Unique Circle Yachts – like nothing seen before on the water

When it comes to design, a superyacht can envelop the pinnacle of innovation, both in terms of technology and aesthetics. Achieving this perfect balance, while ensuring the highest levels of comfort, takes a world-class team of craftsmen, so when the Pritzker prize-winning Zaha Hadid Architects teamed up with the world-renowned German boat builder Blohm+Voss, they were bound to create something very special.

The results of this collaboration definitely stand out from the crowd, excelling in every element, from performance and engineering to exterior design and sheer size. The family of five 90-metre ‘Unique Circle Yachts’ derive from a concept for a 128-metre superyacht that Zaha Hadid had previously produced for Blohm+Voss – a design that captured worldwide attention for its forward-thinking composition. The breathtaking exoskeleton of the yacht was like nothing seen before on the water, comprising of a network of ‘circle-like’ supports that vary in size and thickness, which has inspired the design of a range of five more superyachts.

Inspiration for the series was taken from organic structural systems found in nature, transpiring into dynamic yet seamlessly curved lines interconnecting to form a flowing, shell-like structure. “As a dynamic object that moves in dynamic environments, the design of a yacht must incorporate additional parameters beyond those for architecture – which all become much more extreme on water,” said Hadid. “Each yacht is an engineered platform that integrates specific hydrodynamic and structural demands together with the highest levels of comfort, spatial quality and safety.

To make such ground-breaking designs become a reality requires the expertise of an industry leading shipyard and Blohm+Voss have become known for producing some of the largest and most advanced superyachts on the water, including Abramovich’s famous 163-metre Eclipse. The first of the circle yachts to be technically specified and detailed has been named Jazz and features a sharp, solid prow opening up towards the back to provide sheltered outdoor living areas. The interior is strikingly modern and the curvature of the superstructure creates beautiful expanses of natural light throughout. The following four yachts will vary in layout and have been designed to offer flexibility and plenty of scope for their owner’s to customise to their own tastes.