I AM MY HOME.
I AM MY DREAMS
by Samuela Urbini, ph.
Architecture
Francesca Muzio founded FM Architettura in 2009 after working for twenty years in architecture and interior decoration. As head of design for the Ferretti Group brands CRN and Custom Line she developed solid experience in the yacht-building industry, creating the interiors of superyachts like Zen and Somnium by Feadship
courtesy by FM
Not many studios can design interiors for large yachts as well as towers, skyscrapers, hotels and residences throughout the world. FM Architettura is one of these. Founded in 2009 by Francesca Muzio, after building up some solid experience in yachts and architecture the studio currently has nine yachts in the 50 to 80 metre class under construction or recently delivered for yards like Feadship, Benetti, The Italian Sea Group, Rossinavi and Tankoa. It has also completed projects for residential complexes and luxury hotels like Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental. Muzio was design director for CRN and Custom Line within the Ferretti Group for almost ten years, and for several years now has worked with her partner Luca Boldrini. They chose to base their studio in the Marche region, creating prestigious superyachts like the 88-metre Zen, built by Feadship/Van Lent, and Somnium, another Feadship/De Vries build, two iconic vessels delivered in 2021. “The way we approach a project always starts from a constructive dialogue with the owner. It’s like cutting out a bespoke suit and making it enduring”, says Francesca Muzio. “Listening to his or her story gives you a vision of their world and you begin to lay the foundations for the design, whether it’s a private residence, a hotel or a yacht. Zen was inspired by the owner’s desire to live according to Zen principles, his passion for Japan and some elements of minimalism. That’s why our motto is ‘I am my home’. These days, rather than talking about style we discuss what the client wants to experience on board. ‘I am my home’ and also ‘I am my dreams’, in the sense that when owners tell you why they want this yacht, it’s always part of a dream and it’s
Above and right, two renders of one of the residences on the Ulyssia, a ship designed as the evolution of a superyacht, with public spaces that are an extension of the home. Presented this year at Palm Beach, the interiors by FM Architettura feature curved lines and tactile materials. The use of light is also very important – natural light floods through the windows to create a connection with the exterior while intimate spaces are generated using suffuse, indirect light. The Ulyssia’s external lines and naval platform are by Espen Øino
our job to interpret it through our stylistic cues, our awareness, our skills”. The studio comprises around fifty people, including architects, engineers and designers, and handles an almost unique range of projects. It is currently involved in projects in eighteen countries. One of the most interesting projects in the development stage is Ulyssia, a residential superyacht with exteriors and naval platform by Espen Øino. FM Architettura is the project leader for all the public and residential spaces. “A very complex project with seven restaurants, spa with medical centre, marina with diving and submarine facility and a number of interior and outdoor swimming pools, enabling us to offer a new way of experiencing a sea adventure. With Ulyssia we wanted to distance
ourselves from the cruise world. It’s an evolution of the megayacht, where public spaces are an extension of the home”. With a total of 132 residences from 113 square metres to 982 square metres (excluding the owner’s suite), plus ten penthouses and 22 guest suites, here too it’s possible to recognise the typical stylistic cues of FM Architettura: “The common feature in all our yachts is the attention to detail provided by the FM Craft department, which takes advantage of the high-level artisanal skills offered by our region, specialising in working leather and materials for furnishing and high fashion. We also work with
These pictures, the forward pool (above) and some of the communal spaces that shape the experience on board the Ulyssia, a build where FM Architettura is the project leader. The complex design comprises 132 residences and various amenities, seven restaurants, a spa with medical centre and a number of interior and exterior pools. Guests feel embraced by the large spaces, not lost in them
craftsmen from other countries, like the Philippines, which has a rich culture”. “Our stylistic trademark is always finding beauty, designing this beauty so that is not ephemeral, not disappearing with the passage of time but remaining enduringly authentic”.
In particular, on the Ulyssia, where the spaces are exceptionally generous, “The soft lines in the communal spaces create a human dimension, so people feel embraced by the space, not lost in it”, says Muzio. “It’s a team effort where you have to set your ego aside to create a unique, timeless project”.