No set list can hold him back, with him scripts fly away like leaves in the wind. Sometimes controversial, ironic, never banal, Piero Lissoni talks about himself and tells about ‘his way’ of doing things Wind Labyrinth, the installation designed for the Sanlorenzo shipyard at Cre-Action on the occasion of Milan Design Week.
‘We very often talk about the sea and the oceans as if they were limitless territories, but I liked the idea of talking about marine labyrinths, even if you can’t see the walls that delimit them, as a metaphor for the human condition, for uncertainties, difficulties, dead ends and wrong turns. Then I was inspired by the poem of the invisible labyrinth, that of Ulysses who creates a marvellous story along a route (labyrinth) that becomes the hardest of tests, because his deception is accompanied by despair: but one can emerge victorious thanks to perseverance.
With Massimo Perotti (Executive Chairman Sanlorenzo, ed.) we reflected on the message to be communicated in Milan. Starting from the title Cre-Action, we set about designing a project that combined creativity and action. So, after the Impossible Machine of 2023, which reflected on the role of new generation fuels to reduce the environmental impact of yachting, and Sustainable Underwater Balance of 2024, which focused on hydrogen propulsion, we decided to talk about the sea, the wind and human labyrinths.
I therefore built a maze of sails that can no longer be used, supplied by Nautor Swan, the latest brand to join the Sanlorenzo galaxy. An immersive work that translates the essence of navigation into an enveloping sensory experience that becomes a metaphor for the sea as a space without boundaries, where the wind guides exploration and defines the path». esplains Lissoni.
In a moment of cultural and social change like the present, luxury boating must continue to evolve in line with the market, and I’m referring in particular to the environment, a subject dear to the Sanlorenzo Group. Do you like sustainability?
‘I can’t stand it. I find it to be a mantra used in a ridiculous way. Sustainability is a very serious issue and deserves to be addressed with responsibility and concreteness. It’s not a story to be told sitting in the living room. Too often, recycling is talked about in a superficial way without considering the importance of initial design and product life. Focusing on how to build objects that last over time and how to use materials and resources consciously is fundamental for a truly sustainable approach».
But you collaborate with a shipyard that has made sustainability one of its flagships…
«It’s true, but the situation is different: we are moving from the ‘living room’ environment to a more serious context. Sanlorenzo has been committed to the environment for many years. Its attention to hull design aims to make yachts more efficient, considering aspects such as materials, weight, energy efficiency and consumption. These are the pillars of sustainability, and in this field, Sanlorenzo is truly at the forefront. We share a very similar vision with Massimo Perotti».
How would you describe your relationship with Massimo Perotti?
‘It’s a healthy marriage, where love is intertwined with a pinch of interest’.
How is the concept of interior space evolving in the world of nautical design? ‘I am a victim of my own success because I have always claimed to design products that are not comfortable, but in the world of yachting boats are technically buildings that float where I have tried to bring the measure and matrix of architecture, paying particular attention to the proportions and the connection between interior and exterior spaces.
The standardisation of taste on board. Don’t you think there’s a certain homologation in the way boats are designed?
‘You’re right, but the scale of imitation can also be seen as a sign of success for a product. Overcoming the difficulty of thinking differently also means accepting that some innovations become part of our daily lives. It might make you angry to know that others haven’t made the same efforts as you, but in the end it’s not so unpleasant. We at Sanlorenzo are a unique company: the boats we present are all number zeroes, that is to say yachts without an owner and without the preferences of a shipowner who wants to customise them according to his or her tastes. We create one-to-one scale models, thus communicating our vision of an epochal change that no one has yet dared to undertake. It’s a risk that requires courage. Sometimes I’m a bit critical of the competition: they copy our ideas and then present themselves as market leaders, claiming to have been the first…’.
Are you more of a motor or sailing man?
‘I don’t have any ideological views. Sailing boats have their charm: they’re beautiful, fun and poetic, but they can also be rather challenging. Personally, I appreciate them especially in regattas and competitions, but as a Sunday user I definitely prefer motorboats’.
Will we see you designing the interiors of a Nautor Swan?
‘It’s a bit too early to say, but never say never. I’m ready to put myself to the test in this area too. It wouldn’t be my first experience: in 2005 I collaborated with Luca Brenta and Lorenzo Argento on the interiors of the Ghost sailing boat, 36 metres long, built by the Dutch shipyard Vitters. It was a fantastic moment because I worked in total contrast to the idea of sailing boats at the time. I also had the pleasure of contributing to the Tribù project, a 50-metre explorer vessel built by Mondomarine in 2007 for Luciano Benetton. I helped design it, modified the container and designed the interiors, bringing my vision to an innovative context».
Your relationship with art?
‘Mine is a special relationship because I’m very passionate about it. However, I’m not a collector, rather a user, I appreciate art without the need to own it’.
Marta Gasparini
