Embracing The Curves

Azimut’s new 38m Grande Trideck flagship brings the outdoors in with four terraces.

DURING THE VIRTUAL reveal of Azimut’s newest flagship, Grande Trideck, the Italian yacht builder not only hinted of the direction it was heading towards, but also spoke of the changing functions of a post-pandemic yacht.

Grande Trideck represents a new way for owners to appreciate the flow between interior and exterior spaces. The 38.2m yacht is the result of a collaboration between Azimut’s internal team and an all-star, all-Italian cast of designers who hail from different backgrounds. There’s Alberto Mancini, a car-turned-yacht designer who was tasked with the exterior, residential and furniture designer Achille Salvagni who fashioned the Grande Trideck’s interior and Pierluigi Ausonio who did the naval architecture for the hull.

What was borne of the four-way think thank: a superyacht that’s fluid in design, boasting curves in all the right places. In particular, the cascading aft decks, a whimsical modern interior and a large transom beach club show just how boundaries between indoors and out have blurred, making way for informal spaces that cater to hybrid lifestyles.

One such example is the 30sqm Sea View Terrace that sits on the main deck, right above the beach club. The terrace extends beyond the al

fresco dining area and has an elevated platform fitted with large, curved sofas. It’s also connected to a small enclave with full-height windows and doors that allows for privacy. And in the saloon, in place of the usual demarcated living and dining spaces, is a free-form sofa and egg pods, not unlike a posh seating area in an art gallery.

Marco Valle, CEO of the Azimut-Benetti Group, says these open areas represent a new way of design that promotes flexible living. The private patio, he adds, is one such creative feature that the builder will display in future models.

Upstairs, you’ll find a second dining terrace for either al fresco or formal meals. And while most jacuzzis are placed on the aft of the flybridge, Azimut has placed it at the fore, surrounded by oversized sunpads.

Mancini’s masculine exterior is beautifully contrasted with Salvagni’s soft, open and flowy interior.

While spaces may appear less than optimised – curves occupy more spaces than linear lines – it is exactly this that makes Grande Trideck stand out. With defined lines and sharp angles, Mancini’s masculine exterior is beautifully contrasted with Salvagni’s soft, open and flowy interior. You’ll notice his trademark circular insets across the ceilings, along with inimitable light fixtures, bespoke chairs and even a metal bathtub in the owner’s en suite bathroom on the main deck that doubles as a sculpture.

Even though it’s three metres longer and 35 tons heavier than the Grande 35 Metri – which carried the first-generation D2P hull – the Grande Trideck consumes fuel at the same rate as its smaller sibling when travelling above 19 knots (it goes up to 24 knots with ease). The yacht is also 15 per cent more efficient when compared to others of its class when travelling at a speed of 15 knots. These numbers might not mean much to a landlubber, but they show just how far the Grande range has evolved.

Below: in place of L-shaped sofas and rectangular coffee tables is one long, curved settee and freeflowing low tables. Previous spread: Grande Trideck marks Azimut’s foray into futuristic yacht design and planning.

Right: the deep soaking metal bathtub in the owner’s residence sits between the oversized seafacing shower and twin sinks.

From top: the Sea View Terrace extends from the main deck’s aft lounge, giving the illusion of a cascading, waterfall effect from afar; the jacuzzi has been placed at the fore of the upper deck and is flanked by large sunpads; curved lines are used generously throughout the yacht, including in the owner’s full-beam residence.