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RIGOUR AND FLEXIBILITY The chameleon-like approach of the Tuscan architectural studio, founded by Alessandro Pulina, changes according to client needs – a fundamental value when your business is based on custom-made products. It becomes even more successful when combined with the ability to optimise spaces, inspired by a yacht-building training by Veronica Lempi - ph. courtesy by Pulina Exclusive Interiors
Y
achts and megayachts have always been important
him into an all-round interior designer. He now works on
elements in the life of Alessandro Pulina, founder
yachts, residences, retail premises and everything custom
of Pulina Exclusive Interiors. Pulina graduated in
made. With two operational and strategic bases, one in Pisa
architecture in Florence and specialised in industrial design
with a staff of fifteen and one in China with 5 people, he
for yacht design, and since a young age has worked with well-
works every day to respond to wishes and anticipate trends.
known names in the industry. The most illustrious of these
At the Monaco Yacht Show 2023 he presented the Align with
is Guido Spadolini, with whom he developed an open yacht,
Sustainability project, “A collection of eco-sustainable material
the first project of his career. This was the spark that ignited
for which we’re gathering tools and raw materials.
Pulina’s great passion for the sea, a training that transformed
As designers we’re responsible for coming up with solutions
The studio is researching concrete solutions for a more sustainable lifestyle. At the Monaco Yacht Show 2023 it presented the Align with Sustainability project, sourcing eco-sustainable materials that can help rethink yacht and home interior design projects with an emphasis on green awareness, from yarn made using waste from oranges to bio-materials obtained from hemp
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Ph Pulina Exclusive Interiors and Nicola Ughi
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Above, a villa in progress in Hong Kong. Below, two interiors of the project completed in China for the Penthouse
that will endure. It’s a long process, but we can already try out hybrid,
Shenyang Yanlord Yuan 59. Light from outside interweaves
transitional solutions. Biomaterials are already being used in carpets,
with the settings of the interior spaces in a context that
curtains and upholstery fabrics”.
enables the owner to enjoy a multi-directional view.
Pulina Exclusive Interiors was founded in 2014 after working for ten
Credits: Pulina Exlusive Interiors and Zheng Yan
years with Azimut Benetti as head of style at the Viareggio yard. For Pulina, working with Azimut Benetti was an all-round experience, instilling him with both professional and personal values. “I learnt about the importance of working in a team, how essential it is to dialogue with everyone involved in the process to handle unexpected glitches and find the best solutions”. Starting at the sea and arriving on land, Pulina has taken the opposite path to most starchitects. “The sea is my passion, it entertains me, challenges me, stimulates me. It wasn’t difficult for me to move from maritime business to land-based projects. Designing for yachts teaches you to optimise spaces and select the right dimensions. Essential on board, less so in a house – it can take, for example, second place to style. It’s an approach that has enabled me to see things differently, sometimes reshaping existing residential projects”. Pulina Exclusive Interiors’ design philosophy is based not only on operational and strategic theories but also real personal values the founder shares every day with his team – flexibility, fluidity, responsibility, sharing ideas, diversification and the ability to communicate. But above all, rapidity is fundamental for Pulina, a crucial value for quality work. “I always remind my team that our approach is based on flexibility, which enables us to work fast and meet our clients’ requirements. We always keep the dialogue tight – it must be fast, flowing and satisfying. We have to know how to listen. We are lucky that we have to investigate manifold cultures and we do it in the Italian style, we don’t give up and we put ourselves forward as problem solvers. When we have to interpret a client’s needs – not
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Above and below, two interior design projects for the Shenyang Yanlord apartments in China – urban elegance that exploits minimal, sophisticated colour palettes. To side, some of the squad of thirteen people who work with Alessandro Pulina, forming an international, multicultural team. This is crucial for the architect, who sees the fusion of cultures as a value that’s useful in the creation of custommade solutions that most closely reflect the client’s wishes. The studio’s third office, complementing those in Pisa and Shanghai, will be opened by the end of 2024
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always a simple task – we do so with determination, seeking the best solution. It’s something that’s appreciated abroad, a hallmark of Made in Italy expertise and flair. Confirming that personalisation is the is the guiding principle of contemporary design, Pulina explains that the aesthetic of luxury is now inherent in the skilful use of materials and reinterpreting spaces, no longer reflecting a traditional layout, on board or in a home, but aspiring to unexpected solutions with new common areas devoted to quality time. To conclude, something new – a new branch in a new continent is to open by years’ end.
Above and middle, two interiors designed for 62m RIO by CRN. The relaxation area in particular reflects one of the most sought-after trends of the moment, in the home and on board – a space dedicated to psycho-physical well-being, personal or for the family, a place to relax and listen to good music, read, spend quality time with others or alone, also taking advantage of augmented reality. Below, living area designed for Silver Yachts
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