Oceanco Kairos
The Oceanco Kairos proposes a new kind of ocean life. The yacht’s vast and open living space can be experienced in multiple forms to encourage passengers to interact in new and exciting ways, but also be in the moment, enjoy the ride. The work of the illustrious Italian design studio Pininfarina and on exhibition at the 2021 Monaco Yacht Show, the vessel provides 90 meters of onboard life without much boundaries. What’s more, the inventive architecture allows the Kairos to be powered by an e-hybrid system.
This is the first time Pininfarina has worked with the custom yacht builder Oceanco and naval architect Lateral. The Kairos yacht’s exterior shape has been designed to appear like a living island. Visually there is no forward direction with the symmetrical profile taking away any sense of urgency to move on to new destinations. The idea is to create a sense of peace, a stillness, for what the makers hope will encourage a touch of mindfulness on-board this vessel.
The Oceanco Kairos layout is open to encourage interaction but also moments of meditation
“Our passion as designers is to imagine new concepts of space that are capable of bringing enchantment to every moment of the experience,” says company chair, Paolo Pininfarina. “On Kairos, time, space and people connect to be one in the moment. The owner and their guests are at the epicenter of the onboard experience and the surrounding space adapts to their every desire.”
Every entry point to the yacht leads to the vast, theatrical piazza of sorts. Vertically developed across three levels, it purposely breaks away from conventional yacht design format. Instead, the asymmetric shapes, transparent structures and a lack of physical barriers are influenced by, what the makers say, are the “multidimensional landscapes” of our daily lives. In this way, theoretically, the design encourages new ways of social interaction.
Pininfarina explains: “A 360-degree approach to design at once connects you to the sea below, to the light above and to the spaces and people beside you. It nourishes your curiosity on an instinctive level and encourages you to explore new experiences and perspectives.”
All entry points on the Oceanco Kairos open to a large open-space 'piazza'
All the cabins are positioned neatly on the lower deck with direct views onto the water, so the social level can maintain its uninterrupted flow. There are also some intimate spaces on-board the Kairos. For instance, on the panoramic balcony accessed above the upper deck via an elevator, passengers can enjoy a quiet moment of sanctuary while taking in the sea view.
Lateral has been working on a number of sustainable vessels, namely the Black Pearl and Bravo Eugenia. It is thanks to the studio’s clever architecture that the Kairos can be powered by an all-electric propulsion system. The e-hybrid incorporates batteries as the primary means of energy delivery, permitting the varying power demands of hotel, propulsion and maneuvering loads to be seamlessly met. Diesel generators provide battery charging and high-speed cruising, while the e-hybrid system allows extensive operation with no noise, lower vibrations and zero local emissions.
The Pininfarina Oceanco Kairos is powered by inventive e-hybrid technology
The Kairos project forms part of the Oceanco NXT initiative, which is anchored on finding sustainable solutions for the yachts of tomorrow. The company has identified its future clients as “young minded” progressive types, it says, who look for something unique and forward thinking in their yachts. Oceanco is therefore rethinking everything, from assumptions about how we use the spaces we sail in, to yacht ownership. Oceanco is treating NXT much like a lab, working with a global collective of experts from a wide range of industries to bring fresh perspectives on its vision for the future of yachting.
If the concept of luxury is to change — and it really could do with a little reshuffle — then these initiatives offer an opportunity to take a fresh look at what it all means to us personally, as well as the values it can offer to the wider planet.
A scale model of Oceanco Kairos is on display at the Monaco Yacht Show from 22 to 25 September 2021.
Take a look at how other luxury brands are looking at the future of luxury: yacht designer Bannenberg & Rowell and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; and see what Paolo Pininfarina has to say about his studio’s multidisciplinary work.
