Studio Norm brings 'soft minimalism' to a 70ft sailing yacht

Left, exterior of Bella Yacht. Right, its wooden interior deck — (Image credit: Ruben Ballester, Jonas Bjerre Poulsen)

Danish architecture studio Norm have brought their meticulously crafted 'soft minimalism' on board with this interior architecture scheme for ‘Bella', a 70-foot sailing yacht. 'Bella' is the first iteration of German shipyard’s MS Yachtbau's new Y/Yachts Y7 line, a sleekly competitive sailing yacht that blends high performance with stability and comfort.

The Copenhagen-based designers were able to consider all aspects of the Bella’s interior, with a consistency of materials and high levels of craftsmanship that mirror the sleek exterior design. The yacht can by sailed by a single helmsman and the interior has a similarly pared-back ethos, consisting of a series of minimal, unified spaces. The master cabin is located at the bow, alongside more double cabins, a spacious galley and sitting area, a private office, discrete crew quarters and a concealed tender garage at the stern.

AS FEATURED IN THE WALLPAPER* DESIGN AWARDS 2020 ISSUE

The natural curves of the hull were concealed to create large surface areas that expand the feeling of space. ‘We wanted to challenge the general understanding of a luxurious yacht interior and move away from brass, glossy wood and other typical elements,' says Norm's Katrine Goldstein. ‘Instead we used natural materials, subtle and earthy colours and beautiful details to underline the exclusivity of the space.' Above all, ‘Bella’ is blessed with meticulous attention to detail, right down to the hand-stitched leather grab rails and custom light fittings, shaping a space that performs as well as the yacht itself.

INFORMATION
normcph.com
yyachts.de

Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.