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Yacht design is a profession that offers little room at the top. With relatively few
projects available compared to those in the home design sector, outsiders face
an uphill battle breaking in and breaking through the ceiling to become widely
known. But there are young people and newcomers in the pipeline who aspire to
rise to the prominence achieved by the titans of the business. Here are three
up-and-comers who are challenging the status quo.
A 31-year native of the Pacific Northwest, Adriel Rollins grew
up a part of almost everything nautical on Puget Sound. Most recently, he was an
independent contractor with Delta Marine and principal designer for the
company’s recent 47-meter launch Mr. Terrible.
 Yacht interiors call for more built-in décor than
residential designs and feature an immense amount of detailed artistry. Adriel
Rollins’ images above illustrate design concepts becoming realities. Photography by Adriel Rollins. (Click image to enlarge)
Every paycheck earned by Adriel Rollins has been in the marine
industry. Such a statement goes far to demonstrate a person’s passion for and,
in this case, expertise in a certain field. Early hands-on training as a marine
mechanic laid the groundwork for Rollins’ successful design career and his
reputation for thinking through every last detail. Subsequent marine jobs
followed him through his studies in industrial design. As a technical writer and
illustrator for production boatyards, he furthered his understanding of the
boatbuilding process. While working with designer Scott Cole at Ardeo Design,
Rollins found he needed to venture outside the studio to see how the designs
being plotted on paper came to fruition in a shipyard environment.
Top: Rollins attends to overlooked places such as the
passerelle. Bottom: He was commissioned to design a multi-story glass atrium
staircase, a complicated interior element. Photography by Adriel Rollins. (Click images to enlarge)
Landing a post as an independent contractor for Delta Marine in
2001 was a perfect fit. The designer had long admired the quality of the yard’s
work and was soon embraced as a multi-faceted creative resource for the
production of its custom motor yachts. While at Delta, Adriel played an integral
part in the design of yachts such as Triton, Happy Days and Mr.
Terrible. Daily he interacted with yacht owners, designers and decorators to
make sure the details of their interiors could be completed, and then oversaw
the process by working with the yard’s craftsmen on each design.
"This [process] confirmed my belief that design and
craftsmanship must work in tandem," says Rollins.
Since his days at Delta Marine, Rollins has turned his efforts
to a new endeavor—establishing Adriel Design Inc. with two other partners. The
firm keeps busy consulting on everything from exterior styling to interior
design, as well as the design and construction of individual design elements.
Currently the group is at work on an art-glass wall and atrium for a 45-meter
McMullen and Wing motor yacht that is under way in New Zealand. Designing and
constructing the three-story atrium stair has taken numerous studies and close
cooperation with the glass artist. The yacht’s owner, having seen Rollins’
interior work aboard several Delta yachts, contacted him to become involved with
the project.
Though versed in all areas of yacht design, the firm does have
some interior-specific attributes. One of the partners, a trained furniture
maker, has worked with notable interior designer Philippe Starck and architect
Charles Gwathmey. Rollins himself has become somewhat of an expert, with many of
his custom interiors winning awards. One of Rollins’ trademarks is to use
interesting materials in uncommon applications, as in his ever-present stainless
steel detailing. Polished stainless steel inlay is constant in the woods and
soft furnishings of his interiors.
Photography by Adriel Rollins. (Click images to enlarge)
"[Stainless steel] is just the right material to define shapes
and can always be used in an artful way," Rollins says.
What’s next for the firm? Perhaps a new idea its namesake is
eager to explore: a rugged luxury yacht unlike today’s explorer vessels that is
capable of cruising remote areas such as the Arctic and Southern Ocean. Of
course, the concept vessel would leave a minimal carbon footprint and would
possibly feature an all-"green" interior.
"It’s exciting to be a young designer when such a thing as an
all-green interior is no longer impossible," Rollins says. "I’m looking
forward to being an agent of change when the industry and technologies are
ready." Contact Adriel Design Inc. at 206-282-0965. www.adrieldesign.net
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