France

Akumendo

Creating a more inclusive artscene has been on Frédéric Jousset’s agenda for some years now; and this year, with the delivery of his 46.5-metre catamaran – the world’s longest sailing catamaran, eclipsing <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pendennis Shipyard Ltd (Company)">Pendennis</a>’ <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hemisphere44.2m (145'0&quot;)Pendennis Shipyard Ltd2011">Hemisphere</a> by 2.3-metres – he’s making strides to actualise this vision.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276489/image/large-3dba0d2217a283b5057837d61fbb5e38.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276489">The superyacht, aptly named <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a>, will be a floating art gallery for eight months of the year, circumnavigating the globe stopping in at 50 cities every five years. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a> is being built by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/51" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Perini Navi (Company)">Perini Navi</a> and has a scheduled delivery date of August 2023. She’ll set sail to Marseille for her debut before embarking on her first grand tour that’ll take her around the Mediterranean, with a stop at the La Biennale di Venezia, an event that Jousset attends year-on-year. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/198357/image/large-c012eee28298b46e985a010fc99cdf0a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/198357">After first announcing plans for the superyacht featuring a floating art gallery a number of designers jumped to the call, but it was the modern organic penmanship of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nacira Design - Axel de Beaufort (Company)">Axel de Beaufort</a> that won the bid. His eponymously named studio, run in collaboration with Japanese designer Oki Sato, is typically associated with Jousset’s other passion: fast sailing yachts. But for the 46.5-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a> speed wasn’t the imperative, space and stability were. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276496/image/large-b04a84684ee52e8a8115b7d64bf1a285.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276496"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nacira Design - Axel de Beaufort (Company)">Axel de Beaufort</a> designed <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a> with a beam of 17.3-metres and Jousset expects to welcome as many as 2,000 visitors aboard per day; and a further 10,000 inside the preconstructed quayside exhibition space, curated by the esteemed architect and city planner Jean-Michel Wilmotte. At a conservative estimate, that’s two million people per tour. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276492/image/large-00c213fcac5a8386008bf12cdefa03b7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276492">The project is immense – and so is the onboard gallery space itself. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a> will be fitted with a 16-metre tunnel of LEDs, designed and engineered by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4521" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Akumendo (Company)">Akumendo</a> and ArScénique. “Fraser, project manager, approached us as they knew we could deliver a user-centric experience of this magnitude,” Jean Pierre Casanova, founder and Chief Executive Officer of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4521" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Akumendo (Company)">Akumendo</a>, told SuperYacht Times. “We’re a one-stop-shop: a cluster of companies based in France, specialising in every area of AV-IT equipment.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276495/image/large-d7c412f59876eb13e67fef3d035a0d97.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276495">Multiple screens dotted around the saloon displaying art works was the seedling idea, but this had its hindrances. “It was, in fact, impossible to pull off,” Casanova said. “What was important was to create an immersive experience, and to pull this off we would have needed to install more than 16 video projectors within the saloon alone – it just wasn’t a practical solution. When we pitched our idea of a walk-through LED tunnel, it was a ‘no brainer’ for Jousset.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276491/image/large-b2145c1d7b57f9acb0b805e7bbdfbf8e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276491">Theory and reality are two different matters though; and while the tunnel sounded great, pulling it off was a tall order. Innovation is an often saturated term across all industries, but it's most definitely well placed here. “Curved LED screens are commonplace but they’re typically curved on the vertical plane (think wide-screen televisions),” Casanova said. “However, we needed a 16-metre horizontal curve, something that’s never been done before.” A custom solution for a custom project.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276494/image/large-e3769cdec65ce2355131e3dba9ea9784.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276494">To make matters even more challenging, the LED structure can’t be a permanent fixture of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a>, it needs to be removable. As the superyacht travels from port to port, the structure and screens need to be safely stowed, while for four months of the year they need to be removed entirely to free up space for personal and charter use. “The installation comprises a number of LED panels that are fixed to the structure with strong magnets, this allows the crew to remove and fasten each component safely and with ease.&nbsp;But the experience spans beyond this immersive tunnel and guests will be invited on a full sensory tour. Guests will be welcomed on the aft deck for an educational documentary, led into the main saloon to the LED tunnel and then directed to the upper deck. The project has been envisioned in collaboration with the Louvre Museum, and the first exhibition is entitled “Icons! Images, discourses and representations of women in the Mediterranean”.Complementing the main exhibition, the 16-metre LED tunnel, is a sound-based immersive experience by Ircam Amplify on the upper deck that responds to movement. “A sonic journey across the Mediterranean,” as curator of Art Explora described the space. Simply put, guests will be offered the space for 11 minutes and as they turn their head the sounds through their headsets will respond – a true “polymorphic sound journey”.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276493/image/large-ced1b455f21d20cd69722c310397f177.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276493">The first tour will last two years and each city that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a> moors at will have the opportunity to experience “Icons!” on board, but Art Explora has joined forces with resident curators to showcase the work of local artists in the quayside exhibition spaces. “We have many different personalities and perspectives represented throughout the course that the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a> navigates,” Philippe Rivière, head of digital for the Art Explora foundation, explained.&nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/120969/image/large-5dd683d3a1a84441f54d75afdcc63c13.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/120969">“As we’re working with our partner the Louvre Museum for the main exhibition, many cultures will already be represented. But the additional village will bring even more, and visitors can expect to see many different types and forms of art.”The main topic of the first tour is women in the Mediterranean, but other themes that the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11227" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ArtExplorer46.6m (152'11&quot;)Perini Navi2023">Art Explorer</a> will touch upon include, migration, cultural heritage in collaboration with UNESCO, and coastal erosion and the environment. “We want to present something that hasn’t been done before,” Rivière added. “And the yacht itself along with the large LED tunnel are most certainly novel.”This article is featured in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-44" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Issue 44&nbsp;</a>of the SuperYacht Times newspaper. <a href="https://shop.superyachttimes.com/report/the-superyacht-times-subscription" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Subscribe now</a>&nbsp;to receive your copy straight to your door and never miss another issue.&nbsp;

