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MARIA PORRO, PRESIDENT OF SALONE DEL MOBILE.MILANO IS JURY PRESIDENT FOR THE 2023 EDITION
YACHTING EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION REWARDED ACROSS 10 CATEGORIES
Yesterday, 22nd September, in the stunning Sala delle Grida of the Ligurian capital’s Palazzo della Borsa, the Design Innovation Award ceremony was held as part of the many events organized during the week of the 63rd Genoa International Boat Show. Now having reached its 4th edition, the Award established by the Italian Marine Industry Association and its organising company I Saloni Nautici, has quickly risen to international importance, celebrating excellence across the yachting sector, with a specific focus on innovation, research and design, promoting Genoa International Boat Show exhibitors by showcasing and awarding their latest, cutting-edge products.
Stefano Pagani, Head of the Italian Marine Industry Association’s Research and Market Intelligence Department, kicked off the evening with an opening speech after which he called onto the stage Saverio Cecchi, President of the Italian Marine Industry Association, Luigi Attanasio, President of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, and Francesco Maresca, the Genoa City Councillor for Heritage, Ports, the Sea and Fisheries.
President Cecchi expressed the intensity of the first two days of the Genoa Boat Show: “The Government is truly listening to our industry, an interest that has culminated with the institutional visit of the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. Her presence today was an exceptional seal of approval and support, proving the value that the Genoa International Boat Show represents and that of our sector as a whole: we are the world’s leading producer of boats over 24 metres, the first in inflatable units over 10 metres, and the first in equipment. We have surpassed the 7.33 billion threshold, an all-time record, and have set a further record for world exports in the sector. And this is thanks to our entrepreneurs, our managers, our designers and our architects. But I would also like to mention our craftsmen who are responsible for the smallest details of what we produce. We need to work to recognise and encourage the value of our craftsmen by investing more in training opportunities. Our world leadership is also the result of the initiatives we are carrying out. This is an independent award that the Italian Marine Industry Association founded in order to enhance the ingenuity and innovation of our companies”.
Luigi Attanasio continued: “My compliments to President Saverio Cecchi: this is a truly scintillating edition. Our boats not only sail well but are beautiful products and it is thanks to our entrepreneurs and designers that we can boast this supremacy. We still have so much beauty to give and the world cannot wait to discover it.”
Francesco Maresca, the Genoa City Councillor for Heritage, Ports, the Sea, and Fisheries, then took the stage, first offering the greetings of Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci and the Genoa City Council: “I would like to thank President Cecchi for organising this fourth edition of such important award, framed by a Genoa International Boat Show that this year is set to break new records, even just in terms of its eclecticism. A Boat Show that pushes Italian genius further and further, a source of pride for the city of Genoa“.
This fourth edition of the Design Innovation Award also boasted an exceptional Jury President, Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, Italy’s world-leading furniture and design show in Milan: a choice that aims to enhance the connection that lies between two sides of Made in Italy excellence, the Genoa Boat Show and the Milan Furniture Show, and the sectors they represent. Two historical trade events that represent sectors capable of dialoguing and influencing each other, creating extraordinary opportunities for productive contamination. “I would like to thank President Cecchi for the incredible work done on the Genoa International Boat Show, which has also been transformed by the new water canals creating an island with the pavilion designed by Jean Nouvel, redeveloped and upgraded by Renzo Piano’s beautiful intervention on the Waterfront,” stated Maria Porro in a video message, “The relationship between design, planning, and yachting is a strong one, forged by commitment. The work carried out by the Jury was very intense; a jury made up of exceptional experts with the common goal of identifying the direction of new trends, innovations and new beauty in this sector. The quality expressed by the exhibitors and the level of innovation are very high indeed. I can only find similarities between the Genoa Boat Show and the Milan Furniture Show, events that were born more or less in the same years, with a strong orientation towards internationalisation and strong connections between the two sectors that intersect and amplify“.
