A 34-metre yacht where sleek lines combine with comfort and well-being. This high-performance, adrenalin-charged craft provides its guests with a series of unexpected spaces. Minimalistic, sculptural furnishings create a unique personality
by Paola Bertelli
- ph. courtesy by Next Yacht Group
B110 is an expression of our technical know-how and our capacity for design innovation. The yacht includes new stylistic details, which blend with the brand’s DNA”, says Roy Capasso, Head of Sales AB Yachts, as he describes the new model, the first of a new generation.
The AB Yachts brand is closely linked to performance. Its yachts display an extraordinary athleticism. The owner of an AB Yachts craft seeks the excitement of speed and the adrenaline rush of a scorching lift onto the plane alongside ever more glamour, comfort and liveability.
The new AB110 is a 34-metre yacht with high technical and aesthetic content. It is the result of a collaboration between the AB Yachts team and Marco Casamonti of Archea Associati, who handled the interior and exterior design – and it is the exterior design that expresses speed while creating exceptional spaces.
One of the main details expressing the evolution of this model’s lines is the windshield – as Marco Casamonti explains, “It is angled forward to reduce glare from the glazed surfaces. This solution has also enabled us to extend the flybridge, making it larger and more functional”. Looking at the yacht on the water this does not compromise its sporty lines, as it is barely noticeable despite its 15-metre length. The same generous treatment has been given to the beach club that rounds off the cockpit, to which it is connected by two lateral stairways. The exterior spaces are completed by a forward lounge that seems to be carved into the hull. But it would be misleading to consider the exteriors and interiors as different themes. On the AB110 they are conceived as a single flowing entity with furnishings, finishes and architectural elements that engage in a dialogue and share a minimalistic loft style. The main ingredient and thematic link between indoor and outdoor spaces is the teak floor slats with light seams that run from the forward deck to the stern, passing through the cockpit, saloon, helm station and the stairs to the lower deck, continuing from here along the walls and ceilings of the corridor.
The teak is impeccably worked – examples of this can be seen on the details and curves on the steps between the cockpit and beach club and the spectacular stairs down to the sleeping area on the lower deck, where the stairs blend into the walls. There is also extensive use of carbon fibre on board, and it features in the two symmetrical aerial staircases leading from the cockpit to the roof top, with a geometry that evokes that used by graphic artist Escher in his artworks.
On entering the saloon attention is captured by the sculptural galley/bar with its transverse location at the entrance. This custom-made unit has a slatted, lacquered front and MDI top by Inalco. Its sinuous shape, like the channels in the ceiling, evokes the movement of the waves on which it seems to float. Soft lines for the dining area, with round table by Baxter – like all the free-standing furniture in the saloon – and great versatility for the conversation area provided by modular sofas that resemble large pouffes. A reflective screen conceals storage spaces and a mirror tv, and behind this lies the yacht’s technical heart, a helm station with a pure design that provides the clearest embodiment of the concept behind the AB110. It is also equipped with a lighting system that changes tone and mood as the yacht’s speed increases. Twin staircases forward of the console exploit the natural light flooding through the windscreen to create a flowing link between the main deck and the guest cabins on the lower deck. The owner’s cabin is amidships, plus two doubles and a VIP. The cabins boast thick carpets and suede-panelled walls, generating a feeling of extreme comfort and softness as well as muffling sound. AB110 is a super-sporty yacht that can travel at a top speed of 43 knots while offering outstanding comfort and elegance. The powerful MJP hydrojet propulsion (a strategic tried and tested technical choice for the yard) is linked to 2,000 hp MAN engines, and the yacht also features two Seakeeper stabilisers. The shallow 1.30 metre draught means the AB110 can voyage almost anywhere with total freedom and well-being. www.abyachts.com
The beach area, cockpit and saloon are ideally connected to enable free-flowing movement. The AB 110 is equipped with powerful hydrojet propulsion that can push it to a speed of 43 knots.
Opening, the sculptural stairs up to the sun deck are the distinctive element of the cockpit
A sophisticated loft style is the on-board theme.
The flooring in the saloon is in the same light teak as in the exteriors. All the freestanding elements are by Baxter, the kitchen unit (left) which seems to float, is a custom-made piece.
