The design of the building allows integrating renewable energy as uptake and energy optimization. The façade facing the sun is covered by photovoltaic crystals latest technology that enable transparency and capture energy to provide electricity to the building. The facade opposite the sun are louvers that allow air to enter is conducted through producing drinking water equipment. The air passing through the central courtyard speed increases and out the top wind turbine, generating electricity to supply all equipment. WATER BUILDING RESORT is the first building in the world that converts air into water.
Get water from the air looks like science fiction, but it is a reality, thanks to the latest technology of “TeexMicron” incorporated into the building Its water production is based on the condensation of moisture in the air, its location in the water of the sea adds value with respect to increased condensation, allowing seize the day and night evaporation condensation. Moreover, WATER BUILDING RESORT recycles water taking advantage of rainwater and desalinated sea purifying it with built at the base of the building equipment. Water generators “TeexMicron” allow to produce 5,000 liters of water per volume of 21.17 m3 equipment / 48 people, for the calculations will use an average of 105 liters per person.
The use is a dedicated Resort with an Acuarium, Restaurants, Gyms, Hotel, Spa service, Congresses, Conferences and permanents or itinerant Exhibitions rooms.
Following the success of the UK Pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the studio was invited to design a large mixed-use development in Shanghai, set on a former industrial area in a bend of Suzhou Creek.
Observing the trend in China towards increasingly enormous property developments, the team became convinced that a new large-scale building development of retail podiums and glass towers would not sit well next to the neighbouring art district, river and park.
Instead they decided to see if this project could be an extension of these elements. Rather than focusing on the façade, the studio became interested in the rational grid of one thousand structural columns that a construction project of this scale would need for support.
Normally hidden within a building, giving prominence to the columns rather than the facade might allow the bulk of the building to feel more articulated and less clumsy. This in turn led to the idea of transforming the top of every column into a large planter so that the project could have a balancing softness and variety to the inevitable hardness of modern construction.
Arranged in varying heights across the site, the columns allow one thousand trees to be planted and create an undulating topography of balconies which reach upwards from the lowest point at the art district, park and river. The result is a clustered pair of structures integrating car parking, office space, shops, a school, hotel bedrooms and art galleries.
On the south side this pair of new man made mountains is cut through, like termite mounds, to expose its insides to the surrounding city.
As a 7-year old girl, Shadi Aghaei remembers riding the school bus along the Boulevard Carnot and Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, and marveling at the majestic Colline du Château castle, the blue green waters of the Mediterranean, the seagulls cawing, music playing and all the excitement on Castel Plage (beach). She remembers breathing in the invigorating scent of the garrigue that wafts across Nice from the Rhône Valley, sharing a sorbet on the weekend outside Fenocchio Ice-Cream on Place Rossetti with her father, and saying “I love to ride in the bus. I love it here.”
But Saeid Aghaei
had other ideas, and told her: “Treasure your memories of the beauty around you
while you can, because things might change.” He told her there were great
adventures ahead and that there would be other beautiful places to live.
He was a successful civil engineer and homebuilder,
and he aspired to opportunities offered by the quickly developing economy in
North America. They had moved from Iran to Nice shortly after Shadi was born,
and now he was preparing to move the family once more, to Canada.
Shadi was soon in Toronto, growing up in North York,
attending étienne Brûlé high school and the Glendon campus of York University. She
studied Mathematics, and graduated with her BA in 1994.
Her father began by building fine custom homes around
North York Ontario, progressing quickly to townhouse developments and high-rise
projects. He partnered with two cousins and their company is now the Times Group, one of the largest developers in
Canada.
In 2000 the Canadian Government hired Shadi as an analyst in the regulatory department of the Ministry of Fisheries & Oceans. She was bright and worked hard, and was soon assigned to natural resources policy. She had learned about real estate and construction from her father, from her studies at York, and from her interest in architecture and clean energy. It was not surprising that she gravitated in this direction, eventually working in Canada’s real property branch.
After many years of good performance she was rewarded with responsibility for the government’s largest energy service acquisition program. She was tasked with modernizing 107 government facilities in the Ottawa region. It was challenging,” she says, “due to its scale, and also due to the need for public/private cooperation. The decision was made that the best way to fund it would be through P3 structures, which at the time were very new in Canada. It was difficult, but we persevered and succeeded in moving the yardsticks forward.”
