Omega Architects in Superyacht World May 2014

Superyacht report

Galactica Star Heesen’s first Fast Displacement Hull Form yacht is innovative through and through. Charlotte Bailey

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Superyacht report

“The design is simple, clear and spacious; you can enjoy the spatial quality of the area

Opposite: The bottom of the main-deck pool is glass, creating a see-through to the beach club below.

Above: As well as this hot-tub on the sundeck, there’s a large pool two decks below.

Right: Dining on the sundeck can be under a bimini shade.

Below right: Even here on the sundeck bar, the range of materials used is evident.

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t is a truth of the superyacht industry that to be different is to make the biggest impact. The yachts that we remember, those iconic markers of superyacht history, made their marks because each one surprised us. When it comes to superyacht design, perhaps the simplest way to summarise would be ‘new is always better’. Consistently, the elements of innovation that designers dream up – whether in the details or the entire form – leave the superyacht community wondering what’s coming next. And in terms of these perameters, Galactica Star is a yacht that will earn her a place in the record books.

This is Heesen’s largest yacht to date and, more importantly, the first in the yard’s news Fast DIsplacement Hull Form (FDHF). The hull’s designer, Perry van Oossanen, came up with the concept when he decided to create a hull that could perform efficiently at speed. Combining a specific bulbous bow with a slender fore body and shallow transom area and adding a vertical incepting plate, the resulting yacht tops 27 knots, with a range of 4,200 nautical miles at 14.

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Tests showed the form to be 30 per cent more efficient than an equivalent displacement hull in speeds above 15 knots, with upto 20 per cent less resistence.

Beyond the technical level, there’s yet more innovation in the exterior profile: huge aft arches, tapering in shape, transform the outline. “The owner wanted this yacht to be iconic, both for the Heesen Yachts brand and for Omega Architects in our design approach,” says exterior designer Frank Laupman of Omega Architects. “We created an integrated hull and body shape resulting in a sporty, grand yacht.”

The aft area is the focal point of this yacht, perhaps more than others, and from dock level, the yacht’s extraordinary beach club is the space that immediately draws attention. As well as the drop-down platform aft, there is a second to port, creating a flowing exteriorinterior space that’s ready for entertaining, relaxing or launching toys. “Since the launch we have been based in warm climates, so the outdoor areas have appealed most to guests,” says Captain Will Alpers. “The beach club is a favourite because it is an open-air environment really close to the water line, and it has beer on tap!”

Superyacht report

“It showcases exciting spaces, textures and materials but remains approachable and liveable”

Above: The skylounge features polished black stainless steel for the bar and TV surround.

Above right: The bar top up here is in white caesarstone Right: “We wanted to maintain the sporty yacht feel with a long foredeck,” says exterior design Frank Laupman of Omega architects. “The foredeck can be used as a touch and go helipad with ample space to manoeuvre.”

Left: The main outdoor dining area is up here on the bridge deck, and there are also informal conversation areas on deck.

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For interior designers Bannenberg & Rowell, the design for the beach club interior was inspired by the exterior. “It was exciting for us to be able to work with a beach club space designed by Omega,” says Dickie Bannenberg. The beach club is designed to work harmoniously, blurring the lines between inside and outside, day and night. “There are more than a few beach clubs which stretch the definition a bit, being closer to garage or lazarette in feel,” says Dickie. “I think Galactica Star’s beach club is very successful, with back-illuminated grass-like textured wall panels throughout, paired with a clean graphic calligraphic ceiling illumination. These two interior features make up 90% of the beach club design scheme, and both are designed to soften the potentially harsh contrast of exterior daylight against a darker interior space – for example when the two large swim platform doors are open – and provide a real chilled-out nightclub vibe in the evening.”

