Ken Freivokh 145m yacht concept ‘Fortissimo’

Ken Freivokh Design has been selected as one of the finalists for the International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2014 with the 145m mega yacht Fortissimo concept, entering the ‘Yacht Concept Design over 30 metres’ category. Representing one of the fastest superyachts in the world, yacht Fortissimo concept design is a high performance gas turbine vessel, based on a platform developed by Fincantieri Shipyard.
Fortissimo is all about effortless motion, long sightlines, the sensation of space, of speed, of purity of line, the transparency between interior and exterior, the interplay of levels, the handsome triple height atriums, the treatment of the yacht as a proper transportation machine communicating the structure and the direct relationship with the sea. The inspiration was definitely structure based – it is essentially a very large, very long yacht, very much an ocean going vessel, to be subjected to stresses which require a sound structural solution.
Instead of relying on conventional internal structures, Fortissimo’s structural solution is the equivalent of a space frame structure which is much more efficient than a beam and post structure, and the hull and deck can be calculated simply as the skin of the yacht. The Fortissimo yacht concept extends to the side decks, where traditionally one would find the normal overhangs over the passageways, with the occasional styled fashion plate. Again, a more elegant solution has been found, whereby the hull and deck are treated as part of the same major structure, with what effectively is the equivalent of a Vierendeel beam linking both and adding strength as well as visual excitement.
A unique feature of the Fortissimo superyacht design is the transparency between interior and exterior, the interplay of levels, the handsome triple height atriums, the treatment of the yacht as a proper transportation machine communicating the structure internally and externally, as well as a direct relationship with the sea.