Combining an enormous volume with a 56.5m LOA and perfectly balanced proportions – as well as thoughtful customisations that set her apart from her sisters in the series – Virtuosity is the second hull in the new 57Steel range from Sanlorenzo.
Creating the new 57Steel line for Sanlorenzo was a careful balancing act between volume, length and proportions. The Italian builder sought to expand its range of steel-hulled superyachts with an offering that provided a generous volume exceeding 1,000GT without reaching an excessive length, and without looking too stocky or top heavy.
Ferruccio Rossi, Group General Manager and President of Sanlorenzo Superyacht, says: “One of the 57Steel’s strengths lies precisely in being able to provide extraordinary volumes and liveable spaces, while staying below 60m in length and maintaining a perfect balance in proportions.”
It was a challenging brief for the yacht’s designer, but fortunately one that it was prepared for, as Zuccon International Project is one of Sanlorenzo’s longtime collaborators.
“My design has become almost second nature when it comes to drawing for Sanlorenzo,” Bernardo Zuccon says. “The integration and synergy with the shipyard’s style have made it almost spontaneous for me to incorporate the Sanlorenzo DNA into new designs. Starting from a general language, I introduced stylistic elements and details to make the 57Steel an extremely recognisable yacht.”
STYLED FOR THE OWNER
Zuccon sought to create a timeless exterior style that would be recognisable as part of the Sanlorenzo family while standing out among the current fleet. The designer achieved this with specific design elements, such as the signature handrails on the main and upper deck.
In a different colour from the rest of the all-white Virtuosity, the dark-grey handrails lead the eye from their starting point aft to the next deck up. The handrails don’t merely end at the top of the bulwark, but continue at a 45-degree slope, connecting to the superstructure above. This seemingly subtle styling cue creates a sense of dynamism and forward motion.
Virtuosity was preceded by the first 57Steel, Alma. It’s obvious that the two are sisters, but Virtuosity stands out from grey-hulled Alma with a nearly all-white hull and superstructure.
Rossi says: “Virtuosity flaunts a unique colour, giving the line a sportier appearance, as wished by the client. Another distinctive external element is the foredeck private pool on Virtuosity’s upper deck, located in front of the owner’s cabin.” Such personalisation speaks to Sanlorenzo’s quest, and company motto, to create ‘made to measure’ yachts.
DIFFERENT LEVEL
To strike a proper proportional balance in the 57Steel series, the yacht’s general arrangement was pored over and revised from what you might typically expect in a yacht of similar length. An innovative layout that bucks tradition was conceived.
The wheelhouse area, normally found forward on the upper deck, was moved up one level. Instead of an entirely open sun deck, this arrangement places the enclosed bridge area forward on the top deck. This is set forward of a chart room and captain’s cabin, while a corridor leads to a small interior lounge/DJ area that opens out onto an aft deck exterior party area.
“It’s a real bridge deck, like those found on much larger yachts, which made it possible to utilise the upper deck in a different way,” Rossi says.
A higher vantage point for the bridge is not only a benefit to the captain, but this shakeup in the general arrangement has allowed the upper deck to host a sprawling 54sqm owner’s suite like you might find on a yacht with a longer LOA.
An owner’s office and walk-in dressing room at the entrance to the suite lead into the forward-facing bedroom. Surrounded by windows and set at a lofty height, this upper-deck haven enjoys expansive views, which can be further appreciated by stepping outside onto the connected private forward deck lounge with a swimming pool.
Zuccon says: “It’s challenging to pinpoint a single favourite space on board Virtuosity, but considering the typological characteristics of the yacht, the owner’s cabin on the upper deck with its exclusive external deck is perhaps the most fascinating space on board.”
On the main deck forward is a full-beam stateroom that would make for an enviable VIP cabin or a worthy second owner’s suite for dual charterers. A further four cabins are found on the lower deck below, including two doubles and two twin cabins, one of which can serve as a staff cabin.
STEPPING UP CUSTOMISATION
Though the build of Virtuosity began on spec, an owner was found only months after beginning carpentry work, allowing the clients to put their personal stamp on the vessel. Rossi explains: “One of the most interesting challenges was meeting the clients’ request for a ‘masterpiece’ within the boat, a situation that could create astonishment, a wow effect.”
Lissoni & Partners created Virtuosity’s minimal yet chic interior, which includes a wow-feature of a staircase at its core. Designer Piero Lissoni, Sanlorenzo’s Art Director, is known for his utterly unique, architectural staircases, and the one found on Virtuosity is no exception. A study in organic shapes, this curvaceous staircase is certainly the piece de resistance that it set out to be.
“I couldn’t resist adding one of my staircases,” Lissoni admits. “It’s not a simple staircase; it belongs to a kind of twilight zone, something in-between different places. I hope that the owners keep on going up and down these stairs as if they were in a dream.”
The staircase, which features a steel and aluminum structure, spans all four decks, winding around itself and creating unprecedented perspectives in terms of pathways and passages. Natural light filters in through a glass skylight above, creating an interplay of light and shadows.
The challenge lay in achieving a sense of weightlessness and transparency while ensuring structural integrity. Precision engineering and innovative construction methods, overseen by Lissoni’s team, were employed to bring this exceptional staircase to life.
Rossi says: “It was a stimulating challenge not only from a formal and stylistic perspective but also from an engineering and craftsmanship standpoint due to the complexities arising from placing such a sculptural staircase in such a compact space with a complex structure.”
The clients are also very interested in onboard technology, particularly in audio/video systems, so Virtuosity has a DJ area at the aft of her bridge deck with a space for DJ decks and a bar, creating a dedicated space for celebrations. The party space, along with a main-deck pool area and a huge beach club on the lower deck, proves that Virtuosity is all about entertainment.
Building a superyacht on spec can be a gamble, but it’s one that paid off for Sanlorenzo. Three more units of the 57Steel range are already in production. And Zuccon says that the owner’s satisfaction with Virtuosity has led to an ongoing collaboration on an even larger project.
The word Virtuosity, of course, means an impressive skill in an artistic pursuit, and it could be said that the yard and designers have showcased great virtuosity befitting of the yacht’s name in the creation of this well-balanced superyacht.
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This article was first seen on yachtstyle.co
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