There are no fresh concepts. We merely combine a number of outdated concepts in a mental kaleidoscope…We may flip and create new combinations indefinitely, yet they are the same vintage-colored glass objects that have been around for millennia. In his autobiography, Mark Twain, real name Samuel Clemens, reflects on the origin of ideas.
Atlante is a 54.8-meter bespoke yacht built by the Italian shipyard CRN. The creative brains behind its design must have really given their kaleidoscope a good twist. She genuinely stands out thanks to its metallic grey hull, matte black superstructure, 200 square meters of glass windows, and lack of curves that are inconsistent with her nautical nature.
As soon as you embark, the new yacht assumes an ever-more-interesting dimension. Central stairs leading to the main deck are located in the center of a peaceful beach club that is finished in lovely spruce. A sizable space that is enclosed on all sides and finished with broad teak planks can be found at the top of the stairs. Before details are visible, the eye needs a few seconds to acclimatize to the light coming through the large louvers.
After listening to the owner’s preferences, Lenard told him, “Well, what you describe is not very nautical,” but shortly Nuvolari Lenard had a design that closely matched his vision. The stately main deck garage designed by Nuvolari Lenard that accommodates two nine-meter tenders solved the tender dilemma for Lenard.
“Another consideration was to raise the yacht,” Nuvolari continues. “When docking in a marina, you are frequently sandwiched between two larger vessels – think Monaco – so the lower deck feels very low.” With obstructed views, these primary decks will not be utilized. Therefore, we moved all of these spaces to the upper levels.”
The bridge deck of the Atlante is divided into two areas aft and forward of the mostly angular deckhouse (although, according to Nuvolari, they have a slight curvature). A sizable up/down teak table is recessed into the deck forward. The table, which matches the matting, can be completely retracted, allowing the deck to function as a helipad atop a toy garage and mooring room.
Despite his admiration for Nuvolari Lenard’s work on Atlantis, the proprietor did not select CRN based on the referral. He claims that, unlike other yards he consulted, CRN did not ask him to modify his concepts. “It was the only company that really guaranteed me a custom boat,” he says.
There is extensive use of stainless steel inside and out, as well as removable steel stanchions with a painted fiberglass finish. Aligning the polished stainless steel plates on the bow and these hull railings around the helipad, as well as connecting the stainless steel details to the interior materials, were some of the greatest challenges for the CRN craftsmen.
Gilles & Boissier, a thriving Parisian interior design firm, was responsible for the saloon’s welcoming design. The owner’s relationship with Patrick Gilles and Dorothée Boissier was well-established, and the firm has a growing portfolio of private residences, boutiques, restaurants, and hotels, including the first Baccarat signature hotel, which was recently inaugurated in New York.
Despite this strategy, there is no disparity between interior and exterior design. The interior’s dark atmosphere, stainless steel accents, and custom-designed furniture, all by Gilles & Boissier, reflect the exterior’s design.
This elegant interior combines woods such as smoked oak, spruce, and gum tree with extraordinary marbles used liberally and somewhat atypically on numerous interior walls. There is no doubt about the opulence of the used materials, but perhaps the most opulent aspect of this interior is the abundance of open space.
This unconventional approach to space necessitated the elimination of a few conventional layout elements. There is no captain’s cabin on the bridge deck; instead, the commander has a spacious cabin on the lower deck.
And since the stylish pilothouse with its spectacular glass bridge as its focal point is also a space for visitors to enjoy a comfortable panoramic banquette, the captain’s office had to be extremely space-efficient.