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Artefact: On board Nobiskrug's striking 80m hybrid superyacht

Cutting-edge research and huge imagination have made Artefact the smartest superyacht afloat. BOAT International gets a lesson in the art of seaborne science on board the 2021 Motor Yacht of the Year ...

Against the green, hilly coast of St Lucia, birds swoop in daring arcs while flashes of silver leap over deep turquoise water. Occasional outboard-powered launches hug the coast, leaving freshly stirred foam behind them. Artefact , by contrast, is moving silently and slowly, allowing the splendid spectacle of nature to take centre stage through walls of near-invisible glass. The warm light of the subtropics bathes the quiet and high-tech bridge.

Captain Aaron Clark switches power from two small generators to batteries, and we keep moving silently at just six knots for several minutes, listening to the birds. Artefact is equipped with an ABB diesel-electric system with a DC bus (a direct-current-based diesel-electric system, also known as a DC Grid) that integrates lithium batteries, Azipods and a full dynamic positioning system. The captain loves the flexibility this provides. “You’re limited only by your imagination,” he says.

By the time you're reading this piece, it will have been five years since the contract was signed for the construction of an 80-metre yacht that will no doubt become a benchmark. Artefact , which has been cruising nonstop since leaving chilly Germany in early 2020, is like haute couture: one of a kind and perfectly fitted to its owners, but some of its features will inspire others. They already have.

The frameless glass that serves as the outer wall in the VIP cabins, for instance, motivated a client to ask for more glass in his own project, says Fadi Pataq, sales and marketing director for builder Nobiskrug. And diesel-electric pod systems, which were but a trickle over the years in the superyacht market, are more in demand than ever. “In a way, it started a trend,” he says.

It could also be that we have come to a tipping point motivated by better stewardship of the planet and regulations that restrict emissions. What is certain is that behind Artefact are change-makers, whose knowledge and imagination have produced a thoroughly enjoyable home on the water.

Building the yacht has been a family affair, but while every family member contributed to the creation of the boat that would become Artefact , the impetus and driving force was an engineer whose company supports breakthrough technologies in quantum information sciences, Mike Lazaridis. His family had great memories of holidays on yachts they had chartered, and by 2013 he began to think about building a home able to travel the world. Inspiration also came from glossy publications casually placed by a friend on a coffee table. “It’s your magazines that did it,” says Lazaridis with a laugh, of his decision to build Artefact . But it took some time to bring everyone on board, especially as a couple of family members suffer from motion sickness.

Along the way he met Captain Clark, a New Zealander who got into yachting in his early twenties and built a successful career as a charter yacht captain. Complementing Lazaridis's big-picture ideas and deep engineering knowledge were Clark’s understanding of the sea, yacht operations, project management and his undeniably impressive people skills.

Before even knocking on the door of a yacht designer or a shipyard, they started researching the latest technology and solutions available to address the issues of efficiency and motion sickness. They looked into multihulls and SWATHs before embracing the practicality of a monohull. They saw numerous yachts with a keen eye on what worked and what didn’t. They also went to trade and equipment shows to investigate the latest forward-looking technologies.

Very early on, it became clear that they would go to diesel-electric propulsion and embraced the idea of ABB’s DC Grid, which thus far had only been done on a few commercial vessels. One of the major wishes for the design was that it should feature abundant glass, not only because it is visually pleasing but because seeing the horizon helps mitigate motion sickness. Lazaridis also had a lot of experience with the material. The home he built on the shores of Lake Huron in Ontario is a marvel of engineering, with major sections of laminated glass – at the time among the largest ever made – cantilevered over open space. To realise this amazing structure, designed by architect Siamak Hariri, they had to do extensive work in acoustics to minimise the transfer of noise and vibrations that can occur with glass.

“I really enjoy the house we built. I love the views and the feeling that you are floating. I kept thinking it would be great if I could change the view, so when I had a chance to design Artefact , I wanted to bring that experience as much as I could,” says Lazaridis.

One day, Clark saw a rendering of a 50-metre yacht concept from Gregory C Marshall Naval Architect (GCMNA). It had unusual lines and lots of glass. He forwarded the concept to Lazaridis and it struck a chord with him too. “We knew we were building an electric boat, so we wanted to make sure it had a bit more of a futuristic look and I thought it looked like an electric boat,” he says of the original concept by Geoff Harrington, a senior designer in the innovative GCMNA studio.

“ Artefact has evolved quite a bit from that original concept. The pieces were there: the narrow waist of the superstructure, the full-length glass, the way the overhangs were split, but Artefac t is fundamentally bigger and more elegant,” Harrington says. “The intent of the design was to create multiple private spaces and points of view forward, aft and on the sides.”

While finessing the exterior, GCMNA also worked with the owners and captain on defining all interior spaces. They built a full-size mock-up inside a vacant warehouse, using wood and Tyvek construction wrap for key spaces from the bridge, to the galley, the owner’s deck and an extraordinary  Tai Chi room. An adult holding a Tai Chi sword overhead defined the height of this particular space.

Artefact ’s layout bucks the current trends. It’s a very different approach from that of many yachts afloat today. The forward area of the yacht,  except for the owner’s panoramic office on the owner’s deck, is dedicated to operations.

