Design 29
The SuperYacht Times | March / April 2016
profile
Frank Laupman on…
the generation gap in design
Inspiration: “Most of the time my inspiration comes from lifestyle or fashion magazines, from somebody who introduces a fashion line and how they market it, or the thinking behind the marketing of dresses with a designer of shop interiors… these things inspire me the most. It’s mostly on the edge between marketing and product design, but honesty also inspires me.”
The American market: “We are also doing designs for people who like to travel the Caribbean. For this market it has to have a certain price range, a certain volume, a certain expectation in speed, a certain versatility. That’s difficult. One size fits all is the most difficult assignment you can get.”
Superyacht design: “At the moment we are trying to ‘bridge’ the gap between an ‘explorer’ and a superyacht. Both types have become icons and either of them can serve the purpose of exploring the seas. The focus to either visit cosmopolitan harbours or run up the Amazon River with specialised toys all depends of the owner. We are trying to bridge that gap, developing concepts.”
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This is wrong for a guy who wants to develop his dream, because a dream is not a product. His dream is his dream.
beaming brightness of the industry spotlight means that the low-profile element of Laupman’s work is more and more difficult to maintain. As Laupman states, nobody would associate big boats with Omega Architects until the completion of the 65 metre Galactica Star in 2013. “The first 100 yachts created a consistent heritage of their own, but then suddenly there was Galactica
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Star. There was a general technical brief, with block diagrams to give direction. The artistic meaning of the end result has just little connection to the brief and I think that’s interesting.” With more work comes more responsibility, and a greater need for tighter, more structured management. And here is the Catch 22 that the leaders of many small,
successful design studios are presented with: how do you achieve the fine balance between being the creator, the manager, and the leader? This is an excessively difficult skill to master, and even Laupman, head of one of the most successful design studios in the superyacht industry, admits that there are certain areas of this that he could improve upon. He notes admiration for Dickie Bannenberg and the way that he has handled the Bannenberg legacy following his father’s passing and assigning himself to be in a position of leadership, while the other half of the namesake, Rowell, was designated the creative side of the business. “Dickie Bannenberg managed to take over from his father without an identity problem. He had to accept that his father was probably the best designer ever, and ran it as a manager and leader. He granted a substantial part of
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design credits to his partner and designer Simon Rowell, a very good interior designer.” At 60 years old, Laupman didn’t shy away from admitting that the younger generation can bring something to solving this conundrum in terms of innovation of management, creativity and design in general, and when asked if it’s possible for one person to be all of the above, he openly states, “Can you be the three of them? Yes, but we know that you will be working at the tip of your toes to make the office run successfully and design at the same time.” He goes on to say that right now at Omega Architects, “the moment has come to coach my younger designers, and run my part.” The younger generation in question include two designers hailing from Holland, both of whom are in their early 20s. Speaking of new designers coming to Omega in the
near future as well as addressing the longevity of his role at the brand, he says, “We have young project coordinators and a specialist when it comes to press and communication in a team of ten people. They present fresh new ideas that enable the brand to avoid stagnation and continue to grow and develop by the side of, and sometimes ahead of, the ever-changing world around us.” With a progressively blooming relationship with private owners, several projects currently being undertaken by high profile shipyards, and a clear strategic plan to persevere in the innovation of superyacht design, the industry can expect Omega Architects to continue to flourish for years to come.