The 30m single sloop sailing yacht was developed according to the Wally concept of combining high performance with ease of handling, comfort and safety. Components have been optimised wherever possible to balance requirements for strength with the need to minimise weight. The brief for the boat was to utilise the latest high-performance materials such as titanium, carbon fibre, and Kevlar; so that it could be raced, yet also offer a degree of luxury. The boat also had to be big, with enough cabin space to house private quarters together with cabin space for guests and a full-time crew of four.
Working with the naval architect, the practice was commissioned to advise on all finishes and fixtures, and to determine the interior design – this was guided by the concept that the boat should ‘feel like a boat’. Accordingly, all the below-deck spaces are not boxed-in with regular orthogonal sides but instead follow the curved shape of the hull. Similarly, one can see the foot of the yacht’s mast, which is not enclosed, but expressed so as to aid orientation below-deck. White lacquered honeycomb panels are used for internal walls and ceilings to maximise natural daylight and a combination of a man made sisal and carbon fibre is used as the finish to the fully accessible floor panelling system. Bespoke storage systems were developed within the bulkhead walls.
The distinctive pale grey colour of the yacht’s hull was selected as a perfect match for ‘Grigio Ingrid’ the colour Ferrari developed at the request of Roberto Rossellini to match the shade of his wife Ingrid Bergman’s eyes. The overall effect is striking, with each of the material elements of the boat, both inside and out, working seamlessly. Ultimately, though, it is the black of the carbon-fibre floors, stairs, helm and sails, that really distinguish the yacht – and which also helped lend the boat its name.
