It’s natural to assume that an 88-meter (289-foot) megayacht would feature plentiful guest staterooms. And you’d be right, if you were thinking about a project other than Orchid. This code-named concept collaboration between Luiz De Basto Designs and Lürssen accommodates just eight guests, with large windows in the four staterooms to take in the view. The designer and builder have kept the number down to increase the amount of space devoted to saloons, dining areas, alfresco spaces, and other entertainment and relaxation areas that everyone can use.
Considering Orchid encompasses six decks, that should translate into plenty of room for these spaces. It’s interesting to note that the project didn’t start out with a set number of decks, unlike most concepts and even real superyachts. Rather, De Basto explains, the amenities he and the yard wanted to incorporate dictated the height.
So what will an owner and his guests get if Orchid is signed to a contract? A pool located just inside sliding doors on the aft main deck, for one; an interesting and unusual sight when boarding, no doubt. (There’s another pool, this type elliptical in shape, one deck up and out in the sunshine.) Alternately, guests can board at a fold-down balcony along Orchid’s side on the lower deck, a few paces away from a private theater. For on-the-water play, the tender garage is accessible via an elevator, which can whisk guests down from the bridge deck. Even the crew gets a dedicated elevator to get them down here in a hurry. Lift-up hatches let the toys launch and be retrieved. After a hard day’s play, what better way to relax than with a glass of wine from the sure-to-be-immense wine “cellar.”
Of course, the owner’s suite benefits from the abundant room, too. It’s a two-level affair, with the bedroom on the main deck and a private stairway leading to a lounge on the upper deck, where the wheelhouse would normally be. It makes for a 245-square-meter (about 2,640-square-foot) suite.
The wheelhouse gets bumped up to the bridge deck, where there are also port and starboard wing stations. For the overall crew’s benefit (or that of anyone wanting a bit of exercise), each deck has walkaround space and is connected to the next via sets of stairs.
More news to follow if the concept comes to fruition. In the meantime, this slideshow should give you a better idea of what De Basto’s design is all about.
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