By 2012, Times Group knew that Shadi’s expertise in
modern buildings was of great value and recruited her as Vice-President of the
company, with responsibility for design development, marketing, sales, pricing
and government relations.
The built environment has been changing quickly with
growing awareness of climate breakdown, cleaner building technologies and
digital systems, that allow heating and cooling to be engineered in new, more
precise ways.
In her new role with Times Group, remembering the
wonders of Nice and southern France as a child, Shadi sought to create
beautiful, cultured communities.
The past eight years have been a period of great
expansion for the company and although they had always employed advanced
approaches, with help from Shadi and the experts she has recruited their
projects have become friendlier, greener, healthier, smarter and more
sophisticated than ever before.
Most of their
developments are LEED certified and several are connected to the Markham
District Energy system, reducing energy consumption
and their carbon footprint. Suites are insulated beyond requirements and fitted
with high quality windows. Times Group designs include electric vehicle
rechargers, bike storage, green roofs, and landscaped terraces.
Riverview, one of he newest projects near Warden and Highway 7 in Markham consists of more than 960 residential energy-efficient units with smart technology for entertainment, heating, cooling and security.
Shadi is a member of several committees that develop
sustainable building standards, including EnergyStar for Multi-Residential and the
Savings by Design program.
“I’m a great believer in building relationships and
trust, and I reach out to others in our profession including competitors,
because our responsibility is to the society first. We are expected to design
cities that work, and it’s from healthy community building that I draw my satisfaction.”
She is a fan of the book “Co-opetition” by A.B. Brandenburger and B.J.
Nalebuff, which embodies the spirit of what Shadi sees as modern corporate
behavior.
“My father and
uncle are good men who build with heart, and their values have inspired me. My
father taught me to respect everyone and cultivate trust, honesty and confidence.”
Asked about being a woman in a male dominated field, she says. “I’ve never let
it become an issue. To any woman with ambition I would say ‘Be strong and don’t
sweat the small stuff. Keep your eye on your values and goals and you will
accomplish great things.’”
Looking ahead
Shadi is working to expand the idea of community development beyond
condominiums to innovative premium level seniors concepts. She is toying with
modern definitions of ‘community’ involving friends who wish to age together as
a group, and are willing to form a funding structure well in advance, to ensure
that when they reach their retirement years they have already secured a better
home and amenities, with pre-planned neighbourhood supports and associations.
“When I think
back to France, I remember a wonderful culture that focused on aesthetics,
lifestyle and on friendly neighbourhood relationships. That is what we are
trying to build here.”
Following eight years of design, development, and construction, Safdie Architects is nearing completion on its latest project in China: Raffles City Chongqing, a vibrant complex which combines office, residential, hotel, retail, and recreational facilities across a 22.7 acre site, embedded within the densely developed Yuzhong district.
A phased opening of Raffles City Chongqing commenced in September 2019 with the unveiling of a 220,000 sq.m., five-story retail galleria and continues into early 2020, culminating with the opening of The Crystal, a 300m-long horizontal skyscraper perched at 250m and stretching across four of the development’s eight towers.
Project features
The Crystal Spanning across four accessible towers, at a length of 280 meters, the Crystal also connects to two of the development’s taller towers via linking bridges. Considered a ‘horizontal skyscraper,’ the Crystal houses 15,000 sq.m. of facilities including gardens, numerous dining options, bar and event space, a residential clubhouse, infinity pool, and hotel lobby.
Enclosed by a glass and steel structure termed a concertina—a serrated profile with an elliptical cross section—The Crystal offers visitors access to natural light, extensive views, and garden settings throughout the year. Metal panels on the west-facing concertina surfaces and glass on the east-facing surfaces afford the guests and visitors with natural light in the morning and shade from the sun in the afternoon.
Retail Galleria and Roof Park The retail galleria is organized in five stories, topped by an expansive public park that overlooks historic Chaotianmen Square. The three main retail gallerias align with, and are a conceptual continuation of, the principal north-south streets of the city.