“Everyone says they want the minimum of crew, but they don’t design the boat for it,” Captain Clark says. “The key is to minimise footsteps,” he adds. He concentrated the very well-designed and appointed crew area on the forward end of the main deck (spacious pantry, galley, stores and a light-filled and spacious crew mess) with a lounge and cabins in the same position one deck below. The guest spaces are primarily in the aft to centre section, identified as the least subject to pitch and roll. The owner’s deck includes a panoramic office and a fully equipped crafts room, just like they have at home.

The primary guest circulation throughout the yacht is via a central staircase and a lift. The only exterior stairs connecting decks are between the beach club and the main deck. It has the advantages of providing privacy and allowing the yacht to be secured easily.

One major decision was to go with ABB’s diesel-electric system and the first ever DC bus installed on a superyacht. Efficiency was a big driver in the selection of this system, which builder ABB says optimally saves 30 per cent of energy over a conventional system, as well as emissions, but so was comfort. The Azipods and DP system allow a great deal of fine tuning in positioning the yacht to minimise the impact of waves and wind on the hull. The DC bus permits more efficient use of power, drawing from any available source on the grid, such as redundant variable-speed DC generators, and the ability to store surplus energy in banks of batteries. “This eliminates the need for energy-wasting load banks, which are needed to dissipate the excess power produced by a traditional yacht’s fixed-frequency AC generators,” Lazaridis explains. The modular design also allows future upgrades to new power sources, such as fuel cells. One challenge is that, combined with Tier III-compliant engines and the Selective Catalytic Reduction system that accompany them, the whole set-up is space intensive.

Another important piece of the puzzle was the toy garage. The largest of Artefact ’s three tenders, a custom tender built by Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders is 11.7 metres in length. It had to be both easily loadable onto the yacht and stored out of sight. By the time they had finalised the spaces, Artefact had grown to 75 metres in length and the brief they had prepared was 85 pages long. They had already chosen key suppliers, including ABB, Caterpillar, Hug Engineering, Quantum and GLY for the glass.

“The owner and Aaron were very determined that this was the boat they wanted to build. This is a truly custom boat,” Harrington says.

This appealed to Nobiskrug, builder of Sailing Yacht A , which Lazaridis calls one of his favourite yachts. “After Sailing Yacht A , we noticed there is a gap in the market for people who do purely custom and since then we have been really focused on that. When Artefact came around, we realised it was one of these projects again,” Pataq says.

During the engineering phase, requirements of technical spaces primarily determined the final length of 80 metres. The hull was tank tested and refined to achieve better efficiency and Nobiskrug identified the best method to build Artefact , which involved combining a steel hull with a superstructure built in composite with a steel core. “As we went deeper and deeper into the technical specifications, and due to the curvy shape of the superstructure, it was evident we needed to do that in composite. Today a lot of airliners are made of composite, so why not superyachts?” Pataq says.

Right around the time that the Artefact team was speaking with shipyards, they also interviewed interior designers, among them Reymond Langton Design (RLD). “Reymond Langton really understood the interior design challenge that Artefact presented because they realised how difficult it is to compete with the outside views in a house that is made out of glass,” says Lazaridis who accurately describes the design as “radical yet minimalist”.

The designers freely admit that working with so much glass changed their approach because acoustics were such a leading consideration. To avoid the effect of an echo-filled glass box, everything had to be shaped in such a way that it would not reverberate noise. “The glass is not straight, there is always a tilt on it, every surface has unusual finishes and a dual direction,” Pascale Reymond says.

Lazaridis demonstrates what they achieved with a noise metre he keeps in his office, which is fronted by a stunning curved floor-to-ceiling window. With Artefact docked in the shadow of Gros Piton and waves crashing on the shore, the noise level is 28dB, “quieter than a library”, he says.

Of course, not all of it is attributable to the interior materials. Soundproofing the yacht went from the bottom up. However, what is easily visible are ubiquitous wave patterns in walls and ceilings, which are interesting and soothing. The main saloon’s ceiling, made of carved oak over acoustic panels wrapped in Majilite, looks like it is finished with meticulously matched driftwood, a finish inspired by Lazaridis's house.

“You can affect the acoustic of a room massively by the finishes that you choose and the angles that you’ve used,” says RLD’s Jason Macaree, who worked closely with sound consultants on testing various materials, down to the type of perforations to use.

“We did not just put in an interior, we really [strived] for the interior to work with the outside, the acoustic and the volume. It is one of the cleverest designs we’ve done. It is a smart boat,” Reymond says.

It is also very personal. An armillary sphere in the saloon represents the Lazaridis's love for science. Before Galileo, he explains, “armillary spheres were super complicated and not that accurate, but once humans realised the earth was not at the centre, the armillary became very simple. This one helps you navigate the earth and figure out where all the constellations are.”

Reymond Langton worked with DKT Artworks and a Swiss horologist on this marvellous object that catches the light as the sun sets behind the horizon, casting a golden glow throughout the saloon. The colour gold is a bit of a theme in the art glass that lines lower portions of the walls, and in a stunning reproduction of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss , handmade in an ancient silk embroidery technique perfected in China. A companion piece on the opposite wall is based on a famous Chinese painting.

Just like every element of Artefact , from her imaginative form to her cutting-edge function, the artwork is a perfect marriage of art and science.

