Italy’s Hot Lab, part of the Viken Group, has given a tantalising new view of its design work on the latest addition to the Columbus Yachts fleet, the Atlantique 43 Frette. The candid look behind the yacht’s gleaming white superstructure illustrates a process of careful, creative fusion of East and West, employing some of the world’s most celebrated design brands along the way.

Stunning photography brings the beauty of Hot Lab’s interior and exterior to life in a series of tableaux. With the same design team responsible for both the yacht’s outer skin and inner styling, there is a rare consistency in its look and feel. In fact, Hot Lab has penned the whole Atlantique line for Columbus Yachts, stretching from 37m to 65m overall.

“The exterior design stemmed from one of our concepts: the idea of bringing the elegance, fluidity, and simplicity of sailboat lines into the motor yacht world,” explained Antonio Romano, commercial director of the Viken Group and co-founder of Hot Lab. “This concept has guided the entire Atlantique production line, from 37 to 65 metres, and was likely the first factor that drew the owner’s interest.”

Inspiration from nature

Frette’s exterior form echoes the organic curves of a shell, or perhaps more accurately a river pebble. Each deck is smoothly contoured, from the point of the bow round to the open transom, while the roof of the sun deck spreads like a protective hand. In looks, she is a near perfect synthesis of sail and motor yacht, drawing elegance from the fluidity of her lines.

“Our inspiration was the cocoon, or rather the polished stone,” added Hot Lab co-founder and design director Enrico Lumini. “That river stone, sculpted by water, becomes perfect, smooth, and hydrodynamic, embodying an elegance that only natural elements can bring to an object. Like many designers and architects, we drew inspiration from nature, striving to honour its vision as much as possible.”

Taken from this perspective, the exterior spaces of the yacht are easier to understand. The open sailing-boat stern is given over to water’s-edge enjoyment, with gigantic wings on each side that fold down to create a truly enormous beach club. A glass-walled pool here mirrors the form of the sailing stern in a way that respects and amplifies the perfection of the proportions. What is more, the pool lies just 50cm above the surface of the sea, forging a powerful connection between the elements.

A lightness and cleanness in the design of this teak-decked area has been intensified in this hull by avoiding structural furniture. Hot Lab wanted to preserve the organic feel by choosing freestanding ivory Flexform sofas and loungers that are not only more lightly built, but also easy to tidy away at a moment’s notice, returning the deck to its natural state.

There is another lounge space at the bow, whose focus is a spectacular rectangular panoramic pool surrounded by white sunbeds. Completing the atmosphere of calm conviviality are elm coffee tables by Paola Lenti and a bar with natural teak stools. The sun deck has also been set up for informal breakfasts and sundowners, with a rectangular teak table for 14 people with Flexform chairs, a striking marble-clad bar and sunpads.

A bright interior

Exceptionally high deckheads help to conceal the transition between indoors and outdoors, which is marked by floor to ceiling glass. Curved glass panels add to the soft, organic form of the boat, while the aft doors slide fully aside to enable a totally natural flow around the main deck.

“One of my favourite parts of the yacht – the one I am most proud of besides the shape of the exterior itself, is the main deck salon and especially its entrance,” said Lumini. “It’s a kind of winter garden, almost a patio, which best connects the exteriors and interiors, fully embodying our design philosophy. Floor to ceiling glass and openings on either side bring light streaming in.”

Just as Hot Lab designed a deep, white sofa to span the aft deck and turn it into an oasis of comfort, so the theme is reprised in the main salon. Styling is every bit as contemporary, with more rounded shapes, such as the ivory-coloured linen sofas and armchairs by Paolo Castelli, with contrasting cushions in shades of blue.

Warm woods like the brushed and bleached American walnut parquet laid in a herringbone pattern contrast with the oak wall panels that house the large TV screen with an onyx and ivory marble frame. This area of the salon is completed by a natural oak bench by Fendi with a fabric seat and leather straps, along with a freestanding bar unit by Poltrona Frau in cream with walnut canaletto finishes.

Here there is also a strong hint as to one of the major influences on Hot Lab’s design. On the walls, framed by sycamore leaf-effect wallpaper, are two black-and-white photographs. “I would describe our inspiration as ‘fusion’,” continues Lumini. “The owner clearly comes from the Far East, but like any modern businessman, he is equally tied to both worlds - the Eastern and the Western. The cultures of these two realities merged into a splendid mix of details, colours, and finishes, making Frette both elegantly understated and surprisingly personal.”

This mix or blend reoccurs throughout the boat. Further forward on the main deck, you reach the owner's office, which gives access to a large walk-in closet and a karaoke room with a private bathroom. Underfoot, oak parquet with a Tatami-stone finish contrasts with the walnut canaletto furniture and wall finishes. The karaoke area is equipped with an 85-inch screen for convivial moments with friends and fitted with a wall unit in Calacatta violet marble and a custom marble bar. In the guest bathroom, white Calacatta marble contrasts with a huge sauna.

And with the choice of custom Frette linen throughout the yacht, the concept of fusion has also reached new heights, according to Lumini. “Italy and the Far East have always been united by their passion and mastery in creating and crafting extraordinary fabrics. The fact that today a historic Italian company has found new vitality and trust in the Far East sends a powerful message about the potential for enriching collaboration. It’s a beautiful message, well represented in this project.”

Hot Lab has embraced a change of pace on the upper deck, which is designed to be the centre for gatherings. Outside on the aft deck, a semicircular structural sofa is paired with a Flexform sofa and coffee tables in elm and iroko wood by Paola Lenti and Flexform. Heading indoors, there is a dining area with a custom panda marble table and Fendi Casa chairs that can accommodate up to 12 people. The lounge area includes two Giorgetti Caddy armchairs paired with two Fendi Casa coffee tables, and there is a floor-to-ceiling side window that fully opens on either side for easier circulation.

Across the five guest cabins, Hot Lab has employed motifs familiar from elsewhere on the boat. Parquet again brings out the warmth and restraint of natural wood, while walls clad in melange fabric and white lacquered wood ceilings combine to give a sense of lightness and harmony.

“Regarding the interiors, the clients provided numerous well-defined inputs: they wanted a light, airy, open yacht, and above all, one that could comfortably accommodate many people indoors. It should be a refined, fresh gathering place for friends, colleagues, and even for business meetings,” explains Lumini.

Frette superyacht is distinguished also by the sophistication of its materials selection. Embodying the refined taste and elegance of Frette, each piece designed exclusively for the yacht elevates the interior, provides an added layer of luxurious details, and showcases the essence of artistry and knowledge.

Harmony in a minor key

One of the greatest impressions that this yacht conveys to those on board is the exquisite harmony between interior and exterior. Not just the styling, but the materials, shapes and even the design philosophy. Many make claims around seamless indoor-outdoor design, but it is rare to see it achieved so simply and instinctively as Hot Lab has done on Atlantique. The studio says that its principle of “Architecture for Voyagers” is the key.

“Architecture for Voyagers is a way of designing,” said Antonio Romano. “It means respect for the object and respect for its use. Yachts uniquely encompass both the outer shell - the pure design object - and the content, the living space within that object. Balancing these two functions, as both an object and a place, is challenging: this is why, looking at many yachts, one can often discern the project’s origin - either from the exterior towards the interior or vice versa. For us, ‘Architecture for Voyagers’ means blending these two aspects and making them a unified whole.”