Page 36: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2016)

DESIGN

Tomas Tillberg

Celebrating 20 years of high design in the Global

Cruise Market

This year ubiquitous cruise vessel design house Tomas Tillberg Design celebrates its 20th anniversary. MR speaks with To- mas Tillberg regarding evolving trends in design over the past two decades, as well as insight into “what’s next.”

By Greg Trauthwein great designs created by our talented and the beginning. The Asian cruise shipping

Many thanks for taking the time again In looking at your design style: What to share your insights with Maritime factor(s) have had the biggest impact creative colleagues; no electronics can has an incredible potential, after the ma-

Reporter. Twenty years is a nice mile- on the designs you are able to deliver change that. jority of our planet’s population is in that stone. Discuss if you will how Tomas to seagoing ships today? Please be area, and as its prosperity is increasing

Tillberg Design today is most the Similarly, and I know this is a broad speci? c.

more and more people to look to cruising same, and most different, from when question, how is the business of de- as a great way to spend their vacations. you opened up shop in 1996?

The constant innovative work of suppli- signing for passenger vessels most the

There is also a continuing expansion in same, and most different in that 20 ers and manufacturers with new mate- other areas of cruise shipping such as ex-

Florida is the ‘Cruise Ship Capital of the year span?

rials and solutions to age old problems pedition and river cruises.

World,’ so the idea of moving to Fort play a big role. The expansion of materi-

Lauderdale In 1996 was a wonderful op-

The basics are still the same. For exam- als meeting the maritime ? re regulations

Can you share with us details on a re- portunity to expand and better service ple; the functionality of a dining room has allowed us to push many boundar- cently completed (or soon to be com- our clients, and resulted in the formation is the ? rst consideration - after that is ies of the past, speci? cally textiles, light pleted) design project in details, dis- of Tillberg Design US. We set out to hire sorted out, the design follows. The big- cussing the challenges of the project, weight stone products, glass materials, the best talent the industry could offer, gest difference is that ships are getting ? lms, carpet, the use of digital printing the approach you took to a solution.

and once under one roof, this team of bigger, becoming a destination within technologies, LED lighting to name a designers and architects sparked ? erce themselves, while allowing for more few. We’re constantly challenging these We have just completed the new designs competition. Weathering many storms, versatility and functionality, catering to a aspects to better the product range and of an expedition ship. In this case it was

Tomas Tillberg Design has survived and more diversi? ed, technologically savvy bring our design to their highest poten- an interesting balance between the char- come out stronger 20 years later. From groups, namely the millennials and their tial.

terer and the owner of the vessel. The the test of time when drawings were still families, thus creating the demand for challenge was to deliver a design beyond being printed and packages sent out by more specialty restaurants, lounges and the expectations of the charterer and at

As you know, many maritime sectors are in the doldrums at the moment, but mail, we have now pushed and embraced retail spaces and even cabins, incorpo- the same time stay within the owner’s the business of cruise shipping – from the electronic era. We are now able to rating interactive elements and environ- budgetary framework. We approached the mammoth oceangoing liners to the streamline drawings via the internet ei- ments. it by creating high resolution render- smaller inland and coastal vessels – ther thru Skype or GoToMeeting, and it

We are also seeing a trend among baby ings as a base for further discussions and is quite ‘hot’ at the moment. How do also enables us to use consultants glob- boomers seeking adventurous and ex- followed up with a very productive dia- you see the market today, and where ally. It has been amazing to see the in- otic locations bringing back the smaller logue between the charterer, the owner do you see opportunity for near- and crease in ef? ciency and economy as we class of vessels carrying less passengers and us. The result was happy clients and long-term growth?

have entered into this new age.

resulting in a more intimate, educational a great design.

What is most the same is the spirit and and service oriented experience. It seems that the expansion possibilities philosophy of the company as well as the are enormous and that we are still just at 36 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • OCTOBER 2016

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