The revolutionary project from Stefano Pastrovich Studio didn’t begin at this morning’s world premiere but has deeper roots in his career and personality. "In 1998, my life changed. I had the marvelous opportunity to combine my passion for exploration with my profession," he said, heralding a new future for yacht design and introducing three groundbreaking innovations in the charter and yachting industry. Such revolutions analyzes the purchasing power of the “millionaires next door,” transforming it into a new business opportunity: Xpagoda.

The Xpagoda concept is fully engineered, bringing together a diverse and wide-ranging team of professionals who have "not just invented design but reinvented the world of yacht charter." This revolutionary approach reshapes the rules of the naval platform, making luxury yachting experiences more accessible to affluent clients by leveraging opportunities in the charter industry.

“To design for charter, we started from the experience,” Pastrovich explained, moving beyond the traditional focus on design alone, and prioritizing the unique experiences of passengers.

Today’s superyachts are primarily designed for private use, and their layouts reflect that, often feeling "undemocratic"—with one large master stateroom, five smaller guest cabins, and an imbalance in privacy and space between the paying guest and their companions. Common areas are usually designed for close-knit groups, leaving little regard for the privacy needs of individuals. Pastrovich identified this gap as a breakthrough business opportunity, leading him to completely rethink both yacht and service design.

The Xpagoda yacht features ten cabins across 300 square meters, making it the first vessel in the world to be fully built in aluminum, ensuring it is as lightweight as possible. Its dimensions allow it to enter areas subject to length restrictions, bringing guests closer to exclusive experiences: "The experience is about being there." The interior design is carefully crafted to evoke the best emotions and sensations that life on a yacht can offer, enhancing the overall guest experience.

Pastrovich's approach to yacht chartering also embraces sustainability. He has spent over ten years developing clean energy integration for luxury yachts and boutique cruises in partnership with Wärtsilä. "The only way for an architect to work on sustainability is to use creativity," he said, highlighting innovations such as an overhanging roof that reduces the need for air conditioning on the Xpagoda, as well as lowering crew workload and fuel consumption.

The team also tested a business model based on a conventional cruise company, constructing four ships to gauge its effectiveness. The results, backed by data, revealed that this concept represents a real business opportunity.

Nicole Cescutti