To most people, a yacht is just a
yacht – an über-expensive toy for one-percenters. But even the World’s
Most Interesting Man might raise an eyebrow at the Alen 68, sprung from
the loins of high-end Turkish boatmaker Alen Yacht, with help from the
world-renowned, London-based architectural firm Foster + Partners.
The new Alen model emerged from a 68-foot
prototype custom-built for a Monaco businessman who already had worked
with Foster + Partners (designer of the McLaren Technology Centre and
Apple Inc.’s new headquarters) on another project. “This client wanted
to build the coolest 68-footer out there and Foster said, ‘Let’s do
it,’” says Alp Ozcan, owner and chief executive officer of Alen,
headquartered in Istanbul.
What did Alen gain from partnering with
a landlubber firm lacking boat-design chops? In short, creative
objectivity. “Because they have no experience, they look at boats in a
totally creative way, uninfluenced by conventions,” Ozcan explains.
“I’ve never seen an exterior and interior design as sleek and original
as this.”
By eschewing traditional yacht interiors, which hide
walls with modular built-in furniture, Foster instead fashioned a space
that embraces the visible, sinuous contours of the hull – part spaceship
and part Dubai penthouse. The use of bleached oak, white leather,
stainless steel and white onyx only enhances the elegant, minimalistic
vibe.
On the practical side, this design sensibility also
results in 20% more space than conventional 68-footers. This enabled
Foster to develop a flexible interior “pod” that can be configured in up
to three cabins. The yacht also features two kitchens – one above deck
and one below. “It’s basically a floating house,” Ozcan says.
But
don’t dismiss the Alen 68 as an all-show-and-no-go newbie; with a
1,188-gallon fuel tank and 1,550-horsepower from a pair of V12 diesel
engines, this sleek-as-a-seal water nymph boasts a cruising speed of 41
knots and a maximum speed of 45 knots – enough to get you to St Tropez
in time for that swank, A-list dinner party.
The Alen 68 costs
about $3.7million, not including a design fee. Ozcan expects to build
three or four a year – maybe even one for the World’s Most Interesting
Man.
Title : latest world expensive yacht
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