Art & Design On the
Art & Design On the Waves The Lure of the Sea Zuccon International Project’s work goes beyond yacht design, but, as the creative force behind the firm explains, the ocean is at the heart of everything it does. By Cornelia Marioglou Sanlorenzo SD96 is one of the asymmetric designs that Zuccon International Project has produced for the Ameglia-based shipyard; opposite: Bernardo and Martina Zuccon in their Rome office; dining area onboard the Sanlorenzo SX76 A passion for the sea is in the blood of Bernardo and Martina Zuccon, the brother-and-sister team now in charge of the family architecture and industrial design studio Zuccon International Project. Bernardo, in particular, has fond early memories of life on the ocean waves. “It was love at first sight,” he says of his formative experiences onboard his grandfather’s five- or six-metre boat. And such modest beginnings have been a constant influence on his work. “If you want to enjoy the sea onboard, you don’t need to be rich, you don’t need to be special, you can love the sea even if you are onboard a fivemetre boat,” he says. “Our approach to the yacht industry is a little bit different from the others,” Bernardo continues. “I even say I hate to speak about luxury when I speak about the designs. We are not talking about luxury, we are talking about passion – it is a very important point.” PHOTO THOMAS PAGANI 46 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
PHOTOS FROM TOP: GIOVANNI MALGARINI, FEDERICO CEDRONE Bernardo and Martina took over the mantle at Zuccon from their parents, Gianni and Paola, who started the Rome-based firm in 1972. Their roles mirror their predecessors with Martina, like her mother, taking on the pragmatic, administrative approach, and Bernardo taking on the creative reins from his father. In this respect, Bernardo has had to fight to establish his reputation. “I understood that the time had come to walk alone, without my parents. You have to do something by yourself, you have to understand that you can do something different,” he says. It’s a battle he has undoubtedly won, thanks in no small part to the patronage of Massimo Perotti, owner of Amegliabased shipyard Sanlorenzo. “Six years ago, Massimo Perotti decided to invest in me and my sister. He knew that our company was very strong with a great ‘know-how’. He decided to invest when nobody knew that we were able to design yachts without our parents. Since then, we have launched many yachts with Sanlorenzo; we have had great success – and I can say that even without my parents, I am able to do my job.” Bernardo is keen to emphasise that he is an architect not a designer, and he certainly brings a singular eye to his work. “In my approach, it is very important to take inspiration, first of all, from the history of architecture. I am in love with the history of the 20th century – Le Corbusier-style, › CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 47