Luisa Bocchietto, Member of the Steering Committee of the Design Innovation Award and Jury coordinator, opened the award ceremony. “I would like to thank the Italian Marine Industry Association and I Saloni Nautici who set up this award in 2020 and who continue to believe in it: the Award is growing to everyone’s satisfaction. I would also like to thank all the members of the Jury who have worked so hard over the last few days and President Maria Porro: the connection between the Genoa Boat Show and the Milan Furniture Show I believe is an opportunity for everyone“.
This year more than 80 products were nominated for the 10 award categories, another increase compared to last year. The winning projects were selected by an independent Jury, made up of national and international experts from different sectors to ensure an absolutely transversal vision and evaluation: Andrea Ratti – Executive Director MSc. Yacht Design Politecnico di Milano, Silvia Piardi – Honorary Professor of Design Politecnico di Milano, Franco Michienzi – Director of Barche, Nabil Farhat – Director of The World of Yachts, Robin Edman – Designer and former President of the Bureau of European Design Associations, Enrico Gollo – CEO Ergo Design and President of ADI Liguria, Luisa Bocchietto – Architect, designer and Member of the DIA Steering Committee.
Here are the winners of the Design Innovation Award: the LEVANZO 25 by Lilybaeum Yacht Srl for Sailing or Motor Boats up to 10m LH for t comfortable spaces for the category’s size, with meticulous care for execution and finishes; the DUFOUR 41 by Dufour for Sailing Boats up to 14m LH for the bright and well-designed interiors combined with a high-performance hull that maintains the shipyard’s DNA; the JEANNEAU YACHTS 55 by Jeanneau for Sailing Boats over 14m LH for the original layout that allows its spaces to be enjoyed flexibly, in an effectively industrialised product; the FRAUSCHER 1212 GHOST AIR by Frauscher for Motorboats up to 14m LH for the personal and captivating interpretation of the day-cruiser, masterfully realised in terms of choice of materials and finishes; the MAGELLANO 60 by Azimut for the Motorboats over 14m LH for a dual-use hull that optimises fuel consumption and cuts emissions, with living solutions that focus on quality of life on board; the SX100 by Sanlorenzo for the Superyacht category over 24m LH for the design’s original layout which continues to impress with new solutions for communicating with the outdoors and a care for quality that is exceptional; the FLYER 36 by Ribitaly Srl for the Ribs category thanks to the pleasant interpretation of the mid-size Rib that integrates all the on-board functions needed for a versatile use; the PRESTIGE M8 by Prestige for the Multihulls category thanks to an original interpretation of the multihull that provides comfortable spaces and a great level of seaworthiness; the BF350 by Honda Motor Europe Ltd. Italy for Boating Equipment and Components, which stands out for its advanced electronic and mechanical solutions, optimising the engine’s efficiency and performance; the RADAR DOME GMR XHD3 E HD3 by Garmin Italia Srl for Onboard Software and Electronics which, by successfully implementing magnetron technology, allows high levels of image sharpness that make navigation even safer.
Two Honourable Mentions were also awarded by the Jury: one to Northern Light Srl for the ECORACER 30 ONE DESIGN for demonstrating what it means to take a prototype and move it into industrial production, using experimental techniques and sustainable materials, and one to Mediter Yachts Srl for the VELJA 43, a ground-breaking concept that reinvents the boat concept in a Mediterranean key.
The Liguria International Award was also handed out, awarding the Oblò handle design by F.lli Razeto and Casareto.
The Outstanding Innovation Prize for this 4th edition of the Design Innovation Award went to Bluegame for its BGH, a design that drives the yachting world even closer to the possibility of balancing performance and sustainability. This year, the Design Innovation Award Steering Committee also decided to award two important Outstanding Career Prizes to celebrate the 50th anniversary of two hallmark Italian yards, both committed to significant innovation efforts in design and sustainability. The prizes were won by Gruppo Permare, a yard founded in Sanremo in 1973 and known for the production of innovative and sustainable products, and by Cantiere del Pardo, a historic brand that has been producing premium sailing and motor yachts since 1973.