46m Perini Navi yacht Art Explorer 

SuperYacht Times explores Perini Navi's plans for their floating exhibition superyacht Art Explorer.

46m Art Explorer: The tech behind Perini Navi's floating art gallery

Considering the breadth and depth of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a>’s fleet, you’d expect the yard to have a dynasty that spans centuries and not decades. Despite being the youngest major player in the country, it quickly shouldered into the upper echelons of Dutch shipbuilding. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/221436/image/large-9a848cef3fa26588d802262415a73790.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/221436">The shipyard made its first splash in 1993 with the delivery of the far from modest 56.2-metre superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/201" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="The Wellesley56.2m (184'5&quot;)Oceanco1993">The Wellesley</a> (ex. Achiever), and come 2008 had launched its 20th superyacht – a major milestone. The 75.5-metre superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a> (ex. Anastasia) might not have been the builder’s largest when she hit the water, but she was certainly one of the most striking.&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a> was also the first time that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/98" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sam Sorgiovanni Designs P/L (Company)">Sam Sorgiovanni Designs</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a> partnered up for a project, and the duo have since designed and delivered the 88.5-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2484" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nirvana88.5m (290'4&quot;)Oceanco2012">Nirvana</a>, the 88.5-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5740" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Barbara88.5m (290'4&quot;)Oceanco2017">Barbara</a> and the 110.1-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4796" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kaos110.1m (361'3&quot;)Oceanco2017">Kaos</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254705/image/large-81f45d6560a43cbeaad6379f0fbf66da.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254705">Originally designed and commissioned for private use, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a> was enjoyed by a single owner and family for more than a decade. She passed hands in 2018 and her new owners felt that her family-focused general arrangement and literary of entertainment would make her ideal for the charter market – and they certainly weren’t mistaken.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254324/image/large-a95b339cfc4d9173dcb800ab371654ce.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254324"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254320/image/large-895dff7cb610e6e577ebe24097a7b611.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254320">After three successful seasons chartering with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/158" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fraser (Company)">Fraser Yachts</a>, the captain and crew had a full picture of which areas were used and which needed refining. Last year she was booked in for a no-expense-spared refit at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5775" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palumbo SY Refit (Company)">Palumbo shipyards</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254707/image/large-91fd67e8a335ed5a594243c2635e848c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254707">“The refit was extensive and great attention was paid to optimise the charter experience,” Captain Stefhan Malherbe told SuperYacht Times. “With guests spending so much time out on the decks, we decided to renovate all of her alfresco spaces.” Starting from the observation deck, the four viewing chairs have all been reupholstered and thanks to an altered ventilation system, the uppermost deck has a much quieter and more tranquil atmosphere. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254322/image/large-b5ad83b9a9cb87581980a3cd13ec38ef.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254322"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254323/image/large-1b29525d99a5aae2cbeffa5895a7c113.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254323">Her sundeck has been changed enormously and is now home to a large aft Canadian Jacuzzi, an exterior bar and removable windbreakers. She also has a platform that fits over the hot tub, acting as a stage for bands or DJs, new speakers and all the paraphernalia for parties. For the more sedate afternoons, guests can enjoy her spectacular outdoor cinema, courtesy of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5775" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palumbo SY Refit (Company)">Palumbo</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254317/image/large-3e7ea1659e26cf69a20c3ef2332f62b8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254317">“The new layout of the sundeck has been a great success and we find that guests now spend most of their days on charter together here,” Malherbe said. “Smaller groups have breakfast by the new dining space we created, and the new Jacuzzi and bar are both very popular.”The other exterior area that was totally redesigned was her upper deck aft. New large exterior dining tables were installed and their orientation was changed, providing guests with even more impressive views while they wine and dine together. To ensure that space can be used regardless of the weather, additional windbreakers and a new awning were added. