Fortunately for Istanbul-based superyacht builder Turquoise Yachts, the owners of its new 253-foot flagship vessel, GO, chose to paint the hull of their yacht turquoise. GO is a sparkling standout in a sea of white boats and a veritable floating advertisement for Turquoise Yachts’ outstanding craftsmanship.
GO signifies Turquoise Yachts’ meteoric evolution in technological achievement and first-class workmanship. In addition to her state-of-the-art engineering, GO is also a beauty. Designed inside and out by UK-based H2 Yacht Design, GO’s exterior is a modern classic while her interior tends toward contemporary with hints of Art Deco. Intricate craftsmanship is evident throughout. For instance, the design brief called for 10 tons of mirror-polished stainless steel—the weight required Turquoise to update engineering in order to handle the request. Another challenging request was the installation of a stunning Dale Chihuly Sea Spray chandelier in the central staircase. Cascading from the bridge deck to the main deck, this shimmering hand-blown glass work of art is nothing less than astonishing. When you consider the fragility of glass aboard a yacht that is voyaging the seven seas, it is interesting to understand how it was secured. (See sidebar).
The Sea Spray sculpture is pivotal to the prevalent design narrative aboard. H2Yacht Design refers to the design theme as “seascape or water in motion.” References are visible in the rippled metallic finishes, wavy fabrics, undulating textiles, and specially selected stone and marbles. The lengthy list of special effects includes turquoise mother of pearl, shagreen, turquoise Amazonite marble and backlit slabs of turquoise onyx.
On each of the five decks aboard, there are works of art that are integral to the yacht as well as applied. There are accommodations for 16 guests, with the owners having their own private deck inclusive of a foredeck Jacuzzi. Forward on their deck is a touch-and-go helipad. While there are plenty of places for all the guests to relax aboard, the two most popular areas are the very top and the very bottom. On high is the sun deck with a 16½-foot-long swimming pool nestled into the front of the mast. It has massaging water jets and a cleverly disguised waterfall is integrated into the forward part of the mast. The lower-deck beach club offers direct access to the sea.
Turquoise hull, turquoise-painted tenders, turquoise mother of pearl, turquoise marble, turquoise-accented Chihuly sculpture—GO could not possibly be better branded as the new star of the Turquoise Yachts fleet.
Sea Spray Chandelier
Dale Chihuly’s Sea Spray chandelier, measuring 18 ½’ X 4 ‘ X 4 ‘, is composed of 468 separate blown-glass icicle-like forms in the colors of the sea, ranging from clear to turquoise to blue, and weighs nearly 960 pounds. Chihuly is an American glass sculptor whose name is well known even among those who are not art aficionados. His work appears in various international public spaces, gardens, museums, private homes and on a few select yachts.
The 468 individual glass forms in the Sea Spray sculpture were numbered, packed into shipping containers (like a wine box) and transported to Istanbul by air. Chihuly Studio sent a team of installers to Turquoise Yachts to ensure safe and secure placement of the artwork. According to H2 Design, which was also involved in the engineering, the chandelier is affixed to the overhead with thin steel rods as well as to three points on the stair itself. While called a “chandelier,” it is not lit from within but rather externally, from above and below. Mirrors surround the sculpture so that it can be enjoyed from multiple angles.
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