The public park sits adjacent to each of the residential tower’s private gardens, creating a network of green and open space across the development that overlooks the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers.
Towers The Raffles City Chongqing development is composed of eight towers in total, with six southern towers rising to 250m, and two northern towers extending upwards to 350m.
When architect Nick Troubetzkoy came to St Lucia Island on assignment, he
had no idea of the labour of love before him. Or the challenge of creating a
green masterpiece on a virgin cliff face for that matter.
However,
what struck him most was the peacefulness around him, and the laid back
approach to life of the handful of people living there. He resolved to create
his ultimate masterpiece right there in the rainforest. He wanted to encapsulate
that green beauty in 25 luxury suites, each with one entire wall open to
nature.
Caribbean St. Lucia Jade Mountain
Club entrance, Pitons in view
With one
sweep of creative genius this brought the view into each retreat, while doing
away with air-conditioning because it couldn’t work. Instead, Nick Troubetzkoy placed
a pool on the rim of each balcony he made of local materials, and with
uninterruptable views of Jade Mountain across the water.
The entire
resort is an extravaganza of water in ponds and streams and waterfalls that
naturally cool the air. Every drop comes from reservoirs fed by island runoff,
and passes through a filtration plant as it flows. The only sound is the gentle
tinkling of the water. Nick Troubetzkoy explains:
“What I’ve really wanted to do with Jade
Mountain is re-evaluate and redesign the basic concept of a holiday hotel
experience. I wanted to create individualized spatial environments that would
enable guests to forget about the furniture or the fact that they’re in a hotel
room.
In essence, to forget about everything but
experiencing the psychology of the space on an emotional almost spiritual
level. When you combine the water with the air in this way, I believe you
unlock a profound potential for an almost magical level of enjoyment and celebration
– a magic that may well be the ultimate achievement at Jade Mountain.”
Nick
Troubetzkoy developed an affinity for the local people as he planned his great
masterpiece on St Lucia Island in the Caribbean. Truly sustainable architecture
must improve the quality of their life too, he reasoned:
It was my ambition from the beginning to create
an environment that fully captured the island’s beauty. Whether or not I’ve
been successful in that effort is up to others to decide of course, but on
balance I believe that we have made this part of the island a better place
since those early days.
And so he
set himself the target to create an organic vision of his dream of personalized
guest space, which inspires an almost spiritual emotion. He had no mechanistic
plan created on CAD back at the office in the city. Instead, he improvised as
he went along to create a dramatic ambience in each sanctuary he built.
He
increased the vision of a deserted island by replacing corridors with long,
suspended air bridges that were the only way to reach a sanctuary and the
magnificent vista beyond. However,
perhaps the greatest attraction is the private bathing pool. Indeed, pure
organic water becomes an extension of living here.
Sanctuary
pools are raised eighteen inches above the floor to bring them to the level of
the bather, who can lounge on the two-foot-wide coping without having to kneel
down. They can run their fingers through the water without actually getting
wet, or immerse themselves intimately in liquid warmed by the sun.
Everywhere
you look in Jade Mountain there seems to be water with iricandescent glass
tiles reflecting through. This unlocks a profound potential to get grips with
the true magic of the island the Amerindian people called Iouanalao,
meaning land of the iguanas.
Construction
obeyed in an organic vision after building a structural deck to support the
architect’s flights of fancy at succeeding levels. Here is no modular,
rectangular structure. Sculpted reinforced concrete follows vision cast directly
onto wooden formwork.
Here are
few sharp angles either, causing Jade Mountain to appear to flow out of nature.
Tens of thousands of cubic metres of concrete were prepared individually in
small mixers, because concrete-delivery trucks could not access the site.
Instead, they used chutes and wheelbarrows for continuous pours.
A small
army of St Lucia artisanal workers achieved this remarkable miracle of love
through thousands of hours of back-breaking physical labour. Jade Mountain
literally grew out of the ground, says Nick Troubetzkoy. One plank, one nail
and one shovel’s worth of sand, cement, gravel and concrete at a time.
If Jade
Mountain appears to rise fresh out of the earth, that’s perhaps because first
priority was sourcing local materials for responsible finishes. The sand,
gravel, and rose-gray, hand-split stone cladding was sourced from the site.