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254324/image/large-a95b339cfc4d9173dcb800ab371654ce.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254324">Spanning seven decks with 1,991 GT and six staterooms comprising a master, two VIPs and three guest staterooms, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a> has an abundance of space for 12 overnight guests. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels'</a> master suite is sublime; it’s split-level and comes complete with an impressive mezzanine-style study. “What I personally love about the master suite is the 180-degree sea view that can be enjoyed from the private upper deck,” Malherbe added.&nbsp;Her remaining guest suites are situated on the main deck and each benefits from a freshly renovated ensuite and upgraded <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4521" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Akumendo (Company)">Akumendo</a> AV system. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a> also has impressive crew quarters that can host a 21-strong team, including experts in sports: wakeboarding, kitesurfing, sailing, diving, yoga, and fitness instructors.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254316/image/large-636e48b00e56e2015a15fa0e201028aa.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254316">Throughout these two refits, the owner worked to enhance and not displace the original light, airy and Asian-inspired ambiance that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/98" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sam Sorgiovanni Designs P/L (Company)">Sam Sorgiovanni</a> curated. In lieu of traditional parquet flooring, light and richly detailed bamboo lines the floor. The colour scheme and subtle motifs found throughout the yacht further the Eastern charm. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254706/image/large-7b2f51330028bc125ec060aeba273e11.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254706">The two indoor spaces subject to the biggest changes were the main and upper deck saloons. The general arrangement of the former was totally overthrown to create a number of seating areas for watching television, reading, writing or socialising. The poker table from the upper deck was also brought down to complement the space.With free space in the upper saloon, a new oval table and curved seating arrangement was added, along with a new marble-topped bar installed. Further entertainment is found in the shape of a cinema and wellness centre, complete with a spa and fully-equipped air-conditioned gym. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/254325/image/large-c97ad49c5bd58dd31b1efa07f1da122d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/254325"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a> always delivered in entertainment and joined the charter market with an enviable toybox, brimming with tenders Jet Skis, e-foils, inflatables and a sundeck slide. But her tender garage is even more packed as last year her owner turned the fleet into an armada with even more tenders and toys, including a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5767" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Chris Craft (Company)">Chris Craft</a> guest tender and a new Nacra performance sailing catamaran.Not only does <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a> offer a wealth of amenities, she has a crew to match. The superyacht was awarded the Best Charter Crew in the 50-metres and above category at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/158" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fraser (Company)">Fraser</a> 20th Captains and Crew Gala Awards. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/221432/image/large-71bf4114966805ad298bb0feeb292306.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/221432">Available for charter with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/158" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fraser (Company)">Fraser Yachts</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/99" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wheels75.5m (247'8&quot;)Oceanco2008">Wheels</a>' calendar is brimming. For the summer Mediterranean season, “We are available for charters most of May and June; however, from June through to September we are usually chartering back-to-back,” Malherbe explained.&nbsp;The weekly price to charter this award-winning superyacht is €790,000 during the summer. While her price in the winter is $850,000 per week.