Dine with the stars

The formal dining space is a world of its own. In the daytime, the eye wanders to the panorama behind invisible walls of glass on both sides. For the centrepiece, Reymond Langton Design commissioned Silverlining to make a stunning dining room table inspired by the owner’s love of astronomy. The “Cosmic Table” seats 14 guests. On the tabletop, cantilevered over a sculptural base made of steel-clad in composite, is an artistic representation of the cosmos. The planets are finished in a textured bronze, metallised resin while smaller satellites, made in black mother of pearl, orbit a planetary compass. Laser-cut metallised inlays chart their movements around the sky. Continuing the theme is the dining room chandelier, made by interior outfitter List. The light-up domes represent the planets on their path around the solar system.

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80 m / 262 ft

143 m / 468 ft

73 m / 239 ft

73.5 m / 241 ft

68 m / 223 ft

60 m / 196 ft

67 m / 219 ft

92.5 m / 303 ft

Beam: 16.82 m

Draft: 4.2 m

Interior Designer: Reymond Langton Design

Exterior Designer: Gregory C. Marshall

Hull: Steel

Superstructure: Steel & composite

Max. speed: 17.8 knots

Cruising speed: 15 knots

Regulations: IMO Tier III

Project number

"ARTEFACT – a perfect marriage of art and science"

An artefact is a man-made object or effect of enduring significance in a natural system. In designing and building ARTEFACT, the goal was to prove that beautiful man-made objects can complement and celebrate the natural environment with minimal impact – and set new standards for engineering-driven stewardship while enhancing passenger comfort and experience.

one of the world’s first superyachts to meet IMO Tier III emissions regulations

solar panels and a large battery storage system that allows the vessel to operate for a limited time with no use of internal combustion engines

innovative DC-bus diesel-electric Azipod propulsion system developed by ABB combined with dynamic positioning that can hold position without dropping anchor to protect sensitive sea floor – custom six-bladed propellers minimize noise and vibration while maximizing performance and efficiency

wastewater recycling system for re-use as technical water

unprecedented floor-to-ceiling glass central section complimenting 740 square meters of curved and expressive glasswork weighing almost 60 tons

at 2.999 GT, Artefact is now the biggest-volume 80-meter superyacht in the world

MOTORYACHT OF THE YEAR 2021: ARTEFACT

"This award is emphatically a holistic one, considering every element of the yacht from appearance to build quality and technology." – Boat International

ARTEFACT is not only a new build...

...but a platform for innovation. An engineer and accomplished entrepreneur, the owner wanted to minimize emissions and the impact to the environment while furthering the state of the art through the use of cutting-edge technologies that can be deployed across all classes of vessels to promote cleaner seas and dramatically improved fuel efficiency. Intended to spearhead the future direction of yachting, ARTEFACT showcases innovative power generation technologies, digital power management, azimuthing pods with dynamic positioning and full digital automation in an aesthetically striking design that frames its environment.

ARTEFACT IN THE CARIBBEAN

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ARTEFACT: The perfect marriage of art and science through ground-breaking architectural design and innovative engineering.

ARTEFACT - Triple Winner of The Design & Innovation Awards 2021

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SAILING YACHT A

Tech billionaire’s $240 million superyacht the Artefact spotted in New Zealand

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The superyacht Artefact, owned by Canadian tech entrepreneur Mike Lazaridis, spotted in the Bay of Islands late last year. Photo / RNZ, Peter De Graaf

A $240 million superyacht owned by a tech billionaire has been spotted cruising through the Bay of Islands.

Locals living around Doubtless Bay, north of Russell, posted photos on social media saying they’d spotted the 80-metre Artefact paying their “little bay a visit”.

The superyacht is owned by Canadian Mike Lazaridis, best known for creating the BlackBerry smartphone, and has been in NZ waters since last year.

Its stops have included a two-week stay in Ōpua, near Russell, over Christmas 2023, and then a cruise to the South Island where it was spotted in the Marlborough Sounds in January this year.

The yacht is captained by Northland resident Aaron Clark , a Kiwi who grew up in the Auckland suburb of Beachlands, RNZ reports.

Built in Germany in 2020 at an estimated cost of $240m, it was named Motor Yacht of the Year in 2021.

The custom-built boat is designed to carry 12 passengers and 22 crew and has a range of about 6000 nautical miles or 11,000km, Clark told RNZ.

The boat’s most distinctive feature from the outside is its shape and use of glass.

Its 223 pieces of glass weigh 75 tonnes and cover an area of 760sqm, RNZ reports.

The crew includes two chefs and a sous chef and there is a tai chi room that has high ceilings so those practicing can wield a sword above their heads.

The owner Lazaridis, 62, was born in Turkey to Greek parents, who moved to Canada when he was a child.

He has been described as the father of the modern smartphone.

At the age of 12 he won a prize for reading every science book in the library at Windsor, his hometown in Ontario, RNZ reports.

After founding BlackBerry he specialised in quantum computing and has donated large sums of money to theoretical physics research.

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M/Y Artefact: ushering in a new era of environmental stewardship

Nobiskrug and the yacht's captain discuss the environmentally-focused technologies found on board….

Delivered in 2020, Nobiskrug’s 80m Artefact is a hotbed of innovation in terms of environmentally-conscious technology. An engineer and accomplished entrepreneur, the owner wanted to minimise the yacht’s impact on the environment by using the latest technology to protect the seas and dramatically improve fuel efficiency. As a result, Artefact spearheads the future direction of yachting by challenging and reimagining many traditional approaches to superyacht construction to create an unprecedented on-board experience while minimising the yacht’s environmental impact. 