Much of the
remainder is from other Caribbean islands, including blush-colored coral
plaster finishes from Barbados, arrays of coral tiles from Dominican Republic,
and various tropical hardwoods from Guyana.
Artisans worked
the timber by hand to extract the subtle colours and textures on doors and
other fittings. St Lucia benefited as they discovered their talent and learned
new skills for future projects. Every indigenous plant in this symphony of
sanctuaries grew in the nursery on site. All surplus material was donated to
the locals for their homes.
Obtaining
United States Green Building Council LEED certification in 2016 was almost an
afterthought, although perhaps it was one of the greatest achievements as it
confirmed the project benefited people, planet and profit.
Travelite followed
up the next year with gold certification for socioeconomic and environmental aspects,
and reaffirmed its recognition in 2018. Jade Mountain and Nick Troubetzkoy’s sister
resort Anse Chastanet are still the only recipients on
St Lucia Island of this award.
Travelite
was particularly impressed by passive lighting and ventilation in the
sanctuaries, and the way the external facade captures water for koi ponds and
vegetable gardens. They also appreciated the way the natural coral tiles on
roof tops and walkways reflect solar heat.
Moreover,
they also praised attention to detail during construction. Materials and plants
were both sourced locally wherever possible, while an indoor air quality plan,
and low-emissive paints and adhesives protected workers who were transported to
site using electric transport.
However, Nick
Troubetzkoy’s greatest triumph was the lasting gift he gave the island beyond
the resort boundaries. The workforce did not only receive surplus construction
materials free for use on their own properties. The project was also
instrumental in the coral reefs of St Lucia being
declared a marine reserve.
Most of all, I prize the spirit of ongoing
creation that has for me always been the heart of this beautiful place. If we
captured a portion of the island’s beauty and quality of life in our work here
and can share it with visitors, then I think we’ve done something of real
value.
During the next World Expo in Dubai in 2020, Belgium will show the world its technological progress to connect minds and create the future. The pavilion, a green ark spanning several levels, is a real jewel of architecture and engineering. The public tender has just been awarded for the design, construction, scenography, maintenance and decommission. It was won by the BEMOB-2020 group. It includes the Belgian contractors BESIX and Vanhout, the design firms ASSAR ARCHITECTS and VINCENT CALLEBAUT ARCHITECTURES and the scenographers of Krafthaus. It will showcase the techniques, applications, products and materials, which are Belgian or of Belgian origin on both the interior and the exterior of the pavilion. This building/garden will not just be green on the outside. The preservation of the environment is at the heart of its design and of our concerns, with natural light and ventilation, renewable energies and the smart use of water.
The pavilion will have an exhibition trail, shops selling Belgian souvenirs, places to taste our culinary specialities (including fries, of course) and a business centre, as well as a gastronomic brasserie with a terrace. These are all excellent opportunities for our economic players to show themselves to the world. There is definitely a certain cachet involved in organising a reception in the Belgian pavilion or selling products at our different points of sale, for example. The pavilion, in the heart of the mobility district, will present our latest technological innovations for bringing people, goods and ideas together. The exhibition premises will offer all kinds of interactive discoveries in the Belgium of the future. The pavilion is already popular with the business world before it even sees the light of day (the structural work is due to be completed by the end of the year). Many businesses are co-financing it or are contributing to its construction. Contributions by other persons and companies, from SME’s to multinationals, are still welcome!
Text by BelExpo, Belgian Commission General for International Exhibitions
Nick and Karolin Troubetzkoy, owners of Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet, St Lucia, are delighted to announce the hotels’ have been re-certified for the internationally renowned Travelife Gold Certification for Hotels and Accommodations. The sister resorts are the only Gold Certified properties on the island.
Travelife, the sustainable tourism certification system, has re-assessed Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet’s performance in responsibly managing their socio-economic and environmental impacts. The resorts first achieved certification in 2017 and have worked hard to maintain the title.
Mountain and Anse Chastanet’s performance in responsibly managing their socio-economic and environmental impacts. The resorts first achieved certification in 2017 and have worked hard to maintain the title.
To gain a Travelife Gold certification, Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet were assessed against 88 sustainability criteria that take into account the following environmental issues and positive social impacts.
