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A project that nearly foundered as her owners pursued quality and technical perfection, the aprtly named Phoneix is a soaring achievement.
by Marilyn Mower
photography by Stephane Bravin
03/01/2005
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| Lürssen 200 |  |
Balancing the French feel is the freestanding spiral stainless steel
staircase, which Winch says was sparked by sets of Fred Astaire and Ginger
Rogers films. Aside from the central staircase, Winch created three more large,
signature elements for Phoenix. One is the owners’ two-story apartment forward
on the main and upper decks. Incorporating sleeping, dressing and relaxation
spaces, an office and even an outdoor lounging area, the suite is a
self-contained retreat. (See Design Showcase, SBI May 2003.)
Another design
feature – the vestibule separating the dining room and salon – was born of the
problem of what to do with the huge trunks supplying air to the engine room
below. The space connects the two rooms, but its leather semicircular walls
revolve to close one room from the other for service or privacy while still
allowing music to flow from the piano at its center.
On the deck above, the
air trunks create the same wasp-waist feature. Winch further heightened the
division by pushing the illuminated ceiling of the forward salon to a soaring
four meters. Of all the yacht’s spaces, this one, with its stylized ventilation
grills and furniture, most directly expresses the Deco theme.
“On all of our
boats we use the upper salon and upper aft deck the most,” the owner said. “We
enjoy the upper salon for breakfast and casual lunches. In the forward area, I
added a Linn media center with surround sound and sixty-inch plasma screen. You
feel at ease just to stretch out on the couch and put your feet up.”
Four
years after conception, the yacht’s owner says Phoenix exceeds even his exacting
expectations. “I enjoyed the process a lot because of the strength of our team
and because of the professionalism of Lürssen’s management, engineers and the
men and women who actually built the boat. I found the whole experience to be
very positive and would do it again in a minute.” So much for those who said
this project wouldn’t fly.
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