HEESEN MARKS KEEL LAYING OF PROJECT KANSEI, ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Earlier in July, Heesen marked the keel laying of Project Kansei at Talsma, the shipyard’s long-standing partner for steel hull construction in the northern Netherlands. In the presence of a Lloyd’s Register surveyor, Heesen CEO Jeroen van der Meer carried out the traditional ceremonial weld, embedding a 1978 coin in the keel as a tribute to the year the shipyard was founded. This milestone officially marks the start of construction on the anniversary edition which is scheduled to launch in October 2028 to coincide with Heesen’s 50th anniversary with delivery planned for the first quarter of 2029.
“Project Kansei serves as a bridge between the solid past of our shipyard and the new philosophical direction we embrace,” says Jeroen van der Meer.
The name Kansei originates from the Japanese philosophy of anticipating emotional needs and designing with human sensibility in mind, perfectly aligning with Heesen’s core principles: Human, Health, and Happiness. A Heesen yacht is conceived as a private sanctuary that adapts to its owner’s lifestyle with every detail engineered to provide a safe dependable environment for enjoying life at sea. The overarching goal is to create a setting that promotes wellbeing, ensuring owners leave every voyage feeling refreshed and restored.
To bring this vision to life, Luca Dini Design and Architecture worked closely with Heesen’s leadership team to develop the interiors. Inspired by the Kansei philosophy, the design combines thoughtful spatial planning with tactile, natural materials to create a calm and harmonious atmosphere. Backlit rice paper, raffia ceilings and carefully composed spaces evoke a sense of tranquillity while balancing openness with privacy. The arrangement also reinterprets conventional superyacht layouts. On the main deck aft, a dedicated gym and open yoga area flow seamlessly onto a terrace complete with a juice bar. Below deck, the wellness area has been conceived as a fully integrated experience, featuring flush floors, expansive skylights, a sauna, hammam and an immersive emotional shower journey incorporating snow, mist and water. Social spaces have received equal attention from the bridge deck’s elegant formal dining room and indoor bar to the sundeck where a live cooking station and advanced AV/IT system provide highly personalised entertainment. The interiors will be crafted by Heesen Interiors, the shipyard’s specialist luxury carpentry facility in Winterswijk to the exacting standards of Northern European craftsmanship.
Project Kansei represents the evolution of Heesen’s successful 55-metre series, building on a proven steel platform refined through years of operational experience. Drawing on valuable feedback from owners, captains and chief engineers throughout the fleet, the yacht incorporates a series of practical improvements including a one-metre extension of the swim platform to enhance waterside living, complemented by a transformer for effortless access to the sea. By combining real-world operational insight with Heesen’s engineering expertise, the project further enhances performance, functionality and long-term reliability.
Owners who join the project at this early stage have the rare opportunity to tailor the interior to their own preferences and leave a distinctive personal signature on the yacht. Combining a significantly reduced delivery schedule with a thoroughly proven engineering platform, Project Kansei offers the benefits of a highly capable custom superyacht while allowing owners to focus entirely on enjoying life on board.
