Van Geest Design, a Dutch firm that has both concept and commissioned designs to its credit, is unveiling its latest client-requested proposal, this thoroughly modern, 90-meter (295-foot) motoryacht.
Pieter van Geest, a principal of Van Geest Design, says that he and his design partner came up with the look and length first, as is their custom, and then showed the design to a few shipyards. One builder liked it enough to request it be customized for their clientele. While van Geest says he’s not permitted to reveal which yard this is, it is based in Europe.
The Open 90 emphasizes alfresco spaces, through deck areas intended to feel more like balconies. Indeed, if you take a look at the aerial rendering at top, you get a good sense of it and can appreciate the cascading effect of the decks. Also look closely at the forward edges of the two uppermost decks in the rendering directly below, and you’ll see that they really are much like balconies, extending past the aluminum superstructure swaths. Van Geest Design has arranged all of the adjacent interior spaces to flow straight out to the alfresco areas, for an indoor-outdoor effect.
To further emphasize the outdoors inside, Van Geest Design has lined the various decks with windows. All guest staterooms (for 16 people) are situated on the main deck. “This follows our philosophy of enjoying the surroundings,” van Geest explains. “When the guests are tucked away inside the boat, realization of the surroundings is not maximized. We think that in current superyachts, the relation to the sea is lost. We like to ‘open’ this as much as possible.”
Other highlights of the Open 90: accommodations for 22 crewmembers; a spa and wellness center; and the potential for diesel-electric propulsion. Van Geest Design is in the midst of studies to determine what setup will permit a good rate of speed, possibly in the 24-knot range.
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