It’s a flexible space, with a lounge, bar and sauna, where, says Frank, you can spend the day alternating between sun and shade. “An exterior space is rarely

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meant and designed to serve as a day-long sunbathing area,” he says. “But on the semi-enclosed aft deck of Galactica Star, guests have the choice to cool down in the pool, warm up and go into the shade all in the same area. The design is simple, clear and spacious, with an easy choice to get suntanned or be in the shade, enjoying the spatial quality of the area. The tapered cut out between the aft arches are echoed in the layout of the Jacuzzi and aft deck.”

It’s hard to imagine guests getting tired of the beach club, but when they do, there’s a typically intriguing Bannenberg & Rowell interior to explore. How did the British design team create spaces that would integrate and harmonise with Omega’s strong and eyecatching exterior, yet also be lively and interesting, drawing the attention indepent of what is outside?

“It was clear we had to marry an exciting interior to Frank Laupman’s sporty and sinuous exterior,” says Dickie. “The spaces inside the exterior envelope are very generous and well laid out. At 65 metres, for many she is the optimum size, allowing flexible and generous guest accommodation and plenty of toys, and she also

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Above: The bar in the main salon is in white Carrara marble, glass macassar ebony and backlit glass.

The designers used angles to create a ‘3D’ effect.

Left: Looking forward from the main salon. Note how the ceiling’s feature lines reflect those on the floor.

Facing page, top: The carpets are custom made

by Bannenberg + Rowell.

Far left: The aft deck is the ideal spot to admire those extraordinary Omega lines.

Right: The ceiling coffers by the dining table are covered in stone-coloured fabric by Jab, adding softness to the area.

Superyacht report

“There was breathing space for us to explore sweeping interior architecture”

Facing page: The showstopping central staircase showcases some of the woods used on board, which include spruce, wenge, silver grey oak and walnut, here set in opposing grains.

Above: Looking into the main-deck master suite from the starboard balcony.

The bed upholstery is from Dedar, Milan.

Left: There’s a separate owner’s office leading from the owner’s suite to the main lobby.

Below left: The owner’s ensuite continues the interior theme of geometrically zigzagging woods.

allowed breathing space for us to explore sweeping interior architecture.”

The main salon is a showcase for Bannenberg & Rowell’s geometrical style. “The original owner gave us a very free hand,” says Dickie. “We removed almost all colour from the main brushed timber walls: they are almost grey, a subtly textured backdrop to the wonderful art we selected with the owners. We combined this with several more sophisticated joinery finishes: grooved oak, high gloss lacquer, dark ebony, and striped doors using grey rippled sycamore and dark wenge. We specified grey and/or white marble throughout, some of which was heavily striped, giving the appearance of wood grain.”

Structually, there are elements of a superyacht that must inevitably be worked around for every design, but Bannenberg & Rowell used this to their advantage in the tricky amidships area above the engine room. The large ventilation ducts on either side of the area between the main salon and dining area mean the space is necessarily narrowed, but instead of losing the space as a featureless walk-through corridor, the

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designers saw an opportunity and created a fun socialising area. To port, there is a bar in white Carrera marble, backlit glass and macassar ebony, and opposite it, a neat ‘conversation zone’, two armchairs either side of a fireplace that thematically blends in to the rest of the interior. Beyond that is the dining area, which makes a feature of the far wall. This deck, with two larger areas and a narrower one in between, gave the designers a shape to work with: “The configuration of the main salon and dining area with its engine room casings amidships gave us the opportunity to suggest an “infinity loop” theme in terms of shape and detailing,” says Dickie.

With its dark leathers, stripped-back colour scheme and fireplace, the main salon looks to take elements of long-established London members’ clubs and bachelor pads for inspiration. “The main backdrop is a very cool, slightly masculine combination of textured and veined noble materials,” explains Dickie. “We clad the bar and fireplace walls in a much softer, slightly warmer leather.”

The rest of the interior here features highlights of glass and lots of polished and satin metalwork, which Dickie

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“The beach club is designed to work harmoniously, blurring the lines between inside and outside”

says acts “as a graphic highlight line, defining the interior once more with a kind of three-dimensional wireframe.” The metalwork is built in joinery using the same finishes, with hints of texalium, which has a silver carbon fibre-like finish, and polished stainless steel.

