This Futuristic 268-Foot Gigayacht Concept Uses AR to Create a Completely Virtual Pilothouse
In a bid to inspire the yacht owners of tomorrow, Feadship unveiled one of the most forward-thinking superyacht concepts at the Monaco Yacht Show. The 268-foot design Pure, conceived by Studio De Voogt, takes its name from sculpted exterior lines—including flush-tinted windows—an open-plan interior and future-proofed onboard systems that includes scrapping the conventional wheelhouse in favor of a forward-facing owner’s suite.
Eyebrows were raised as designers revealed a controversial lower-deck “Command Center,” where the captain will navigate the yacht. The traditional bridge will be replaced with radar, AIS, maps, depthsounders and cameras, supported by smart augmented-reality visualization and Feadship’s proprietary Foresight program. Replacing a traditional helm with a submarine-like setup that relies only on electronics and not line of sight is a brave choice. The layouts are found on naval vessels, but a superyacht?
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“We recognize that the Command Center is a controversial proposal,” said Bram Jongepier, senior specialist at De Voogt. “But placing the bridge higher up impacts the profile. The Command Center is a viable solution and at Feadship we see this as a big, legitimate topic for discussion.”
Courtesy Feadship
Other key features include a three-deck elliptical glass atrium, retractable glass-bottomed Jacuzzi amidships, and a large beach club with three fold-down balconies aft and both sides.
Located half inside, half out, the atrium incorporates large slabs of glass to provide a clear line of sight across three of the five decks. Filling the interior with natural light, the vast central space means guests must look to private balconies for privacy.
“We developed this design with a mix of joy and tenacity, determined to adjust every angle until it works to perfection,” said designer Jan Schaffers. “This is an environment which is equally suitable for hosting amazing parties or displaying exciting art collections.”
Courtesy Feadship
But the surprises don’t stop there. Pure features a flexible “energy-hybrid” propulsion system that would see the yacht evolve over time. From diesel electric in 2024, to hydrogen in 2027, to all-methanol fuel cells in 2030, Pure is designed to respond to advancing technology, depending on which sustainable fuels become most viable.
“Pure synthesizes all the know-how gained in recent times over the types of spaces, exteriors and propulsion solutions owners are asking for,” said Schaffers. “Many of us are inherently reluctant to truly explore what our actual needs are but Pure takes a deep dive down this path.”
Here are other images of Pure.
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