These include:
Protecting the environment, through minimising the amount of energy, waste and water used
Respecting and treating employees fairly
Respecting the local community, including its residents and the safeguarding of children
Protecting the local culture, heritage and wildlife of the destination
Supporting the local economy and its businesses
Nick and Karolin Troubetzkoy said of the accolade: “We are absolutely delighted to have achieved Travelife Gold Certification once again, as environmental efforts have always been at the heart of our resorts. It is incredibly important to us that we continue to commit to sustainability and to supporting the local community year-on-year”.
Jade Mountain Resort, St Lucia
Environmental concerns, sustainability and community efforts are at the epicentre of Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet, with daily practices set up to conserve water and energy and increase recycling efforts.
These include but are not restricted to the following:
The design of Jade Mountain reinforces the connection to the natural environment with passive ventilation of the rooms and natural day-lighting. Heating and cooling of the sanctuaries (rooms) is based entirely on the natural rhythms and cycles of the world around us. Not being dependent on artificial cooling or lighting of the rooms decreases the use of precious energy resources and minimizes the carbon footprint of the resort.
The exterior plaza of Jade Mountain was designed to capture all the rainwater in Koi ponds and planting areas. The plants are then harvested for use in the resort’s restaurants.
A natural coral tile was used for exterior walkways and roof areas. It is highly reflective and effectively diminishes any “heat island” effect in the local micro- climate.
Potable water for the resorts is produced by collecting it in a reservoir that was originally constructed and used by the British and French to power the water wheels that crushed sugar cane. The reservoir was repaired after decades of not being used and now collects over 1.5M gallons of water annually that is gravity-fed to a state-of-the-art water purification system.
Only local, indigenous plants were used in the landscaping, which minimizes the need for watering and protects a precious resource.
The resorts were the catalyst behind the coral reefs of St Lucia being declared a marine reserve to protect this valuable resource.
The resorts provide alternative transportation for its employees. On a daily basis, shuttles are scheduled hourly to transport workers from the resort to the local community, keeping carbon emissions to a minimum.
During the construction of Jade Mountain, any left-over construction materials were distributed to the local work force for use on their own property.
Construction materials that were used primarily came from the island, reducing the use of fossil fuels for transportation and the resultant pollution. For example, the wood used was harvested from a managed forest.
During construction, the workers were protected through the implementation of an Indoor Air Quality plan that minimised worker’s exposure to harmful air-borne compounds.
Low emitting materials (paints, adhesives, etc.) were used throughout the resorts, which effectively eliminated volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that are detrimental to a person’s health.
Guests are given the opportunity to learn about the resorts’ sustainability programmes and actively participate through environmental activities such as reef cleaning and tree planting.
The new city will host, on a land area 557 ha,
130.000 inhabitants, giving back to nature a large area where it would have
been built a shopping district. 400 hectares of green spaces with 7.500.000
plants (of 400 different species chosen carefully by Laura Gatti, botanist and landscape architect)
260.000 of which will be trees, 2.3 trees per inhabitant, and the rest composed
of shrubs and bushes. Thanks to the new public parks and private gardens,
thanks to the green roofs and to the green facades, the areas actually occupied
will be given back by nature through a perfect balance between the amount of
green areas and building footprint. The Smart Forest City will absorb 116.000
tons of carbon dioxide with 5.800 tons of CO2 stocked per year.
Smart Forest City – Cancun is the first Forest City of
the new millennium, an open and international city whose development is focused
on technological innovation and environmental quality. A center for advanced
research that could hosts all worldwide university departments, international
organizations and companies that deal with very important sustainability issues and thefuture of the planet.
New research and development departments are dedicated to welcome researchers
and young students from Mexico and from the best academies and universities
from all over the world.
Thanks to the contribution of the German
office Transsolar, Smart Forest City –
Cancun is conceived to be completely food and energy
self-sufficient. Surrounded by a ring of solar panels and of agricultural
fields irrigated by a water channel connected with a underwater maritime pipe,
the City will be deeply characterized by full circular economy.
