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Naboo Superyacht Concept Is a Floating Garden That Disrupts All Notions of Space

The future is bright if we keep working at making it so. Barcelona-based design studio Hidden Portside is doing just that with one of their most recent concepts, a 50-meter (164-foot) superyacht called Naboo.
Naboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprint 17 photos
Photo: Hidden Portside
Naboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprintNaboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprint
Granted, this bright future imagined by Naboo is only limited to the one-percenters, but hey, we gotta start somewhere, right?

Hidden Portside actually published the concept in early 2020, and it went on to win several industry accolades, including second place in the Rossinavi Design Challenge and being shortlisted for the Concept Over 40 Meters Award in The International Yacht and Aviation Awards 2020. In May this year, the studio announced that the project was “closer to becoming a reality” thanks to a partnership with Italian shipyard Rossinavi.

So what exactly is this intriguing design that, according to the headline, comes to disrupt all previously held notions of space on board a yacht? “Naboo represents another lifestyle, in which sustainability is a mindset, preserving the beauty and elegance of the past while relying on the innovation of the future,” Hidden Portside says in a statement to Boat International.

Naboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprint
Photo: Hidden Portside
Naboo is a gorgeous, sleek, and elegant vessel that takes the book on yacht layouts and tosses it out the window, only to write its own. Instead of using a general arrangement plan, Naboo uses a “ring concept,” where interior spaces flow into each other and around a central element. This is best exemplified in the main salon, whose highlight is something called the Chef’s House. That’s an exposed galley for the guests, an idea that’s been done in restaurants but never on superyachts before.

Named after the bountiful planet of the same name from the Star Wars universe, Naboo the superyacht is flush with greenery. The idea might seem strange – trees at sea, who needs them?! – but it’s one that’s slowly catching on with yacht designers and which will most likely make the transition to reality soon. Naboo’s three decks are connected by a large vertical garden, which starts at the beach club, inside the 95-square-meter (1,022-square-foot) Inner Patio, and ends two decks above. There is no sundeck here because solar panels take up the space.

Another way in which Naboo disrupts space is by overthrowing expectations. For instance, spaces that should be enclosed, like the mid-ship lounge and beach club, are exposed, and spaces that should be open, like the rear deck, are enclosed. This and the flowing, sinuous lines both inside and out create a most striking silhouette.

Naboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprint
Photo: Hidden Portside
The owner’s cabin with its private terrace (which comes with a jacuzzi and plenty of lounge space) is located aft on the bridge deck. Also, a spacious garage can hold a custom tender made to match the mothership and a variety of water toys. The beach club is situated towards the center of the ship, which is, again, another first, and it becomes usable once fold-down platforms are lowered to the sea and the entire space opens up. It also houses a secondary jacuzzi and a bar.

Accommodation on board is for ten guests in four VIP suites and the owner’s suite, with a crew of eight housed in quarters below deck. A separate galley is available here for the exclusive use of the crew.

As noted above, Naboo is designed with a focus on sustainability and incredible amenities: we’ve only covered the latter so far. As for the former, it’s achieved through electric propulsion, for one. Despite its size and seemingly ample volume, Naboo can sail without a carbon footprint, since it’s powered by electric motors, with solar panels on the sundeck to top up the batteries while under sail.

Sustainable materials will be used throughout the build, when and if it’s ever undertaken: recycled aluminum and synthetic teak for the hull and superstructure, and the deck. Air conditioning use will be mitigated through PCM (Phase Change Materials), smart materials in the interior walls that emit or absorb heat epending on the atmosphere temperature. Ultra-reflective metallic paint on the superstructure will also help reflect heat, regulating interior temperature.

Naboo is a superyacht whose three decks are connected by an inner garden, with incredible amenities and zero carbon footprint
Photo: Hidden Portside
Naboo is just a concept for the time being, but unlike other concepts we’ve discussed at length on autoevolution, it has a leg up the competition, thanks to Rossinavi getting involved to further develop the study. Maybe, one day, this gorgeous, green, Star Wars-inspired superyacht will actually set sail.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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