Lifting the lid on the 70m superyacht design Project Kaizen
Written by: Alexander Griffiths
Publication: SuperyachtTimes
Last year was gilded in gold for Diana Yacht Design as the yacht architecture and design studio celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. More than 77 yachts are in the global fleet that sport a design coined by the Dutch-based studio. Diana Yacht Design has partnered up with more than 20 shipyards, who’ve worked hammer and tongs to see DIANA’s designs come to life. The studio is perhaps most renowned for its architectural drawing, but that’s not where life began for the studio.
DIANA was founded in 1971 and the team dived head first into some pretty major projects. The first superyacht designed by the studio was the 34.4-metre motor yacht C-Side by De Vries scheepsbouw. DIANA’s design signature is timeless and dynamic, but there is certainly a radical streak that courses through its projects. The converted 77.4-metre icebreaking tug Legend by IHC Verschure is certainly testament to this.
While Legend is draped in accolades, it’s not the only trailblazing vessel to come out of the Dutch design studio and it sits comfortably alongside some pretty impressive collaborations. Royal Hakvoort’s 38.25-metre Soprano as one example, and the run of strictly utilitarian and adventure-ready Tansu-built yachts is another.
Fast forward to 2022 and DIANA is just as prolific and just as daring. The 27m Avontuur (Dutch for adventure) was launched from her builder’s, Lynx’s, facility earlier this year and has recently completed her sea trials. 15 yachts that feature naval architecture and engineering by DIANA are currently in-build, 10 of which are being constructed in the Netherlands.
Project Kaizen
Besides the projects in-build, DIANA is working on an all-new 70.17-metre superyacht concept, dubbed Project Kaizen – and she looks gorgeous. Her name draws influence from the philosophy driving this project, continual improvement and “a change for better.” An ongoing task for such a prolific design studio with an impressive fleet.
“This project was a logical step for our design team,” Hans-Maarten Bais, Creative Director and Naval Architect at Diana Yacht Design, said. “We continually work on larger and more complex projects, so at 70-metres and with all its intricacies, Project Kaizen embodies our drive for continual improvement.”
Project Kaizen is striking from first glance; she has firm, clean lines that run across her profile that are both muscular and modern. DIANA has drawn her with staggered, cutaway sections midship that lends her a sleek, modern aesthetic. The design team also made great use of glass, layering it around the profile in a complex manner to further this characteristic.
“Our main focus for the 70 metre concept was to create a modern and timeless yacht that caters to the needs of a family that spans three generations,” Casper Marelis, Designer and Naval Architect at Diana Yacht Design, explained. “It was important for us to create a project where everyone on board has plenty of opportunities to socialise all together, without compromising on private areas. To actualise this, we dedicated a deck to each generation.”
Project Kaizen promises 1,750 GT, a 12.65-metre beam and an interior design that’s in tune with nature and the natural environment. Glass is found throughout, flooding the interior with natural light and allowing guests to take in the views from most areas. Added to that is the collection of balconies – both for guests and the owner’s private use – and, of course, the generous deck areas. DIANA has also fitted her with a Zen garden filled with trees and plants, that extends from the owner’s deck to the sports deck.
While Project Kaizen offers privacy in spades, she’s just as generous with social spaces. Her main salon, for one, is split across two levels to really open up the space and create an environment where the whole family can unwind together, while still enjoying their own leisurely pursuits. The deck areas are just as accommodating and the aft area is open and fitted with an infinity https://www.superyachttimes.com/companies/diana-yacht-designpool, swim platforms and a cluster of sunbeds – spacious enough for the whole family. As the sundeck has been reserved for sports and activities, the aft area is free of all equipment and when a family member wants to workout they can do so with panoramic views and in privacy.
“We didn’t just design Project Kaizen to be used for families, we wrote family-living into every aspect of the yacht,” Nick Hoedjes, Designer at Diana Yacht Design, added. “The last few years were a stark reminder of the importance of spending quality time with family and loved ones, and we are driven to create a space for this. Project Kaizen has something for every generation.”
Diana Yacht Design wouldn’t be the studio it is today without the ecosystem that it’s organically developed over the past fifty years. It has a reservoir of knowledge that spans all three arms of yacht design: design, naval architecture and engineering. Project Kaizen is but the most recent project that showcases DIANA’s design strength.