“I’m very pleased with the main salon and its relationship both aft ( to the exterior seating and pool ) and forward ( to the “Club” midships and the Dining Saloon ). It’s one of those rare main salons which gets used,” says Dickie. And despite the high-concept design, this usability aspect remained at the forefront during the process. “I think Galactica Star showcases an exciting use of space, textures and materials, whilst remaining approachable and liveable; two ground rules which can’t be violated,” says Dickie.

Central to the interior – and one of the most complicated elements to build – is the feature staircase, extending down to the lower deck and all the way up to the sundeck, with a showcase lobby on the main deck. Originally conceived in a circular helix form, space restrictions meant that eventually it evolved to be more elliptical in shape, both more complex to engineer

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and more mind-bending to be inside. It all adds to the clever optical effects achieved throughout, thanks to the lines and angles created by Bannenberg & Rowell.

The designers were keen to keep open treads on the stairs, as this allowed them to make the staircase a more dramatic feature through use of sculpted shapes.

“We work really hard on the geometry of our staircases and, generally, once the yards have recovered from the initial shock, they wholeheartedly throw themselves into it – as opposed to down it...” jokes Dickie. “This is just what happened with Heesen, where the design was mocked up at different scales and optimised before fabrication began.” The stairs lead up to a comfortable half-width VIP cabin and down to a further four guest suites, with a master suite on the main deck – full beam, with a terrace area and office.

Captain Alpers says the yacht has handled well in tough conditions. “Speed is on our side so we are able to get from one location to another in good time. We have been known to cruise at 26 knots to show off our speed!” Now headed back to the Med for the summer season, this is a yacht that’s going places. SyW

Above: This open beach club is Frank Laupman’s favourite space on board, and the most popular with guests. “The design is simple, clear and spacious, with an easy choice to get suntanned or be in the shade, enjoying the spatial quality of the area,” says Laupman.

Left: Loose furniture keeps things informal in this indoor-outdoor space. The bar and walls are finished

by Lamellux in oak and walnut.

Right: The beach club transforms to a nightclub area after dark.

Superyacht report bow: Omega’s first designs featured a vertical bow, but this changed to a raked bow.

The specs Galactica Star Length overall 65.00m (213ft 2in) Beam 11.30m (37ft 7in) Draught 3.10m (10ft 0in) Gross tonnage 958 GT Displacement 560 tons (at half load) Engines Twin MTU 20V 4,300kW M93L Berths Owner 2. Guests 10. Crew 14.

Hull/superstructure Aluminium

Exterior Omega Architects Interior Bannenberg + Rowell Classification ABS ✠A1 Yachting Service ✠AMS LY2/

CONTACT Builder Heesen Yachts, Rijnstraat 2, 5347 KL, Oss, Netherlands. Tel +31 (0)412 66 55 44.

MCA

Website www.heesenyachts.nl

PERFORMANCE NOTES Top speed 27 knots (at half load) Range @ 14 knots 4,200 nautical miles

tender garage: Located in the bow, making space for the beach club.

Sunpad: With ample room for five sunbathers fanned out to face the water.

foredeck: Two seating areas for when the helipad is not in use.

vip suite: Located on the upper deck with great views out from the bed.

wheelhouse: Further aft and more raised than in the original designs.

conversation area: With two armchairs, opposite the bar.

hull form: The innovative FDHF hull reduces resistance for greater efficiency.

swim platform: Totalling 22 square metres in area (the port balcony is ten square metres).

central staircase: Running from the lower deck to the sundeck.

sundeck: Stairs from the bridge deck allow guests to flow between these areas. beach club: Two fold-down platforms make boarding the tender easy.

GUEST CABINs: Four double cabins, two with sofa areas.

aft arches: Creating a highly unusual exterior through tapered curves.

Swimming pool: With a glass bottom, bringing light in to the beach club area.

LOA: A full ten metres longer than any other Heesen built so far, at 65 metres.

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