For Nobiskrug, the prospect of being involved in such a pioneering project was both a privilege and an exciting challenge. “From the moment Nobiskrug received the owner’s brief to develop a yacht that pushes the boundaries of technology and eco-friendliness, we knew that Artefact would set new standards for the industry in terms of performance and design,” explains Fadi Pataq, sales and marketing director at Nobiskrug. “With proven expertise in the construction of unique superyacht projects, such as Sailing Yacht A , our top engineering team immediately jumped at the opportunity to develop the owner’s vision into a reality.”

An innovative DC-bus diesel-electric Azipod propulsion system developed by ABB, combined with dynamic positioning and an electric Voith bow thruster, is the first of a host of environmentally-focused technologies on board Artefact . The advantages of using multiple redundant diesel generators to power a DC bus with integrated lithium battery storage and electric pod propulsion are significant: from significant fuel savings and emissions reductions by using only one generator to power both the house load and propulsion pods at cruising speeds, to ultra-smooth and quiet passenger comfort. Custom six-bladed propellers also minimise noise and vibration while maximising performance and efficiency.

The dynamic positioning holds the yacht in place without dropping anchor, therefore protecting sensitive seafloors and marine eco-systems, while also increasing guest comfort by actively controlling how the hull is positioned relative to waves, current and wind. “We take full advantage of this precision hull positioning to create spectacular views through Artefact ’s expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as minimising wind during outdoor dining and lounging,” says Artefact ’s captain, Aaron T. Clark.

By implementing environmentally-focused technologies on board, Artefact is one of the world’s first superyachts to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s Tier III low emissions regulations for yachts...

By implementing environmentally-focused technologies on board, Artefact is one of the world’s first superyachts to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s Tier III low emissions regulations for yachts, introduced with the aim of further reducing nitrogen oxide emissions as a follow-on from the Tier II regulations. Solar panels and a large battery storage system will enable the vessel to operate for a limited time without internal combustion engines. 

“Various parts of the world are now Emission Control Areas, and compliance with Tier III certification means that the owner can travel to every corner of the globe,” adds Captain Clark. “ Artefact has been designed to operate efficiently while pushing the boundaries of technology, and Tier III compliance is an obvious continuation of this ethos. The benefits of a cleaner exhaust treatment system are very noticeable on board during vessel operations and also carries the added value of future proofing the vessel.”

Artefact has successfully ushered in a new era of performance and environmental stewardship. By replacing driveshafts and transmissions with electrical wiring and digital power management, the engine room and drive propellers could be repositioned for maximum stability and efficiency. Extensive hull design and tank testing identified the optimal locations for both stability and minimal acceleration – allowing GA locations to be determined by comfort and efficiency instead of convention. The flexibility and technical advantages of Artefact ’s advanced DC-bus architecture, combined with ABB azimuthing pods and dynamic positioning, has significantly increased performance, efficiency, and passenger comfort while minimising environmental impact.

Photo credits: Alexis Andrews

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ARTEFACT Yacht – Stunning $150M Superyacht

Built-in 2020 by Nobiskrug , ARTEFACT yacht is an incredibly unique and innovative yacht that has taken over the boating industry.

The technology used in this 80-meter-long yacht has created an environmentally conscious ship, earning it multiple awards including Motor Yacht of the year 2021. 

ARTEFACT yacht background

Although ARTEFACT was the creation of a family’s dream, the driving forces behind this groundbreaking technology were Mike Lazardis and Captain Clark.

This engineer and yacht captain worked together to combine their engineering knowledge and insight of the ocean.

They knew the ARTEFACT yacht needed to be something exceptional, while maintaining that home-like feel the family was seeking.

Specifications

The ARTEFACT yacht reaches a max speed of 17.5 knots with a range of over 6,000 nautical miles and is powered by 2 Caterpillar engines.

It is quite large and can hold about 12 guests and 24 crew members. 

ARTEFACT includes solar panels and a large battery storage system to prevent the constant use of internal combustion engines.

This allows the yacht to move quietly so as to not disturb marine life.

It also does not need to drop an anchor to hold position lessening any damage to the sea floor.

Even the water used on the ship does not go to waste – any wastewater is recycled and used later as technical water.

These may seem like simple changes, but they make a significant impact on lessening the environmental effects that most yachts can have. 

Designed by Gregory C. Marshall and Siamak Hariri, this spectacular structure features a futuristic look that is both gorgeous and functional.

With all of the glass used, the glass itself had to be specifically shaped in a way to minimize the transfer of vibrations and sounds that happen with glass. 

The open-space design allows passengers to get breathtaking ocean views at any spot on the ARTEFACT.

Not only will they see beautiful sunsets, but seeing more of the horizon actually helps with motion sickness.

An issue that some of the family members who own the ARTEFACT yacht ironically struggle from.

If you thought the ARTEFACT’s exterior was magnificent, wait until you see the inside!

Beautifully designed by the famous Reymond Langton , the interior has a spacious and home-like feel that makes you forget you are in the middle of the ocean.

When the ARTEFACT yacht interior was initially designed, the team built a full-sized model in an empty warehouse to physically plan out how everything would be placed.

They used construction wrap and pieces of wood to create the models of each room including the owner’s deck, the bridge, and even the special Tai Chi room. 

The ARTEFACT yacht has been sailing the waters since early 2020 when it left its home in Germany.

Its spectacular design and innovative use of technology have brought it much attention.

Many believe that its success will start a chain reaction in the yacht-building industry, creating more of a focus on environmental impact.

