Panther 2 – “the different twin” of Panther, delivered by Mondomarine in the last year to the same Greek Owner – is designed once again by Giorgio Vafiadis for the external lines and by Mondomarine for the naval architecture while the interior design was entrusted, in this case, to Luca Dini who made use of the cooperation with Gabriele Tartarelli and Silvia Margutti, members of his team, and the active participation of the Owners, open and receptive to the experimentation suggested.
Compared with Panther the external differences, really marginal, reduce to the double window in the wide-body area of the main deck; decidedly different, on the contrary, is the interior design, whose lay-out, remained however unchanged, still provides the salon and the Owner’s suite on the main deck, five double cabins for the guests on the lower deck and the living room in the open-space of the upper deck which also includes the wheelhouse.
Luca Dini describes below his proposals for design and decor.
Entering you are invested by feelings, you see fascinating contrasts. You want to approach and touch, to be able to understand.
Each choice, in fact, was accurately assessed and is the result of a careful research which aimed to harmonize the most archaic and primitive things the nature offers with what synthetic and virtual, on the contrary, the current multifarious technology offers, in a creative mix which also includes products of “usable design”. The extreme neatness of coverings and the linearity of the interior lay-out of the rooms and light cuts are strongly intended, like the bright and light grey of the walls which exalts accurate and significant material and chromatic cues.
The lighting, indirect and diffused everywhere, emphasizes the natural one of the day, avidly caught inside by breaking as much as possible the broadsides on each deck, while at night it makes the rooms a comfortable nest.
The Olive wood, used for the body of the furniture, is very evocative, suggests with its warm tones the power of earth, water and sun, delineates by the rustle of its grains the effort to grow and always soldier on and recalls the harmonious embrace of every trunk and branch on itself. It’s alive, spiritual, strong. The shape studied, rounded off on the horizontal-vertical edges, enhances its design.
The Oak wood on the floor is in large irregular boards, brushed, oiled, sawn effect, specked to narrate a past history; the casualness in the laying is intended, in order to emphasize its character. Walking barefoot you can feel the familiarity of a slightly rough surface, never cold and impersonal.
Going along the yacht you meet laminates, gloss and matt, precious marbles, treated leathers, resinated surfaces, panels dug in a special harmony of intents.
A wall in metal laminate, almost a sheet of crushed aluminium, leads from the main deck to the guest’s area, lighted by low light cuts embedded leading to one of the surfaces created for the Owners by a pair of florentine artists by using resins: a parabolic cascade of blue and fuchsia on a silver gray coat.
The five cabins of the lower deck, three with double bed and two twin cabins, are characterized by the uniform choice of materials, but are distinguished by the different fabrics chosen, intended in the shades of pink fuchsia, acid green, yellow, turquoise and ecru in a combination of melange and plain colours.
A surprising Dark Grey Onyx, used in bathrooms, contrasts both with the gloss laminate raised of one of the walls of each shower and with the rust one of the bed heads bulkheads; these are softened by panels in silver leather, also used for the simple beds banding and for the doors of all the furniture. The lights blend with the walls enhancing their impact.
To this atmosphere, however natural in the tones, overlaps the game of pink blue lights of the shower blowpipes and the one of taps which signal, with a led light in a full chromatic scale from vermilion red to intense blue, the temperature at which the water is supplied. This produces a bounce of reflections between the mirrors and the transparency of the essential glass shower cubicles.
In the VIPs area the cabin and the bathroom intersect, putting directly to contrast all the suggestions.
The Owner’s suite, on the main deck, declines the blue tones in all possible suggestions. The bed head wall was realized for the Owners by an artist of Viareggio: the wood was dug and grooved by hand and then painted by using temperas and acrylics. The strong chiaroscuro created by the horizontal waves of the carving makes its aspect mutable, suggesting a smooth or overcast sea, a bright or dark sky; the colour, flooded by light, makes the atmosphere bluish, almost underwater.
Here the leather used is blue gray, creased by hand. The mirror conceals the TV screen and multiplies the impact of the work. The lamps consist of slender luminous rods which revolve almost entirely on themselves. The cabin is made even more comfortable and pleasant by the chaise longue, intended in a melange fabric with blue tones. The dressing and the study complete the services offered by the suite. The floor of the bathroom is in Azul Do Mar marble, moved and intense, the walls of the shower, double, are still realized by florentine artists in silver foil on a blue coat with crystalline glossy covering resin. The music combines to water and light. The mirrors, designed by Luca Dini Design Studio, slide on rails so as not to close the access to light and landscape.
The whole back wall of the salon on the main deck is composed by a large casting of resin, irregular in roughness and glossiness, bold in purple, lilac, fuchsia, blue, light-blue, silver gray and white colours, evocative in the design. With the sliding doors closed this is a work of nearly six metres by two, protagonist, but not “unwieldy”. The broadside columns accommodate some vertical light cuts and are completely plated in polished steel. The venetian blinds fall to the ground and play with light. The free-standing furniture were chosen carefully and follow the Owners’ wish to have a flexible configuration marrying the different needs of those who live in a yacht in several hours of the day, with or without guests, in more or less mild seasons. The sofa seems to be designed for a situation like this: the poufs can be matched to the side compositions or grouped in a large central sitting or scattered where needed, as well as the tables. The fabric is neutral and the cushions free, to be placed as the comfort requires. The table, with a very thin top and legs interlacing light, rises on the wall surrounded by armchairs.
In the living room of the upper deck a wall in polarized glass separates, when necessary, the wheelhouse without removing light and depth from the environment, a cosier and reserved space. The shape of windows is respected. A deep three-seat sofa allows to comfortably enjoy the retractable projector. The layout is completed by two reclining chairs, two small chairs and low coffee tables. The surfaces are rough or smooth, the colours always in shades of silver white and gray. The Olive wood returns both for the desk and the two small smoke tables, which become poufs, magazine racks or containers for items.
Even for this deck were created two items by using the infinite potentials of resins. The two bars, one inside and the other outside, both back-lit, make exciting the atmosphere of the two areas. Two pure volumes were realized on a basis in opaline plexiglas, using as leading colours the blue and fuchsia. For the one located inside, the coat is smooth, white with silver powder, there develop waves and roses whose tones blend evocatively; for the one outside, a gauze adds grain and materiality, tongues embossed seem algae or corals moved by the current. When natural light falls, these bodies revive and become real pieces of furniture. Not very usual are the three stools facing the outside bar.
The outside area on the upper deck, in addition to the structural sofa with movable table, is furnished with the same principle of the main salon. By using very flexible seats it will be possible to have sun-beds or on the contrary a convivial horseshoe lounge, when needed.
The cockpit of the main deck has a structural seat and a solid table in Teak staves. The chairs in aluminium suggest embroideries made only by the magic of nature. The external Teak has gray, elegant leaks, which match well with the internal colours.
Rigour and essentiality, therefore, in the overall touch, characterization of spaces, refined and harmonic choice of furniture and details, ductility of furnishings, a suggestive atmosphere, light, comfortable and coherent with sea environment where Panther 2 will be a privileged guest starting from today.
Mondo Marine SpA
Lungomare Matteotti 6 - 17100 Savona - Italia
Tel. +39/019828516 - Fax +39/019823418
