The Salt & Water team’s open catamaran project design won the renowned international yacht design award – Millennium Yacht Design Award 2023 in March this year.
This prestigious award is given every year as part of SEATEC, the only professional event in the Mediterranean dedicated to technology, design and components in the nautical sector.
The “Open Catamaran” project design was the result of collaboration between Salt & Water, design and architecture studio from Novi Sad, and the marine engineering studio Okus Mora. The very concept of a luxury catamaran for day trips to the islands of the Adriatic Sea was created by the Colnago Marine shipyard, which is also in charge of its construction.
It is interesting that in the twenty years since the award was established, Salt & Water is the only studio that has received this award twice. The previous time, in 2015, they won with the project “Floating Hotel with Catamaran Apartments”, in the category of young professionals – yacht designers at the beginning of their careers.
It is important to note that this prize was preceded by an award in December (Cruise Ship Interior Awards 2022 – Best Spa or Fitness Space), which the studio received for the interior design of a river cruise ship. The design was developed in cooperation with the Dutch shipyard Vahali, located in Sremska Mitrovica. It was also the only river cruiser that competed with sea cruisers ten times its size.
Svetlana Mojić Džakula is an architect and the founder of the Salt & Water studio, which specializes in interior and exterior design of yachts, for which it is well-known worldwide. Over the years, the studio has won several prestigious international awards for architecture and design, including the prestigious award for the interior design of the Boeing 787 at the International Yachts & Aviation Awards, and the Millennium Yacht Design Award for the catamaran project as a luxury suite on the water, as well as the MYDA 2023 award for the floating apartment project, confirming the fact that dreams can turn into reality, and that passion, talent and quality are highly valued.
Open 24-meter catamaran
Colnago Marine, a shipyard from Split that has been exporting vessels all over the world for years, has started building a new catamaran designed for day trips. The design of the decks and interior was created by Salt & Water studio from Novi Sad. The idea was to achieve a sense of uninterrupted space. Equipped to entertain up to 120 young people on its open decks, this 24-meter-long boat features an attractive, futuristic design.
Lying, sunbathing or sitting on elements of different height is possible on both decks. They are designed so that everyone can find a small area with ambience for their own experience of the space, regardless of the number of persons relaxing together in their surroundings. Booths for two, which have found their place on the borderline between outdoor and indoor space, are a symbol of the concept of connectivity on board. This means that all elements are connected to each other, and there is no clear line between the horizontal and vertical planes that merge with each other. If necessary, the upper deck can be easily transformed into a space for team building events or celebrations. On the flybridge there is also a kind of VIP lounge – a section with deckchairs and a beautiful view of the sea, while sun sails provide the necessary shade during hot days on the water.
In the central part of the main deck there is a wet bar, designed as a specific central point of the vessel around which life on board takes place. That is why, together with the wall cladding and the staircase railing, it forms a kind of sculpture in the space. The black lines of the boat continue on the bar and railing, descending to the floor. This detail connects the catamaran concept and highlights the link between the exterior and interior, but also horizontal and vertical.
The entire main deck is designed as an attractive, futuristic cafe. There are geometric patterns on the ceiling with LED lighting, suitable for parties.
In the bathrooms, too, the effort was made to create a feeling of infinite space, by connecting the mirror to the ceiling. Although they are modern, luxurious and futuristic, functionality is enabled in the form of quick and easy cleaning between tours.
Despite the fact that this catamaran is initially intended for day trips, it is definitely not perceived only as a means of transport. The interior design has surely deepened and refined the on board experience. The vessel project design is signed by Srđan Đaković of the Okus mora company. In addition to interior and deck design, the Salt & Water studio also provides support in organization, production and installation of interiors for vessels.
