The most fashionable  “nautical-design” event of the moment is the opening of the Yacht Club de Monaco designed by Norman Foster, a building shaped like a ship. Instead, a more human and genuine scale of boat design comes from Salon International du Multicoque offering some interesting surprises, floating meeting rooms, too.

We weren’t at the exclusive grand opening of the Yacht Club de Monaco (attended by Prince Albert, the archistar Lord Norman Foster and the happy few). The 5 floors high-tech and eco-sustainable building with its decks, masts and large glass walls evokes a sumptuous – yet perpetually anchored – boat and is the venue for the facilities and services of a whole city.
Not too far from there, the “smaller boats” presented at the original Salon du Multicoque at La Grande Motte were actually sailing. Here the designers convey their passion for the sea as well as their technical skill.

For instance, Loic Goepfert, founder and designer of Alibi Catamarans, launches his Alibi 54 Aeroyacht and explains us that the most important concepts in sailing and boat design are not only functionality and space saving, but the comfort, leisure and emotions that the bout can raise.

Martin Mai, CEO of Aquacon invites us on the innovative “Micro Island”, a perfect boat for relaxation but also for job meetings really “out” of the ordinary!

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1,2, About Alibi Multicoque-online wrote “Alibi is not really a boat yard … or not only a boat yard: Alibi is rather a Naval Architect’s office building it own boats. Or a fully autonomous boat builder…. Whatever, it is a team following a dream … the dream of a catamaran … As fast as comfortable … as simple as safe … and of course in harmony with the world of ocean ; so, with an allure matched only by the diversity of it moods.
This boat does not exist ; it is an unreachable goal. Nevertheless, by pursuing this grail, a passionated team left Brittany in order to base the Alibi boatyard nearby Bangkok. This quest started 5 years ago and the output is a must see”.
3, Salon du Multicoque is a show globally focused on Multihull Boat. The diversity of the exhibition is certainly the strength of the show, and the reason why people (5th edition: 14800 visitors) come from so far to see the boat of their dreams. The organisation also offers a real concept with the “Multihull Club Design”, where the most daring projects are initiated. The International Multihull Boat Show brings together the most reknown multihull architects and designers. The 6th edition is planned from 15th to 19th April 2015 in La Grande Motte.
4,5, Aquacon Micro Island, perfect for open air and floating relax or job meetings.

6,7,8,9,Yacht Club de Monaco. The comments by Lord Norman Foster and Nigel Dancey, Senior Partner of Foster + Partners:
“The building is a little like a city in microcosm, with schools, parks, offices, restaurants, a network of interior circulation ‘streets’ and a hierarchy of public and private, social and functional spaces. It is a continuation of Monaco’s dense urban fabric, as well as the Yacht Club’s traditions and will be an important part of civic life. –says Lord Norman Foster– Every child in Monaco learns sailing at some stage during their education and those lessons will be in the new building – as a result, the Yacht Club will become even more rooted, in a public sense, in the Principality and part of its cultural and urban fabric.”
“With all of our projects, our approach to sustainability is to maximise the natural advantages of the local climate, while mitigating its extremes. We have also used locally sourced or recycled materials. -explains Nigel Dancey, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners- Our starting point for the Yacht Club was extensive analysis of the climate and the way that the different spaces are used. Photovoltaic cells and solar thermal panels convert Monaco’s sunshine to energy, while the sea water is used for cooling and the facades can open completely to allow natural ventilation. To provide shade in the summer, there are sail-like canopies – a reference to the nautical traditions that Monaco is famous for.”