constraints. It would have been foolish to follow tradi- tional interior and exterior layouts (ie. narrow and long ship decks surrounding a central living area) for a vessel of this magnitude. That same feeling of grandeur that the M-147 exudes from the outside must be felt on board as well.

Another goal was to create a different rhythm of life on each deck and that is why each deck has its own personality and mood — the living and dining areas are on one deck, the cabins on another deck, the leisure areas such as the salon and disco on yet another.

Q: The stern cabin provides a 270- degree panoramic view with which you give passengers a feeling of infinite dis- tances. and which will have its greatest effect when she is leaving port. What was your intention here?

A: Again, the intention was to create a scenario, an atmosphere of eased luxury yet maximum impact — to be able to entertain guests in a grand living room and walk leisurely through an unusually expansive open air loggia into a circular dining room with 270 degree unob- structed views no matter where one is seated - that is all part of the fantasy and enchantment of entertaining on this level. To heighten the drama, I ensured that the glass panels surrounding the dining room could be easily opened up so that you can experience the sensation of dining on the water virtually without any enclosure. This same dramatic impact is also evident in the main entrance where you can immediately observe not only all the decks above but

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