Onboard 76m Oceanco yacht Wheels with Captain Stefhan Malherbe

Captain Stefhan Malherbe joined SYT to talk refit and charter with the Oceanco superyacht Wheels. Her price is €790,000 summer, and $850,000 winter.

Onboard the newly-refitted 76m Oceanco superyacht Wheels with Captain Stefhan Malherbe

Created by the South of France based company Akumendo, the Akumendo graphic user interface is a new generation of smart user interfaces, offering clients the opportunity to take unique control of infotainment systems on board superyachts as well as within home environments.<img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/157388/image/large-0301cb361a9a8c7c8ffbaeef863a1236.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/157388">Based on the iOS and OS X systems from Apple - a decision prompted by the high usage of Apple products by their target market - the company describes the product as, “...a framework based on many service modules, built on open and mobile web technologies on top of a simple, powerful client server architecture.”<img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/157389/image/large-6442b8daf2dec162f9b72a89eed50160.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/157389">Akumendo works to enhance existing or newly built audiovisual, entertainment, automation, security and information advanced systems with a comprehensive set of unified and smart user interfaces, of which can be totally personalised to suit the owner’s needs and desires. Speaking of the highly customisable products on offer, Akumendo says, “Akumendo provides a unique design, our interfaces are very carefully crafted for excellent usability and personality. At last, users have - at their fingertips - smart control, rich information and easy communication they deserve. A true extension of your superb decor and services.”<img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/157390/image/large-c3f3c0e6d13cc8990aae21ec843df93a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/157390">The interfaces are delivered to iOS devices from an Akumendo server based on one or more Mac Mini(s) installed within the owner’s network. Each iOS device runs a native application which is easily installed from the Akumendo server. The app becomes the central hub of all remote controls, information pages, service calls and media libraries for the guests and the crew members on board.The brand is currently in the process of enhancing the Akumendo user interface with a smart monitoring system, which will work to take further care of the crew experience of the product on both the bridge console and mobile devices. Furthermore, Akumendo has selected new manufacturers of room control devices which are fully compatible with IP control and Akumendo fundamentals.For more information on Akumendo’s products and services, visit their site <a href="http://www.Akumendo.com" target="_blank">www.Akumendo.com</a>. Akumendo<img alt="" src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/157391/image/large-cb35ac6ed301c2cd11d3823595d2eb86.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/157086">Jean Pierre Casanova +33 612 69 23 19 <a href="mailto:jpcasanova@akumendo.com">jpcasanova@akumendo.com</a> <a href="http://www.akumendo.com" target="_blank">w</a><a href="http://www.akumendo.com" target="_blank">ww.akumendo.com</a> By Gemma Fottles