This striking explorer yacht concept called Mission has been created by Icon Yachts in the Netherlands. The renowned yard set out to partner with highly innovative designers to craft a genuinely groundbreaking vessel that would facilitate expeditions to parts of the world which are out of bounds for most superyachts. Carla Guilhem and her team were was delighted to be asked to design an interior that reflects the most adventurous surroundings floating by outside.
Polar opposites
The unique exterior of the Mission concept has the kind of strong and masculine design that you’d expect from such an explorer. Bernd Weel has devised some stunning geometrical elements with defined lines and a hexagonal-styled mid-section. Robust and resilient, the exterior is designed to face any challenge the voyages of exploration might bring, including in non-ice-bound polar regions. The spaces will allow owners to take scientists with them and provide dedicated research facilities. But the Mission has to offer interior comfort and style too… And that’s where CGD came in.
Outside meets in
“The yard and Bernd were keen for the interior to provide a sense of contrast to the exterior while being closely connected to it,” explains Carla. “The yacht should be the setting in which to admire the most beautiful surroundings while also serving as a warm and relaxed retreat. We helped tweak the General Arrangement, which includes some very large spaces. It was a fascinating challenge to work within all the columns and open areas, developing a design that guides people’s eyes to the windows and the outdoor world. In a similar vein, inspired by the way that water always finds a way in nature, we created a fluid layout that features paths through the yacht which are not always obvious.”
Shapes of nature
As you can see from the renderings, ‘nature’ in its widest sense plays a key role throughout the interior of the Mission. “We designed a futuristic style with lots of light and minimal colours, with those you do see reflecting what’s likely to be seen outside,” continues Carla.
“A wealth of curves play a key unifying role as we dabbled with various forms and shapes to engender a pure perception of harmony. Earth elements reinforce the connection, including a bar that resembles an ice block and mineral formations such as a table with hints of stalagmites. Although the canvas is the environment surrounding the yacht, the sophistication and remarkable details make the inside perfect for personal exploration too.”
Teamwork
Let’s give the final word to designer Bernd Weel, who everyone at CGD has had great pleasure working with. “The Mission has a very distinctive and unique distribution of its superstructure volumes, creating some very special interior spaces. Together with ICON Yachts, I was looking for a top interior designer who could bring out the best in these volumes and spaces. I was very pleased that Carla accepted the challenge! Not only do our two studios make a great team – I truly believe she has done a stunning job on a yacht where the interior complements the exterior and vice versa.”
