BOAT International is delighted to announce the finalists for the Young Designer of the Year Award 2025, in partnership with Feadship. The award showcases the ingenuity and foresight of aspiring designers and students worldwide, challenging them with a rigorous brief that assesses their technical prowess and delivery capabilities.
In the 2025 edition, entrants were tasked with envisioning themselves as a recent graduate working at Feadship. The challenge was to design a yacht for an existing Feadship owner who wants to explore beyond the Mediterranean. This owner seeks a new yacht capable of navigating remote regions and high-latitude areas, such as the Northwest Passage. Additionally, the client wishes to support ocean conservation by accommodating scientists on board during these remote cruises. As such, the yacht must be a highly seaworthy, long-range, helicopter-carrying expedition vessel equipped with research facilities. At the same time, it must maintain the comfort and luxury synonymous with the Feadship brand.
Following a thorough evaluation of the submissions, which included an incredible variety of entries from all over the world, the judges of the Young Designer of the Year Award have identified six finalists.
Oguzhan Akilli
Nationality: Turkish
Education: Istanbul Technical University
The designer's vision: "Gaia was created with her owner's extraordinary vision and an unending passion for the wonders of nature", says the designer. The yacht represents the owner's desire to explore the sea with a commitment to ocean conservation.
Highlights: The yacht’s stern features a transom door for launching an exploration vessel and side shell doors for lowering tenders, maximising water access and versatility. Ahead of the tenders, a laboratory and diving room support research and diving activities. The owner’s loft-style cabin includes a lower-level seating and dining area, an upper-level bedroom, and a hidden space with a walk-in wardrobe, bathroom and sea views. High windows flood the space with natural light, creating a bright, welcoming atmosphere. The yacht's innovative telescoping helicopter hangar blends seamlessly with the exterior when closed and extends to provide a secure, sheltered space for the helicopter.
Melisa Civlez
Nationality: Turkish
Education: Università degli studi di Genova (Politecnico di Milano)
The designer's vision: "During the design process of the operation centre, I had two factors that shaped my design: good exterior vision and practical workspace," says the designer. For this reason, Civlez designed large windows that allow for a perfect view of helicopter and tender operations and the surrounding environment. In the interior, she used special glass to reduce reflections.
Highlights: Upon entering the bridge deck, there is access to the operation centre with additional steps. The steps allow enough space for the helicopter hangar and observation lounge without raising all the deck levels. The yacht features additional spaces, such as a medical room and ski storage, to further improve its use as an expedition vessel.
Lisandro Nicoletti
Nationality: Italian/Brazilian
Education: University of Southampton
The designer's vision: Named after NASA's iconic spacecraft, Voyager combines scientific capabilities with comfort. Designed as the "ultimate enabler for private oceanographic expeditions", Voyager features minimalist black and wood aesthetics, with double-height laboratories, floor-to-ceiling windows, a stateroom equipped with an observatory and a wellness centre tailored for high-latitude explorers.
Highlights: The aft deck features twin gourmet stations linking the formal dining area to the outdoors. Sheltered beneath the helipad, it can be enclosed with frameless folding doors for use in any weather. The sundeck’s retractable roof slides into the bridge superstructure, providing panoramic views while preserving Voyager’s slick profile. On the owner’s deck, a bow balcony stargazing lounge with a high-grade telescope offers the perfect retreat.
Aleksandra Orescanin
Nationality: South African
Education: POLI.design
The designer's vision: Zazi is "a symbol of exploration and self-discovery". Named after the concept of "knowing oneself" from Zulu, Zazi entails the journey of an experienced yachtsman transitioning from the familiar shores of the Mediterranean to the uncharted beauty of the Northwest Passage. Its design merges elegance and rugged capability, allowing it to thrive in both tranquil and extreme environments.
Highlights: The exterior is designed to blend in with its surroundings and has a vast contrast from the interiors, which are "warm, open and opulent". The yacht features various eco-friendly features, including solar panels, a hydrogenerator, an Alfa Laval e-power pack, Finsulate antifouling coating, MAGLift rotor stabilisers, heat exchangers, and cork insulation and vibration dampening.
Fabio Peduzzi
Nationality: Italian
Education: Université de Genève & Politecnico di Milano
The designer's vision: Named Curiosity, this yacht concept is designed for classic cruising in the Mediterranean as well as exploration and research in extraordinary climates. The designer put a focus on using eco-friendly materials, including ecological teak decking, sustainably sourced wood for the interiors and other recycled materials.
Highlights: The two-level owner’s area provides varied perspectives of the seascape within a single space. The upper deck saloon features transparent glass with views into the heli-hangar, creating a distinctive ambiance. The main deck lab lounge offers scientists a private space to collaborate outside the lab, while the lower deck houses a multifunctional cinema for both screenings and documentary production.
Dimitrios Timagenis
Nationality: Greek
Education: Politecnico di Milano
The designer's vision: Oceanus, is a yacht concept inspired by the Ancient Greek Titan, who ruled the seas. Designed for Arctic exploration, it combines modern elegance with rugged strength, symbolising the beauty of icy landscapes.
Highlights: The lower deck accommodates tenders and motorised equipment, the main deck provides guest and scientist accommodations and the upper deck is exclusively reserved for the owner. The garage is designed with two sliding hinge hull doors on each side in order to launch tenders. The laboratories can be accessed athwartships for transport of any heavy equipment or other materials.
For more information on the Young Designer of the Year Award, contact the events team.
The winner of the Young Designer of the Year Award will be announced at the annual Superyacht Design Festival in Kitzbühel on 2-4 February 2025. Tickets are still available and can be purchased via the link below.
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