It will definitely be interesting to see how yachts will evolve and change with ARTEFACT as their inspiration.

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A Closer Look at the 262-Foot Superyacht “Artefact”

While the rest of the world panicked after the COVID-19 lockdown order, one family had the time of its life aboard its yacht. Mike Lazaridis, owner of Artefact, planned on spending three months on the boat every time he went cruising. Unfortunately, the pandemic changed that, and he ended up on a nine-month voyage on the 262-foot superyacht Artefact. It is currently the highest volume 80-meter superyacht worldwide at 2,990 gross tons so let’s take a closer look at it.

Environmentally-Friendly Focus

In 2018, Charter World published that Nobiskrug would unveil the name and design of its latest superyacht. The yacht was referred to as “Project 790” and was first unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2018. As per the article, the managing director of Nobiskrug revealed that the superyacht’s owner focused on having a vessel with as many environmentally friendly features as possible without compromising on the distinctive state-of-the-art hybrid aspect. Consequently, the yacht can recycle wastewater for use as technical water, courtesy of the advanced filtering systems. It also avoids the destruction of the coral reefs by making it possible to stay stable without dropping the anchor. It also utilizes solar energy through 248 square feet of solar panels, ensuring that it can operate without internal combustion engines for a limited time. Usually, the solar panels generate enough power to keep the lighting on at night. Once the panels are drained, the lithium batteries and variable speed generators kick in to provide more than enough power for optimal operation. Due to all these environmentally-friendly features, Artefact became among the first vessels to meet the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III emissions regulations.

A Pacesetter Yacht

According to Boat International , Artefact started a trend. Nobiskrug sales and marketing director, Fadi Pataq, said that a client was impressed by the yacht’s use of frameless glass in the VIP cabin’s outer walls. For this reason, the client wanted more glass in his project. As other sources published, the amount of glass used on Artefact is a first in the world of yachting. While the finished product is breathtaking, the use of frameless glass still had its challenges, such as sound reflection, solar heat gain, weight, and optical properties. The yacht was constructed with sound absorption as a priority to address the sound reflection issue. Thus, there is a carpet in the owner’s suite that reduces noise levels to whispers. Solar heat gain is eliminated through two panels of bronze glass and a mirror layer that ensures unobstructed views while reducing the amount of heat.

The owner wanted the best seeing that it was his first and the last yacht; thus, there was no way he could leave anything to chance. Besides, for a person worth nearly a billion dollars, he did not want any cost spared at the expense of comfort, luxury, and most of all, conforming to his desire for an environmentally friendly yacht. As Captain Aaron Clark revealed, the owner did not want a boat that looked like everybody else’s; he was going for a future-proofed vessel. Nevertheless, not everything is a first with Artefact because Clark said he wanted a traditional aspect incorporated and reimagined to have an unprecedented experience. Some features include a Jacuzzi and plenty of deck space, enough to serve as a helipad and double up as a sunbathing area. According to Superyacht Times , it has four decks. The hull is made from steel, while the aluminum makes up the superstructure. Reymond Langton Design Ltd was in charge of the interior while the exterior designing was left to Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architect Ltd. The interior designer even boasted that it is one of the cleverest designs they have ever done.

Good Things Take Time

In March 2020, Artefact completed sea trials in the Baltic Sea, after which she was delivered to Lazaridis. Before the delivery, a lot of time had been spent in constructing it to meet the owner’s specifications. According to Yahoo , Clark and Lazaridis spent 18 months developing the ideal concept for Artefact. Once the multi-millionaire was satisfied, he signed the contract, and it took them another year to tank test and investigate stabilization systems. It took them an additional eight months to build the family deck to scale, a feat that cost $110,000, but money was no object. The move was essential because it enabled them to figure out how big they had to construct the boat to have enough space in all the rooms. After the deck construction was complete, the volume of the boat increased to 2,900 gross tons from 500 gross tons. Clark visited seven shipyards with the concept and settled on Nobiskrug because it had the design and pedigree required. While the amount of time spent building the deck and tank testing may seem a bit too much, you would be surprised that the owner started toying with the idea to construct Artefact in 2013.

Lazaridis had chartered yachts before and taken his family on cruises, but by 2013, he wanted his own. The idea crept into his mind after he admired pictures of yachts on a Boat International magazine, left by his friend on a coffee table. He, however, wanted his entire family to be part of the process because Artefact was theirs to enjoy. At first, some family members resisted because they suffer from motion sickness, but eventually, everyone was onboard. Lazaridis collaborated with Clark to research the latest design and technologies to make the family comfortable and ensure that the motion sickness concern was eliminated. After going to trade and equipment shows and seeing many yachts, they settled on what would become Artefact’s concept. Clark said that due to the extensive planning, the building process only changed 1.1%, which is quite admirable considering that most yacht constructions have 30% adjustments. Eventually, the cost of the yacht was $150 million and Lazaridis spends at least $10 million in annual running costs.

Written by  Lily Wordsmith

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Blackberry founder Mike Lazaridis’ $150 million superyacht has a dedicated Tai Chi room with a ceiling tall enough to wield a sword above the head. The billionaire clad his 262 feet vessel in 70 tons of glass. It boasts a movie theater and an artistic 14-seater cosmic dining table.

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Nobiskrug launches 80m superyacht ARTEFACT

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By Katia Damborsky   8 July 2019

The 80m/262ft superyacht ARTEFACT was launched by Nobiskrug in Northern Germany this morning, and is set to make her world debut at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show .

