“Strong, Daring” Yacht Project Venus: Sunday Superyacht Video

UPDATE, JULY 4, 2024: A previous customer of Heesen Yachts has returned to the shipyard to buy the yacht Project Venus. Rupert Connor of Luxury Yachts, the owner’s representative, says it was an easy decision. “There is no other shipyard in the world where you can sign for a yacht in June and they deliver in 10 months a high-quality yacht customized to our needs,” he asserts. He adds, “Our whole build-support team is thrilled to be working with Heesen again.”

Read on for our original article.

With two years to go before completion, the yacht Project Venus is meeting her construction milestones at Heesen Yachts. The spec build offers plenty of time for tailoring, but the future owners just might want to follow the lead of Luca Dini Design. The studio, brought in by Heesen, is suggesting “a strong, daring identity that can be pushed to audacity while remaining welcoming and comfortable.”

As a 55 Steel series yacht, whose keel laying took place in the autumn of 2022, this 180-footer is for an owners’ party of 12. Naturally, she offers a main-deck master suite. A mini oasis, with a French balcony and a private alfresco breakfast/relaxation area, it’s big on space, 883 square feet (82 square meters). Also due to popularity, the beach club has a spa-like space incorporating a sauna, but also a bar for entertaining at the water’s edge.

As much as it’s important to create areas holding broad appeal when building on spec, it’s further important to make the design stand out. To that end, the yacht Project Venus doesn’t blend in with the crowd. Despite megayachts all having interiors reflecting the owners’ tastes, certain décor trends characterize a lot of launches. For example, two decades ago, dark, rich wood paneling like mahogany, for a gentleman’s lounge look, dominated. These days, by contrast, a lot of owners choose predominantly light-tone lacquers or natural materials. For this 180-footer, Luca Dini Design, known for mixing tones, textures, and materials creatively, chose a different path. Dark and light wall sections alternate, with strong, bold colors in accessories and furnishing.

Silvia Margutti, the studio’s head designer for Project Venus, made the “strong, daring identity” statement above. She adds that the team chose this, and welcomes a more audacious direction, too, because Heesen’s interiors division is adept at different finishes and specialized textures. “The design thrives on contrasts and provides a unique harmony,” Margutti also says.

Now that the hull and superstructure are one, the yacht’s 760 gross tons of volume will begin to come into better perspective. So, too, will the 2,712 square feet (252 square meters) of overall alfresco relaxation and entertainment space. The sundeck alone represents 1,184 square feet (110 square meters) of that space.

Need further convincing to buy her? Project Venus is currently the only 180-foot (55-meter) steel-hulled superyacht for sale from a Northern European shipyard.

Luca Dini Design lucadini.com

Heesen Yachts heesenyachts.com