“The detail is already there, in the form, waiting to be found.” This is how Enrico Gobbi, founder and leader of the Team For Design studio, defines a detail, that which makes a yacht truly stand out. A distinctive mark, an essential element that identifies the author and, in our case, reveals those yachts penned by the studio that Enrico Gobbi founded in 2005, overlooking the canals of Venice.
“Allow me to give you an example,” continues Enrico Gobbi. “Take an artist intent on sculpting a female figure. He creates a general form, then he refines it, adding a curve, a fold in the body, an element, a shape. A detail. And yet, if the basic structure, the basic proportions, do not already incorporate that element in some way, that detail will appear applied, artificial. So, when we outline the main structure, that element must already exist. We need only express it.”
Are there elements like this that define Team For Design’s projects?
Certainly. In terms of just the exterior and main features, the continuous main deck glazing is an example, the distinctive elements at the bow and stern, and the use of lighting.
Let’s start with the glazing…
This has been a common trait of all our projects for the last ten or so years. The yachts may differ in length and profile but all feature long glazing, creating continuity of surfaces and the impression of greater length. At main deck level, this is the formal solution that distinguishes our projects and which I prefer to that used on many other yachts, which is to create large vertical windows, for example in the owner’s cabin and, in most cases, in the saloon. I prefer an element of continuity, no interruptions in form. Obviously, this is in turn characterised by the overall lines, by the yard and the owner, yet it remains a singular element, a mark that defines our work.
Was this long glazing solution accepted straightaway by your clients, yards or owners?
Not immediately. I had to talk them through it, as it seemed too simple. We worked with yards that demanded originality, a special window for the owner’s cabin. I had to show them preliminary sketches of what their request would mean and compare that with a single long window. Imagine a sketch, and a single dark line running along the entire superstructure. With each design side by side, the one with the single window appeared longer. The solution convinced everyone. The same happened with the hull window we used on the Dominator, 16 years ago. We were among the first to design such a long window. Not the very first, since the Akhir 40 from Cantieri di Pisa in 1990 had created this long splash of colour. With the Dominator, we moved away from square windows, clearing the hull of portholes positioned not due to an aesthetic choice but dictated by the internal bulkheads.
Is this an element that, like ribbon windows, we find in all your recent projects?
Partly. We use this concept in 70% of our projects, so quite a common solution. However, the design of the stern and where the glazing ends are our signature, born from years of work. If the client is a yard, we try to create a style that is identifiable. In fact, when working with ISA Yachts, our stylistic feature became the yard’s own hallmark design, included in every yacht, regardless of who the designer is. Of course, it has to fit aptly into the overall yacht design. An example is a project for Baglietto in which we used a smoked glass window closing the stern arch. On the Rossi Navi LT65, a yacht reminiscent of a large sports coupé, the stern design is integrated into the engine room air intake, both aesthetic and functional. Another example is the ISA 65 GT’s steel grille solution.
And the mark on the bow?
A sort of diamond pattern. A slit that can be more or less deep, rounder or more angular. It breaks the continuity between the hull plane and the superstructure of the first deck. A true “scuretto”, a horizontal notch from which the long ribbon window runs to the stern. I enjoy creating this little detail of mine.
And finally, the lights…
We like to produce light effects that follow contours. So, we insert long LEDs that run around the entire yacht, emphasising its lines and length. It is a bit like the long window concept. These lights are not functional. They are lights that enhance the yacht’s beauty.
Do owners generally appreciate this detail?
Absolutely. Our owners, mainly custom yacht owners, appreciate it very much. They love to describe it to their guests. When they arrive by tender, before boarding, they stop and point out the details and how they interact. We also engage heavily with the owner in the design phases. In fact, even if they change yachts or move up in size, they still want that detail because they feel it is their own. This also happens with boatyards, where a detail can become a style, a brand.
A slightly more provocative question: with all these recurring elements, is there not a risk of designing that feel too similar?
While the designer’s hand may be the same, you should focus on the yacht as a whole, not the details. Focus on the shape at anchor, on the proportions designed to meet the requirements of a yard or owner. Then come the details that the hand that draws likes to repeat. Not to save time, but because they constitute a defining feature of the designer, who enjoys incorporating and reusing elements that have been positively received.
Emilio Martinelli