Previously known as ‘Project 760’, ARTEFACT hit the waters for the first time this morning. 

The launch has been hotly anticipated, following the first stages of development in November 2016 and two and a half years of research and development by Nobiskrug prior to that.

The motor yacht is set to be on display at the Monaco Yacht Show 2019, where she will be making her world premiere. 

View this post on Instagram Changing the formula Known for pushing the boundaries and for not being a mass builder, @nobiskrugsuperyachts enters a new era in superyacht construction by building luxury yachts now that will last for generations to come. Every #superyacht built under NOBISKRUG brand embodies the unique vision of the owner combined with innovative ideas and advanced technology. 80m hybrid motor yacht Artefact launched #masterpiece #superyacht #artefact #design #vip #vvip #monaco #dubai #frenchriviera #yachtlifestyle #helicopter #nobiskrug #milionaire #billionaire #goals #gigayacht #amazing #yachtlife #stunning #yacht #boat #reymondlangtondesign #germany @reymond_langton_design #bespokeyachtconsultancy #travel #helipad #behnemar @superyachttimes A post shared by BEHNEMAR (@behnemaryachting) on Jul 8, 2019 at 1:09am PDT

The yacht’s distinctive exterior is the work of Gregory C. Marshall, while Reymond Langton Design has headed up the interior. 

This innovative look reflects a visionary owner, who wanted to ensure his yacht met specific criteria. These include environmental responsibility, technological innovation and luxury living for those on board.

Upon delivery, the 2,990 GT Artefact is set to become the highest-volume 80-metre superyacht on the water.

The owner wanted to ensure his yacht met specific criteria, including environmental responsibility and technological innovation.

As can be seen in photos, model images and renderings, Artefact boasts an excess of state-of-the-art glazing. Around 58 tonnes of glass has been used in total, and she is believed to have the highest ratio of glass to LOA for any yacht of her size class.

“We’re not afraid of pushing the envelope, but perhaps the biggest challenge with Artefact was that she’s a very high volume yacht with a fibreglass superstructure and tremendous amount of heavy glass,” Nobiskrug’s Managing Director, Holger Kahl, has said in the past. 

To achieve the cutting-edge exterior look that the owner desired, the yacht’s superstructure is made out of GRP instead of the more traditional aluminum. The choice was made to offset the added weight from the glass. 

ARTEFACT has a sophisticated hybrid propulsion system which makes her up to 30% more efficient in the water when compared to conventional diesel propulsion yachts in her size range. 

She was built to be compliant with the latest IMO Tier III NOx regulations, with a propulsion system which relies on generators and Lithium-ion batteries.

The hybrid system reduces sound, vibration, fuel burn and emissions and offers dynamic positioning capabilities. Dynamic positioning means a yacht can hold its position without dropping anchor, thus protecting the sea floor. 

In addition, ARTEFACT is provided with 6kW of auxiliary power, thanks to 23 square metres of solar panels on the sundeck.

“The set up allows us to run the yacht in a state of optimal efficiency and minimal wear and tear on the generators,” explains the yacht’s captain and owner’s representative, Aaron T. Clark. “Basically, we’re always conserving or redirecting energy, that’s the real advantage.”

While little is known about the interiors of the yacht, the layout departs from convention in pursuit of maximum stability and silent operations. The master stateroom is situated aft rather than forward, and all guest entertainment areas are located in low acceleration zones.

Captain Aaron T Clark added: “ARTEFACT is a unique vessel that marries cutting-edge engineering and striking architectural design to embody a tribute to the nuances of human experience which are often overlooked or ignored.

“Many traditional aspects of a superyacht GA’s have been challenged and reimagined in this design to create an unprecedented experience while minimizing the impact on fragile marine ecosystems.”

It is not known whether luxury yacht ARTEFACT will be available for private yacht charters .

You can view and compare all Nobiskrug charter yachts .

Stand-out Nobiskrug yachts for charter:

68m Nobiskrug 2010 / 2017

74m Nobiskrug 2008 / 2013

92m Nobiskrug 2000 / 2023

68m Nobiskrug 2006 / 2022

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Billionaires are getting ready for summer with wildly spectacular superyachts

• Superyachts, the most expensive asset  a billionaire can own, are pushing the boundaries of luxury.
• The boats, which cost eight or nine figures, are getting larger and include more features than ever.
• From massage rooms to basketball courts, here's what the world's richest want on board.

For many wealthy boat owners, a private spa is a must-have on board. A sauna is a nice touch. A Jet Ski or two makes days at sea way more fun. And if you don't have someone on board who can whip up a Michelin-star-worthy meal , you might as well stay on land.

In the world of massive yachts , there's no such thing as too much. After all, if someone spends eight or nine figures to design the vessel of their dreams — or at least $500,000 a week to charter one — more is more.

"Yachting. It's not rational; it's emotional," Ralph Dazert, the head of intelligence at SuperYacht Times, told Business Insider at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, where dozens of superyachts — often defined as vessels over 30 meters in length — were on display.

And while there are certain classic features, such as jacuzzis and bars, what superyacht owners want is evolving, insiders at the show said. That might mean more crew members, more space for helicopters, or more water toys, but might also include manicure salons and putting greens.

"The bar of what is the baseline expectation has increased exponentially just over the last four or five years," Anders Kurtén, the CEO of brokerage Fraser Yachts, said. Clients are "spending more time on the boat and really wanting to extend the lifestyle they lead on the shore."