In particular, water is a key element in the project: it is gathered at the
entrance of the City in a huge basin, where there is also a desalination tower,
and it is distributed by a system of navigable canals in the whole settlement
up to the agricultural fields belt that surrounds the urban area. A series of
water gardens are designed to fight floods as a model for resilient landscapes.
This new City is conceived to have a vanguard
mobility system: MIC (Mobility in Chain) has
proposed an articulated transportation system that allows residents and
visitors to leave their vehicles at the edges of the city and rely uniquely on
internal electric and semi-automatic mobility.
The urban project of Smart Forest City – Cancun is designed according
to Non-Determistic Urbanism. Given the big invariants of
urban structure – related to energy infrastructure, mobility and green, to the
presence of development and research poles and to the right of each inhabitant
to have at its disposal all services at a correct pedestrian and cycling
distance – the City grants a great flexibility in the distribution of all
different architectural typologies that can be articulated in the five big
sectors that the Masterplan defines.
Stefano Boeri Architetti signs the project of the three green
architectures designed for the new capital (the new administrative city) under
construction in the south east area of Cairo.
The three “green cubes” – which
represent the prototype of an architecture designed to be varied in functional
destinations and replicated throughout the entire metropolis – measure 30
meters both in height and in width and house 350 trees and over 14,000 shrubs and evergreens belonging
to 100 different species ,
one third of those living in the entire city of Cairo.
In total, the green area will exceed 3600
square meters, an area equivalent to the building plan.
It is expected that the three new vertical woods,
which will be self-sufficient in terms of energy, will be able to absorb about
7 tons of carbon dioxide in a year and produce 8 tons of oxygen.
The three experimental buildings – a hotel and two residential
buildings – will be built by the Egyptian manufacturer MISR Italia Properties
in a central area of the new capital.
In presenting the three green cubes, which
were designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti with the designer Shimaa Shalash as
local partner and the collaboration of the landscape agronomist Laura Gatti,
Stefano Boeri and Francesca Cesa Bianchi, partner and director of the SBA
project, presented the vision of “Greener Cairo”, which envisages six
strategies of demineralization of the Egyptian metropolis. In addition to
the grafting of green buildings and vertical woods, the ecological conversion
of Cairo includes a major campaign to make the thousands of flat roofs in the
city green, the “vegetalization” of the facades and the construction
of a system of green corridors that will cross Cairo and they will be reunited
by a large orbital forest.
According to Stefano Boeri and Francesca Cesa Bianchi: ” Cairo can become the first metropolis of North Africa
to face the great challenge of climate change and ecological conversion.”
Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design’s 112m Hydrogen-Powered Superyacht Concept Makes Waves At The Monaco Yacht Show
Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design presented yet another groundbreaking concept at this year’s edition of the Monaco Yacht Show with AQUA, a 112-meter fully operational, on liquid hydrogen and fuel cell technology powered concept Superyacht. Sinot shows once more to be able to fuse groundbreaking technology with cutting-edge design.
True Superyacht Hydrogen, which has been labelled as the fuel of the future for the last
decades, finally found its way to the world of Superyachts. The designers at Sinot
Yacht Architecture & Design created in collaboration with Lateral Naval
Architects, the design for the first 112m LOA superyacht based on liquid
hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Now a fully operational 112m concept
Superyacht with a speed of 17 knots and a range of 3750 nautical miles is
realized, placing AQUA solidly among Superyacht peers in terms of size,
performance and usability. Simultaneously meeting and exceeding current
superyacht standards, AQUA optimizes hull, energy and space efficiency while
providing a maximal superyacht experience at the highest comfort level for
discerning owners.
Mindset Designer Sander Sinot explains how he and his team managed to integrate the
hydrogen-electric system capable of catering for all onboard energy needs
without having to compromise on esthetics, comfort or usability: “With every project, I
challenge my team and myself to surpass ourselves. For development of AQUA we
took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid
versatility of water and cutting-edge technology to combine this in a 112m
superyacht with truly innovative features.” Sinot soon realized they had
set themselves an extraordinary goal, so started working on an extraordinary
design: “Our challenge was to implement fully operational liquid hydrogen
and fuel cells in a true superyacht that is not only groundbreaking in
technology, but also in design and esthetics.”
