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Project Axis Is an Elegant Superyacht Explorer Designed for “Maximum Privacy”

The old saying is that you can’t have it all, but at least as far as conceptual work is concerned, you totally can. The latest study from Los Angeles-based designer Adam Voorhees is proof of that.
Project Axis is a very elegant superyacht explorer with "masculine volumes" and solid performance 5 photos
Photo: Adam Voorhees via BoatInternational.com
Project Axis is a very elegant superyacht explorer with "masculine volumes" and solid performanceProject Axis is a very elegant superyacht explorer with "masculine volumes" and solid performanceProject Axis is a very elegant superyacht explorer with "masculine volumes" and solid performanceProject Axis is a very elegant superyacht explorer with "masculine volumes" and solid performance
Project Axis is the naval interpretation of one of man’s most recent dreams: getting away from it all at the drop of a hat. It is designed for “maximum privacy,” the designer explains in a statement to Boat International, so it would offer the owner just that, along with the possibility of simply packing up and getting away for as long as they wanted, in luxury and safety, surrounded by a handful of select people.

A human is essentially a social being, but every once in a while, a break from everything and everyone is most welcome. In the context of the ongoing health crisis, there is no better moment than the current one to highlight the importance of social distancing and forming your own private bubble with which to travel. The past couple of years have seen a surge in demand for transportation that allows that, including in the naval industry.

For the one-percenters, there’s simply no better way to break away than with a superyacht explorer. Situated at the junction between a luxurious superyacht and a proper, gear-packed, ice-class and long-range explorer, these vessels are ideal for both family cruises and research missions – usually at the same time. Sure enough, they come with a price to match but, then again, we’re talking about a one-percenter’s type of toy here.

Project Axis is a very elegant superyacht explorer with "masculine volumes" and solid performance
Photo: Adam Voorhees via BoatInternational.com
Project Axis is also one such toy. It’s dubbed a superyacht explorer and it lives up to it with a very elegant and striking design, luxe amenities and solid performance. It is, for the time being, only a concept and not even a very detailed one, at it. But it does serve to show that the current trend is here to stay for a while longer: superyacht explorers are in hot demand, and they’re getting more impressive by the day.

Designer Adam Voorhees set up his studio in 2009 and, just one year later, won the Boat International’s Media Young Designer of the Year Award for the 66-meter (216-foot) concept Ra. His work includes plenty of noteworthy projects in naval design, architecture and interior design, as well as a collaboration with the prestigious shipyard Lürssen, in developing Aurora, based on Lürssen’s proprietary hull platform.

Project Axis is an individual project, but a noteworthy one. Its total length is 91 meters (298 feet) and the beam is 14.5 meters (47.5 feet), which means it offers ample interior volume for guests, crew and all the necessary gear. Accommodation on board is for 16 guests in seven sizable suites, with the owner’s getting its own deck with a private terrace and private pool, and a private lounge aft.

Three different pools are available, including one on the sundeck and the highlight of the lot situated aft, alongside the beach club and the spa. The latter features a glass bottom, a feature that’s becoming more common with superyachts these days but which still retains its wow factor.

Unfortunately, the designer doesn’t elaborate further on the interior. This being a superyacht explorer, though, it would feature the kind of amenities that have become standard. In addition to the beach club and the spa, one could easily assume it would also have a gym, a cinema, several lounges and dining areas (formal and informal, indoors or exterior), and lavishly appointed suites. As an explorer, it should pack all types of gear and water toys, from tenders to exploration and research vehicles on water, underwater, on land and by air.

Project Axis is a very elegant superyacht explorer with "masculine volumes" and solid performance
Photo: Adam Voorhees via BoatInternational.com
Even with the limited details offered, Project Axis manages to stand out for its striking silhouette, with very smooth and clean lines, and an almost pristine style, balanced out by the generous interiors and the ship’s capabilities. “Project Axis’ feminine curves and undulating surfaces are balanced with the concept’s masculine volumes,” Vorhees says.

Project Axis features a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, and would draw power from a hybrid diesel-electric system. The designer doesn’t go into specifics, but notes that the impressive vessel would have a range of 5,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots. So it would be no slouch, despite its size.

“The concept will embrace the most future-thinking technologies, including power generation for onboard systems,” Voorhees explains. “[The studio] is definitely looking to explore hydrogen and other alternative fuel options.”
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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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