A lot of this can be chalked up to the pandemic. Superyacht purchases and charters spiked as life and luxury travel on land screeched to a halt. While the market has moderated slightly, the number of superyachts on order — 1,166 as of September, according to Boat International's Global Order Book — is still above pre-pandemic norms.

"What the pandemic really showed is that the appetite for being out there at sea, sort of living the marine lifestyle, is still as valid as ever," Kurtén said.

That means there's a lot of money on the water. The total value of the 203 superyachts over 30 meters delivered last year was $6.4 billion, according to data from SuperYacht Times. New custom builds from the world's most prestigious shipyards — Lurssen, Feadship, Oceanco , Benetti — can run into the hundreds of millions. Even used superyachts at the Palm Beach show cost as much as $75 million.

And it's not just traditional buyers like retired wealthy couples looking for a place to relax or celebrities looking for a place to party away from the paparazzi. New clients are often younger and have families, so want areas to work and watch movies . They also want pricey water toys, access to fitness equipment, or even pizza ovens for picky eaters.

"This would've never happened in the nineties," said Giovanna Vitelli, the vice president of the Azimut Benetti Group, the world's biggest producer of superyachts. "You would go with your beautiful woman, Champagne — the idea of yachting was much more showing off with your jacuzzi and things like that."

Pure opulence has made room for function.

When Benetti's Nabila set sail in 1980, its 50-person crew, gold-and-diamond-encrusted interiors, and lavish parties captured headlines and even inspired the Queen song "Kashoggi's Ship."(Seven years later, Donald Trump bought Nabila for $30 million , renaming her the Trump Princess.)

"Life on board was considered very formal — big formal dining rooms, boats were high on the water, you would be segregated from the rest of the world," Vitelli said, remembering another client who insisted on a replica of the Sistine Chapel above the dining table.

But the ostentatious, palatial-like interiors that used to be highlighted in yacht brochures have made way for lists of more functional features .

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Rather than esoteric novelties like an extra-large safe for rifles that one builder had to construct per a Russian yacht owner's request , the superyachts on display at the Palm Beach show featured basketball courts, saunas, and ice baths.

Owners want elevators and luxury gyms. Pampering options, be it a massage room, manicure station, or a professional-grade facial machine, are a dime a dozen. Some bathrooms have fancy Toto toilets, which can cost around $20,000.

Sterns (that's the back of the boat) used to be built high to guard guests' privacy. Now, they're built as "beach clubs" — an open swim platform.

And what good is a massage room if no one on board can give one? Many superyachts can hold twice as many crew members as guests, if not more. One broker, representing a boat that didn't have a masseuse, said it could be quite a "tricky" issue because if a charter wants one, they have to find someone who can massage guests and "pull their weight with the crew."

"It's not uncommon to look for a deckhand who can also mix a martini, play an instrument, maybe entertain the guests with singing, and ideally even give a massage," Kurtén said.

Of course, a crew comes at a cost . Most are considered full-time employees, requiring salaries and benefits like health insurance. Captains, first mates, and chief engineers often make six figures a year. That's without tips; a charter guest will typically spend six figures on gratuities for the crew who worked during a weeklong vacation.

For the superrich, there must be room for toys.

It's not just the onboard amenities that count. What's known as "toys" in the industry — water slides, eFoils, Jet Skis, and underwater scuba diving jets — are popular, and costs range from merely hundreds of dollars (banana boats) to millions ( submersibles , which are still popular despite the recent tragedy).

" Tenders and toys, the sky seems to be the limit," Kurtén said. "More is more."

If you can't fit all those toys in the yacht's storage space, you can just use another boat. Jeff Bezos' support yacht is a superyacht in itself, measuring 75 meters and costing tens of millions of dollars. (His main yacht, Koru , cost a reported $500 million.)

Support yachts are also faster, meaning the crew can get to a destination first and set up the Jet Skis, seapools, and the like, Dazert said. "By the time the owner arrives on the main yacht, everything's set up, and he can go and have fun."

Even tenders, the smaller vessel that brings guests from the ship to the shore, are getting glow-ups. The Nero, a 90-meter beauty available to charter for about $500,000 a week and modeled after J.P. Morgan's 1930s ship, has custom-built tenders to match the design. The most expensive ones often cost seven figures. Nero has three.

"It used to be a tender was a tender," Jeffrey Beneville, who handles yacht insurance at NFP, told BI. "Now they're called limousine tenders. Think of an incredibly luxurious gondola that's got a hard top so nobody's hair gets mussed when they're being dropped off at the Monaco Yacht Club ."

One thing that clearly hasn't changed in superyachting: showing off. If the boat next door at the marina has an indoor-outdoor cinema, it's natural to want one too. Ditto a wine cellar or helipad.

"It's a bit of a celebration of your success in life, of wealth," Vitelli, whose company is behind the Lana yacht Bill Gates chartered for a birthday party three years ago, said. "You push it a little more."

And that's a boon for yacht makers and brokers catering to the superrich.

"Our job is to make clients' dreams come true," Kurtén said.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

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"Marsa" has plenty of space for lounging, entertaining, and working remotely.

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Marsa may be the third Amels 200 to be delivered, but the semi-custom superyacht differs greatly from sisterships Stella M and Moonstone .

