In the unprecedented setting of an online ceremony, held on November 13, Benetti’s 63-meter mega yacht “Metis” made the top step of the podium at the World Superyacht Awards in the category “Displacement yachts between 1,000 and 1,499 tonnes”. The judges at Boat International were impressed by the interior architecture, designed in a particularly progressive style by British studio Bannenberg & Rowell, and the innovative exteriors and layout penned by Giorgio M. Cassetta and his team.
The success of Metis is furthermore impressive considering that the build was started on speculation by Benetti. The project’s team was challenged to design an extraordinary yacht that would need to interpret with no compromises the requirements of modern yachtsmen, both in functionality and style.
Giovanna Vitelli, Azimut|Benetti Group vice president, commented: “I share this award with everyone who has been part of creating this project, which represents the excellence of Benetti’s production and construction capabilities, a statement of ‘Made in Italy’ best industrial and manufacturing capabilities. Proof of the excellent result is this prestigious award as well as the sale of four yachts based on Metis’ design that were sold to owners from four different continents”.
Dickie Bannenberg remarked on the collaboration with Benetti: “Perhaps Benetti simply appreciate that aesthetics and engineering are part of the same process, and not separate disciplines. To use a fashion analogy, the most beautiful cloth will still fail on a poorly tailored suit. I think the Italians just have this in their blood. They gave us pretty free rein when we laid out the yacht and by conceiving spaces in an asymmetric way we were able to create less formal layouts (while keeping an edgy modern style), improve sight lines, absorb bars and equipment in corners, and generally create a new dynamic to both furniture and architecture.”
Giorgio M. Cassetta, responsible for the exterior design and layout, commented on the style: “Our goal for Metis was to create a set of essential lines that would give the yacht a subtle sensuality and a recognizable character. She is unmistakably a Benetti yacht, with an added boldness and exquisite balance of proportions. Her refined volumes were precisely crafted to highlight three-dimensionality with precision surface contouring, while offering uncompromised lay-out functionality. In this she is a perfect expression of our company’s ethos, and we are grateful to the yard and the project’s team for a fantastic work together.”
