Born and raised in the historic maritime port of Genoa, Stefano Pastrovich has a passion for designing yachts that he enthusiastically describes as “functional, unique, and aesthetically pleasing to the eye”. That many see them as being rather unconventional could have much to do with the fact he says his most formative childhood experiences came from the time he spent designing and building model gliders. “Designing and building play things as an adolescent led me to where I am today.” Learning to fly as soon as he was old enough, Pastrovich says that it wasn’t so much about being in the air as it was understanding how it was possible for something heavier than air to fly. “In a glider reading and understanding the wind is equivalent to a power-pilot’s fuel, and I believe that learning this skill at a young age has had a great influence on the path that my career has taken,” he says.
Designing yachts wasn’t a strategic decision. “I actually studied architecture but after my studies I was given the unique opportunity to work with yacht designer Martin Francis at his design studio in London and I’ve never looked back.” While there, he designed, amongst others, the 57-metre motoryacht SenseS. And it was during the construction of SenseS that they were also commissioned to design and develop one of the first megayachts ever built – the 104-metre Le Grand Bleu. “Looking back in the context of where we are now, she was an extremely courageous, futuristic design and build,” he says. In fact, Pastrovich’s designs have often proved visionary, preceding trends by some ten or twenty year. When asked why he believes his designs are so maverick Pastrovich explains that there are three things he considers fundamental to design: “emotion, experience, and courage”. Certainly, if you were to examine his body of work today you would see that his courage to break the mould with groundbreaking and unique designs has clearly paid off.
Flying the creative nest of Francis Design after just a few years, Pastrovich then worked with Monaco-based Wally Yachts. Combining his knowledge in engineering, architecture and design along with a mandate to innovate from owner Luca Bassani enabled him to think outside the box, and in 2001 he developed the iconic 118’ WallyPower. Nearly two decades later she is still aesthetically well ahead of anything else afloat. “I have always challenged myself,” says Pastrovich , “and although I am not an engineer I do understand the connection between the structure and the overall design.”
As chief designer at Wally style office, Pastrovich worked with Bassani on the entire WallyPower range. They worked well together and Pastrovich regards this period as one of the best in his career. Still, in 2005 he launched his own design studio, in Monaco, and is now well known in his own right, mostly for futuristic designs. Interestingly, Pastrovich defines himself as an architect rather than a designer. “Design is related to the aesthetic nature of the yacht whilst I believe that an architect thinks more about the combination of shape and function,” says Pastrovich. “As an architect I understand the engineering behind the yacht and see the design as being inescapably linked to function and technology.”
Most recently, the Pastrovich studio has rethought the way they market their next-generation designs. Given that superyachts are expressions of individual owners’ lifestyles , they have broken down the spectrum of personalities into four distinct categories reflecting various states of mental and physical wellbeing.
“We wanted to see things from a different point of view and took sport as the starting point,” he explains. “So we named our yacht categories after leisure activities: Backpacker, Freeride, Dressage and Parkour.”
It may seem eccentric but Pastrovich does have a knack for excelling at the extraordinary. He enlightens us further, stating that the Freeride Class is for owners looking for high performance vessels; the Dressage Class, for owners looking for sumptuous and luxurious surroundings; the Backpacker Class, for those wishing to roam the world in absolute comfort; and the Parkour Class, for owners looking for a combination of everything. The genius of this simplified philosophical categorisation is that any design, whether commissioned, afloat or in concept form will fall neatly into one of the groups.
The studio currently has nine yacht designs underway, spanning both sailing and motor yachts, four refits and a 71-metre currently under construction. Then in the incubator is his concept series prefixed with an “X” – an appellation borrowed from the car industry to signify “crossover” – that began with the X-Vintage presented in 2011. Inspired by Pastrovich’s passion for aeronautics, these designs focus on functionality and comfort as much as they do on performance. “Every conceivable feature for enjoyment on board is included,” he explains. “The X-Easy is a platform to let the spectator view the world,” says Pastrovich. “The design enables crew to be kept to a minimum, maintenance is easy and the holistic interior design seamless.” The X-Easy and X-Kids Stuff are for the young at heart who put their family at the centre of everything they do. And the X-Ballet explorer yacht series boasts a beach house atmosphere within its open layout and elegant lines, but also includes a helipad and storage for a racing yacht.
Although the practicality of some of his more outlandish designs might be questionable, the designer takes an obvious delight in challenging norms. Asked if he has a favourite design, he says that each and every yacht is significant. “All of my works are very different and equally important to me,” he says. “During the past 20 years I have been fortunate to collaborate with some remarkable people and although I have faced unique challenges with every single vessel, I relish the opportunity that each and every design gives me.” It seems that his ability to face challenges is what makes his designs so relevant and appealing. Ultimately, Pastrovich recognises that a yacht is a toy; a luxury item that simply brings pleasure to its owner, and to this end his designs are fun, unique and luxurious.
WHO Stefano Pastrovich
WHAT Yacht Deisgner
WHERE Monaco
WHY An avant-gardist in the best possible way, Pastrovich designs both the exteriors and interiors of his futuristic one-of-a-kind creations to maintain the purity and integrity of those stunning lines.