Nature and technology AQUA
is fueled by hydrogen, a unique concept which represents a significant
progression towards achieving a new balance between nature and technology. The
system is based on the use of liquified hydrogen, stored at -253°C in two
28-ton vacuum isolated tanks. The liquified hydrogen is converted into
electrical energy by proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, with water
being the only by-product. All parameters in terms of output, system layout,
range and physical dimensions where translated to a complete hydrogen /
electric based system. The generated electrical energy is transmitted to
AQUA’s switchboards, where it is distributed to provide power for propulsion,
auxiliary systems and hotel services. Large batteries buffer the generated
electricity to ensure power demands are always met. And thanks to the electric
propulsion AQUA is a very quiet superyacht, with very little noise or
vibrations. After five months of extensive development, the team of designers
and naval
architects came
up with a design with physical dimensions and operational characteristics that
even strengthen the superyacht experience. Sander Sinot: “Reliability and
safety are essential in our world. That’s is why we emphasize that we
implemented proven technology in a new appliance. Imagine AQUA at open sea,
moving water with water?! At 17knots with a range of 3750 nautical miles, which
places AQUA solidly in the forefront of its Superyacht peers!”
Privacy and Space Entering AQUA is entering a world of privacy and
space. The spectacular, extremely spacious and beam-wide owner’s pavilion,
occupying the front half of the upper deck, offers an abundance of privacy. The
pavilion is arranged in a vast open-plan area of interlinked spaces, divided by
finely crafted wooden screens providing intimacy and subdued lighting. Both at
the starboard and port sides, floor-to-ceiling band windows supply an amazing
impression of openness and freedom. The ceiling, at a height that varies from
an ample 280cm to an impressive 380cm at the large central skylight, is
supported by an intricately crafted wooden structure. The bedroom section is
located at the yacht’s axis and offers an endless sightline all the way
up to the AQUA room at the bow. The owner’s pavilion is completed with a
large bathroom, dressing room and an intimate private spa section. The AQUA
room, located at the bow, at the far end of the owner’s pavilion, offers a top-of-the-world
feeling and endless views from the best position on board. Located on AQUA’s beach deck, close to the waterline,
the expansive and naturally outfitted VIP state rooms stand out by virtue of
their spacious design and highly elaborate furniture. The VIP cabin and other
state rooms are focused on openness, luxury and comfort, providing a maximum
sense of freedom in a highly detailed minimalist Japanese beach-style setting. The indoor health & wellness center is a water-world of
serenity, where the reflecting waves of the water feature complement the
onboard environment with their soft, vibrating motion. With an exclusive hydro
massage room, a yoga space and workout floor and a massive, gym-wide hatch
which opens to reveal the ocean’s surface at water level, creating the
perception of exercising and relaxing on an island in the sea.
Situated at AQUA’s core, the spectacular circular staircase is one of the
yacht’s defining features, winding down from the top deck to the lower deck. A
true spectacle manifests itself at the lowest level, facing aft, where two vast
liquified hydrogen tanks reveal their hexagonal textured surface structure
behind a giant façade of strengthened glass.
Curved The flowing exterior lines of AQUA are inspired
by ocean swells – the surge of energy induced by winds and currents, boosted by
the gravitational forces that control the ocean’s tides. The curved top deck
culminates in a sensational bow with integrated front bow observatory, the AQUA
room, as part of the Owners pavilion. The hull is a sculpted overall double
curved volume, intersected by the glass band windows, which subdivide
approaching the aft stepping down to the water. The raised front profile with a
strong forward direction in the design, provides ample space for accommodating
all Owner’s, guests and technical facilities. AQUA is configured with a
five-deck set up, utilizing forward interior space through the high sheer line
which subtly descends from bow to aft. The yacht has been designed to provide
those on board with the closest possible proximity to the water. The aft deck
features a unique and innovative series of platforms cascading down towards the
sea, while a large swim platform allows all AQUA passengers to enjoy the
optimal experience of accessing the water at sea level.
Technical feasibility Many concepts Sinot Yacht Architecture &
Design has presented over the years are in different stages of realization.
AQUA is designed for owners who want to take yachting to a next level, with a
pioneering design that clearly prefigures the superyachts of tomorrow. AQUA: a
new way of yachting.
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