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Architecture-inspired ship concept could become the world's first 3D printed superyacht

2023-02-28T15:36:00-05:00

Multidisciplinary designer Jozeph Forakis has unveiled the concept for a luxury superyacht, christened Pegasus, that he described as “invisible both in design and in her environmental impact.” When completed in 2030, the futuristic 288-foot ship will become the world’s first 3D-printed sea vessel that produces zero emissions and can cruise with near-infinite range.

Forakis says the inspiration behind the yacht is Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s Blur Building, a pavilion that sat above Lake Neuchâtelin in the Swiss municipality of Yverdon-les-Bains during Swiss Expo 2002. The structure was concealed by a mass of fog that was formed by pumped lake water and dispensed as mist through 35,000 high-pressure nozzles.

Image courtesy Jozeph Forakis

The yacht would be constructed via robotic 3D printing to create a durable and lightweight mesh framework for both the hull and superstructure. According to Forakis, this could allow the structure to be produced using less energy, material, and time compared to conventional construction.

The yacht is distinguished by its reflective façade and its multi-tiered glass wings. The PEGASUS 88m Concept is said to have a “near-infinite range” through solar energy used to convert seawater into hydrogen, which onboard fuel cells would convert into electricity.

$8 billion turtle-shaped luxury yacht could become the largest floating structure ever built

2022-11-28T18:35:00-05:00

The latest luxury boat to hit the market is Pangeos -- named after Pangea, a supercontinent that existed from 200 million to 335 million years ago. And if those seem like big numbers, wait until you hear how many dollars it'll take to construct it: $8 billion, according to designers Lazzarini.

If funded and built, the sea turtle-shaped "terayacht" would be the largest floating structure ever built, spanning 1,800 feet long and 2,000 feet wide. Dubbed a “floating city,” the boat would feature hotels, shopping malls, parks, and ports for smaller vessels and aircraft to connect.

Due to its size, the yacht would require the construction of a special dam that would flood to levitate it before being launched. The designers have noted Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Port as a potential building location. The shipyard would stretch approximately 2,133 feet wide and 1,969 feet long.

The yacht’s hull would be comprised of 30,000 "cells," and its draft would stretch 98 feet. It would be capable of moving at a speed of five knots. The boat’s “arms” would draw energy from the drag and waves that break against it. Rooftop solar panels would also provide power. Unlike cruise ships or other commercial sea voyages, Pangeos wouldn’t operate out of a port or have a set itinerary, "it would s...

Frank Gehry designs his first yacht, "Foggy"

2015-10-08T13:15:00-04:00

Fashioned out of traditional larch wood but accented with titanium and a glass latticework that glimmers like a school of fish, she looked schizophrenic, a hybrid of past and future. [...] Gehry is an avid yachtsman, and sailing informs much of his most famous work—think of the billowing motif of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, New York's IAC building, and, most recently, the Louis Vuitton Foundation [...] "On a boat like this, it's about romance and romantic encounters," the architect says.

It took him nearly 87 years, but Frank Gehry has finally designed his first yacht, for developer Richard Cohen – joining the ranks of Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, Renzo Piano and John Pawson who have all taken a stab at nautical design. Gehry's personal sailboat, a Beneteau First 44.7 named "Foggy 1", resides in Marina del Rey.

Check out more shots of the boat and its interior in the image gallery.