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We have chosen renowned London interior designer Michael Kirschstein to meet
the formidable challenge of achieving the fully customized spaces we seek
for our boats.
Kirschstein's approach is one that we have long admired. He believes one of
his major functions to is try and ensure the client enjoys and understands
the process of designing and building his/her yacht. Interiors reflect the
individuality of the client and each owner has their own particular desires.
This is even more of a major point for us, as we are building a fleet of 24,
not just a single boat and each will be designed and built strictly in line
with our spacious and gracious "residence" at sea concept.
Yachts are very personal and we needed someone of Kirschstein's stature and
experience to design our elegant and luxurious interiors in the Global
Yachts style, one where the "residential" character will be maintained
whilst maximising the yachts' promise for intimate entertaining as well as
larger business or social functions for our corporate clients.
When British Airways introduced beds in 1st class, the team worked with a
design company more familiar with designing yacht interiors than airline
seating. They redefined the skills they were looking for from 'designing
aircraft interiors' to 'designing quality/luxury space in a confined
environment'... as a result they got a great solution. Similarly, we will
get from Michael Kirschstein splendid classical interiors with restraint,
sophistication and charm.
He also listens......
He is on record as saying ''Designers have to have big ears because our
greatest talent in this work is the ability to listen'.
His ability to listen and thus understand the lifestyle of our clients, and
their dreams, their money and their family, so he can work on our ideas, is
a prime skill of Michael Kirschstein.
'Finding out what clients want and developing that into a set of drawings is
an exciting adventure", as he puts it.
Not only has Kirschstein built his own sailing boat - the 17 ton, 14.6 metre
'Coldfeet' - but he has a unique understanding of the interior construction
of luxury yachts, gained when he headed a team of 290 Italian carpenters
onboard the 350' Bark 'Sea Cloud", built as a luxury wedding present in the
1930's.
Refitting it in Venice when he was chief carpenter taught him how an old
vessel was put together. This has given him a unique and major advantage
compared with his contemporaries.
Long years of experience have shown him that the whole process of designing
and building a yacht should be a team effort with a major emphasis on good
communications, to achieve client satisfaction and enjoyment as well as
value in terms of money and finish. He stresses the importance of a good
flow of information between the parties, the designer, the yard and the
owner.
Kirschstein describes the satisfaction of getting everyone to work together
smoothly to achieve the end result as an 'incredible high' whilst pointing
out that, conversely, changing layouts during construction, although
possible, proves much more costly than doing the same during the design
process.
Similarly, he explains, small areas of joinery can be made using the actual
materials to ensure the correct feel is going to be created.
A prerequisite of designing yacht interiors is a solid understanding of
space. Ideally the boat should be 'built' on paper before starting
construction. While Kirschstein uses simple pencil sketches, artist's
renderings and full CAD models to let the owner see what the interior will
look like, he is a great believer in mock-ups. The best way to really get a
feel for the end result, he says, is to build a full-scale mock up and walk
through.
These are not questions of aesthetics - which have more to do with
finish -its more a question of 'can I see out of that window', or 'can I
walk through that space'. The practicalities and ergonomics of the space
have to come first - if you get that right the aesthetics follow easily.
Andrea, the exploration style vessel built by Delta Marine in Seattle was
one such project where mock-ups were made for some of the major areas. The
first North American built composite megayacht to achieve Lloyd's Register
classification, Andrea is a 126-foot expedition hull distinguished with
brilliant design touches, classic European styling and outstanding use of
space.
Besides working on Perfect Harmony 102' and a new 137' footer for the German
Yard Kaiserweft, Kirschstein is also designing the interior of an
exploration vessel for Inace, his seventh project for the Brazilian yard, as
well as the complete refit of Khalidia 144' in Portugal. Combined with his
time aboard Sea Cloud he has a level of hands on experience that is rare
among interior designers.
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