A mirrored screen (to side, top) separates the saloon from the helm console. The sundeck sofa and lounger upholstery (to side, bottom) are by Poltrona Frau, customised for AB Yachts
Exterior Design Alessandro de Pascalis,
Head of Style & Design Office AB Yachts
ABelow: the lines are clean, soft and dynamic. The yacht’s markedly athletic personality is balanced by extremely generous exterior spaces. When on the water the original shapes of the coach roof with its reverse windscreen stand out. The flybridge can hardly be seen at all but its dimensions can be appreciated in the aerial photo to side
During the development of the project we paid particular attention to the continuity between interiors and exteriors –the total design concept is expressed through the perfection of details, like the uninterrupted teak planking seen throughout the yacht. The exterior furnishings – the kitchen unit, for example – are designed to be sculptural and airy. The two symmetrical exterior staircases, which are true works of art, transcend classic design cues, forming a sinuous element linking the cockpit with the sun deck. They combine a strong aesthetic impact with extreme minimalist functionality. Their creation was made possible by the use of advanced technology and materials, with CNC machining centres and carbon fibre.
B110 is a decidedly athletic craft – its design marks an evolution for AB yachts. Together with the Archea studio we worked to create clean, fluid lines. Picture an object in a wind tunnel that modifies its shapes to avoid blocking the flows, removing all rough edges and softening the lines: the sharp, tapered tension of an arrow combines with soft, yielding surfaces while maintaining a stiff, solid shell.
We also paid close attention to developing the exterior lighting, which highlights and enhances the characteristic coach roof lines, making the yacht recognisable and iconic at night, too. With the AB110, a yacht that offers outstanding – and silent - performance with an absence of vibration, and takes the concepts of liveability, comfort and extreme well-being to even higher levels, it’s been possible to achieve the harmony that complements the enjoyment of performance with the pleasure of freedom of movement and well-being.
Interior Design Alessandro de Pascalis
Ican sum up the main themes of the AB110’s design in three words – decoration, minimalism and comfort. The aesthetic intention shaping the decor is most succinctly expressed by the patterns on the leather panels embellishing the interior walls, with smooth leather on the main deck and suede in the lower deck sleeping area, the use of refined, sustainable materials (the leather is a waste product of the food industry) with woods given a relief-effect brushed finish that highlights their materiality and elegance. This choice is both aesthetic and functional, as it helps attenuate and filter noise and vibration, although these are already significantly reduced by the technical choices and propulsion systems that are typical of AB brand yachts.
The use of a colour palette ranging from grey to teak, black and blue helps embrace guests in a sensation of warm, sophisticated welcome –the saloon, for example, is transformed into a theatrical loft dominated by the sculptural kitchen unit and the monolithic element separating the saloon from the technical area, providing the privacy owner and guests desire. The clean, minimalist materiality reaches a peak in the helm station, the yacht’s distinctive feature, which boasts total integration of the instrumentation. The AB110 can sail at 43 knots, stable and with perfect trim. Its living spaces are adapted to the social interaction typical of loft living, complemented by harmonious lines, sophisticated lighting and refined details.
The guest accommodation is on the lower deck. As well as creating a sensation of softness the padded, leather-clad walls help enhance soundproofing. The owner’s suite (on this page) lies amidships, with two double cabins forward (to side, bottom) followed by a VIP cabin. To side, top, one of the two identical teak staircases lining the lower and main decks
The Shipyard
Roy Capasso, Head of Sales AB Yachts
The clean, minimal lines of the helm station developed by Fincantieri with Seasyacht, featuring impeccably-finished teak. The surfaces are in Poltrona Frau leather
TheAB110 is the first of a new generation of yachts – its main features are athletic lines, excellent livability, breath-taking performance and a design that combines tradition and the cutting edge.
In the context of design, our technical office made a detail study of the airflows over the coach roof, ensuring that it has no negative impact on performance and emphasising the overall aerodynamics of the yacht. Integrating advanced materials like carbon fibre was one of the most challenging aspects of our work on the AB110, as well working to create ample spaces without compromising on performance. The uninterrupted continuum between interiors and exteriors created when the aft, full-beam door between the saloon and cockpit is open is a particularly successful feature. The sun deck, totally customisable by the client, is no less striking. Market response has been extremely positive. The first model, built on spec, generated significant interest in the European market, but especially in the USA and Middle East. As I said before, it’s the first in a new line that’s already set to grow – at the Fort Lauderdale show we presented the new AB95 and AB95 S. As for sustainability, we adopted an all-round approach through a series of interacting elements. We use light and lightened materials as well as solutions and technology designed to reduce energy use. In-depth research into the hull shapes makes the yachts more efficient and provides outstanding fuel consumption figures. Weight management helps, too – for example, we use glass that’s not only lightened but also features UVA filters that limit the need to climatise the interiors, which means using less energy.
