Venus

• LOA: 78.2 m
• Gross tonnage: 1,876 GT
• Delivered: 2012
• Builder: Feadship (De Voogt Naval Architects)
• Exterior and interior design: Philippe Starck
• Construction: aluminium hull and superstructure
• Propulsion: two MTU 16V 4000 M73 diesel engines
• Top speed: about 22 knots, cruise about 16 knots

A minimalist statement on the water

Delivered in 2012 at 78.2 metres, Venus stands apart from almost every other Feadship for her stripped-back, minimalist character. She was built as project Aqua to an uncompromising design brief that favoured pure lines and restraint. At 1,876 GT she carries a light aluminium structure that few yachts of her length share. She remains one of the most recognisable and original yachts the yard has produced. Her light structure and clean form set her apart from every conventional yacht of her size.

Her importance lies in how completely she broke from convention. Venus set aside the usual language of the superyacht for a clean, almost architectural form. She showed that Feadship would build a radical single vision to the highest standard. More than a decade on she still looks contemporary and unlike anything around her. Her design has proved remarkably durable in a fast-moving market.

Philippe Starck and pure lines

Both the exterior and the interior are the work of the designer Philippe Starck, giving Venus a rare unity of vision from bow to stern. The profile is spare and precise, with long uninterrupted walls of glass and a pared-back superstructure. She is built with an aluminium hull and superstructure, unusual at this length, which keeps weight low and helps her speed. De Voogt Naval Architects developed the hull. The whole form was drawn to feel calm, clean and quietly radical.

The design carries its restraint through every exterior detail. Custom glass panels form much of the superstructure, opening the interior to light and the surroundings. Teak decks and clean metal give her a calm, tactile character up close. The outdoor spaces follow the same minimalist hand across every level. The result reads almost as a piece of architecture on the water.

A 78 metre Feadship designed by Philippe Starck, a minimalist all-aluminium yacht that runs at 22 knots.

Light and restraint below decks

Inside, Starck carried the minimalist theme through the guest spaces, favouring light, space and a small number of fine materials. The interior avoids ornament in favour of clean volumes and carefully controlled daylight. The owner's quarters and guest cabins share the same calm and precise character. Feadship joinery gives the pared-back rooms real quality up close. Space and daylight do the work that ornament does on other yachts.

The all-glass structure makes the interior feel unusually open to the sea. Long sightlines run through the yacht and out to the horizon on every side. Social spaces are arranged with the same discipline as the exterior. Custom glass and fine timber give the pared-back rooms a warm, tactile quality. The result is a home at sea that feels serene, bright and quite unlike a conventional yacht.

A light hull built for speed

Venus is powered by twin MTU 16V 4000 M73 diesel engines driving an aluminium hull that is light for her length. That combination gives her a top speed of around 22 knots and an easy cruise near 16 knots. The light structure helps both her pace and her efficiency through the water. Her hull is set up for comfortable passage-making across open water. Her internal volume comes to 1,876 GT within that light aluminium shell.

Building an aluminium yacht of nearly 80 metres is a demanding piece of engineering that rewards careful weight control. The light structure lifts performance while keeping the calm ride expected of a Feadship. Systems were built for reliable cruising over long distances. Stabilisation keeps her steady at anchor and under way. The build stands as a demanding feat of aluminium engineering at her length.

An icon for a design-led owner

Venus answers the brief of an owner who wanted a yacht as a pure work of design, built without compromise to a single vision. Her minimalist form gave her an identity that no other yacht shares. Vessels with this much design history hold a fascination that goes far beyond their specification. She is one of the most collectible Feadships afloat. Yachts drawn by a single designer of this stature rarely reach the open market.

For an owner she offers a light-filled, architectural home at sea with genuine speed and reach. The character suits a buyer drawn to restraint and originality over convention. The size gives ample space for family and guests within a spare, calm interior. Venus stands as one of the most distinctive yachts the yard has ever delivered. Her design keeps her instantly recognisable at any anchorage.

Who it is for: The design-led owner who wants a yacht as a pure architectural statement, light and fast, unlike anything else afloat.