Vitruvius Yachts recently announced the launch, on January 3rd,of its first yacht to be built by world- renowned Dutch shipyard Feadship, M/Y Najiba, a 58-metre aluminium motor yacht and the second largest vessel to be built by the shipyard in this material.
The design of Najiba is the result of three years of intensive collaboration with the highly experienced Owners, this being their third vessel.
True connoisseurs of design and proportion, the Owners of this yacht project are also very experienced in iconic land-based construction projects.
What attracted the Owners to Vitruvius Yachts in particular – was the design team’s approach of “architecture and design”, led by Philippe Briand, informed and inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic “Vitruvian Man”.
As they are experienced in global construction projects, it was essential to the Owners that the vessel be 100% custom designed to their specific requirements, from keel to mast. With exacting standards to meet, Feadship’s outstanding pedigree in custom yacht construction made it a clear choice for the project.
With a reputation for working on true bespoke superyacht projects, Peter Wilson of MCM – was chosen from the outset to represent the Owners and lead the project; and he delivered. It was crucial to the Owners that the vessel should feature a well-balanced architecture and clean design.
The brief was to create an environment that would be comfortable for the family, both at sea and when moored. The fifth vessel from Vitruvius Yachts, has been designed for efficiency and to deliberately express purity through minimalist, striking lines.
The Owners understood that the perfect yacht has both scientific and architectural approaches to its exterior design. The team at Vitruvius Yachts sees architecture as the link between art and science.
The scientific approach to the project lies in the concept behind its aluminium construction, with an extremely efficient hull design from Philippe Briand. The hull lines, not least the distinctive vertical bow for which the designer is well-known, are a reflection of the true DNA of a Vitruvius Yachts.
The meticulously planned naval architecture of the project brings the fuel consumption down to just 11.5 litres per nautical mile at a cruising speed of 12 knots (top speeds of 16 knots), which is unprecedented for a yacht of 880GT.
This improved efficiency reflects Vitruvius Yachts’ continued efforts to reduce carbon emissions from its yachts, and to promote better sustainability in yachting. It is a subject close to the heart of lead designer Philippe Briand, who is a founding member of the Water Revolution Foundation under the umbrella of the United Nations.
Art is present in the project through the stunning clean, pure and transparent exterior lines – a style for which Vitruvius Yachts is renowned – alongside the Studio Liaigre interior featuring woods dramatically placed alongside immaculate white surface. The resulting style transports the guest to a whitewashed beachside villa.