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Marsa showcases a sleek exterior from the drawing board of British designer Tim Heywood. The owner opted for a distinctive two-tone paint job, with the hull, curves, and arches finished in Whisper Gray and the windbreakers decked out in dark gray.

Penned by U.K. firm Winch Design, the elegant interiors were designed with long expeditions in mind. (The owner intends to spend extended periods at sea, exploring the Mediterranean and beyond.) The sprawling living quarters, which can be navigated via a four-deck elevator, include cabins for up to 12 guests and space for lounging, entertaining, and working. The owner also decided to add a balcony to the main deck and an outdoor bar to every level because alfresco cocktails are always welcome after the nine-to-five slog.

As for cruising, Marsa is equipped with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system that enables her to travel some 4,500 nautical miles at 15.5 knots. In other words, the yacht could travel from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to the U.S. (4,042 nautical miles) with no problems. She’ll release fewer emissions than a traditional gas-powered vessel, too.

“For me, again I say this is the most beautiful yacht we’ve made, but I seem to say that with every delivery,” Oomkens added.

Marsa will now embark upon her maiden voyage, following a private itinerary created by her owner.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Arts | Architectural Artifacts is closing — if you…

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Arts | architectural artifacts is closing — if you want a chunk of frank lloyd wright or french carousel lions, it’s your last chance..

Stuart Grannen paused at the threshold of his antique store and welcomed a longtime customer, who breezed in and said, confidingly, she’s sad he’s closing after 37 years, but maybe it’s time to close, because, you know , Chicago, these days —  it’s a cesspool .

He nodded, yeah, yeah, politely, not quite committing.

The client, who wore an elegant tan overcoat and expensive neck scarf, spoke in the high-toned register of the monied, rooted and influential, suggesting old-school taste. She mourned a way of life, a feeling that one can’t even visit their old haunts any more.

His complaint, Grannen replied, was a lack of vision; he thinks of Navy Pier, “which could be outrageously wonderful but remains so … average , as mediocre as can be.”

“Vile,” she agreed.

Behind Grannen stood three floors of the way things used to be.

Each landing was occupied with iron posts, facades, ornamental gates, intricately old-fashioned mechanics — everything a kind of proof of not only a bygone Chicago but a lost Italy and Germany, Argentina and places beyond. Behind Grannen stood the 37,000 square feet of space that houses his shop, Architectural Artifacts. It’s been on Orleans Street in River North since 2022. But for 34 years before that, Grannen’s business was legendary, a Ravenswood staple, with such clients as Oprah Winfrey and members of U2 browsing 80,000 square feet of nothing anyone needs.

Or as Grannen calls his wares:

“Completely useless stuff.”

An old cheese case from Parma, Italy. A rusted CTA fare box. A dozen fruit-picking ladders.

And yet, in the right room … it can be the right useless stuff. Once-practical objects, with a little time and dust behind them, have a habit of resembling art.

“I once bought all the topiary they used in ‘Edward Scissorhands’ from the heir to an underwear fortune who died. He was a giant guy and would wear, like, bright orange fur coats made of … you remember furry toilet seats? Made of stuff like that. Wacky dude.”

Grannen is 67 and has the graying hair and sometimes ponytail of someone who has lived quite a life. Without prompting, he told me about an encounter he once found himself in with two female park rangers on Cape Cod. Without reportorial nudging, he told me about the similarities between selling antiques and illegal drugs, both of which he has sold. In fact, some time next month, when he closes Architectural Artifacts after 37 years in Chicago and moves this fabled high-end antique business to the small town of Round Top, Texas (pop. 92), it won’t be because Chicago isn’t the Chicago he knew when he moved here in 1987. It won’t be because of the weather (though that’s part of it). It’ll be because Stuart Grannen spends too much time in his store, sitting, day after day, and Grannen was never the kind of person who was made to sit — never mind for 37 years.

“Most people think of this life as fantastic,” he told me. “But I’m always thinking of the future. There’s more I want to do. I bought an 1880s saloon and dance hall in Round Top, which, three times a year, gets like half-a-million people for big antique sales . Ever heard of Valentine, Texas? Also small. And empty. I’m thinking of buying it. I could make something. I’m leaving Chicago, but am back in Chicago in April to load this place up. Then I’m in Texas, then I go to my house in Argentina, which is being renovated. About mid-May, my girlfriend and I are going to Europe for three months. We rented a camper van. We’ll pick it up in Rome, then head into the Adriatic, then through Scandinavia, back to Lithuania, Latvia, and blah, blah, blah, down through the Adriatic again, over to Greece, over to Turkey. Hopefully I won’t be doing any business then — but it always comes up!”

Architecture Artifacts is known for such impractical, rare and often expensive objects, I asked if, all these years later, could he actually say that he is an antique-store owner?

He thought a moment. He didn’t know what else to call what he did. He said people think of antique dealers as “old dudes with half-dead cats, wearing cardigans, selling a bunch of (expletive).” But he sells design, architecture, art. … He paused for a second.

He was surrounded by, among many, many other things:

A large bin full of papier-mache masks from a Munich opera house.

Two lions from a French carousel.

A pile of spools of silks from the former Merwitz Textiles of Chicago.

“OK, truthfully? I don’t know what the hell you call this stuff.”

He reached for a metaphor:

“If the normal antique store is run by a guy who likes to smoke a joint occasionally and maybe drink a little beer, this place is like how I used to do drugs — more, more, more! ”

Grannen said he grew up very wealthy in New Jersey, the son of an international industrialist; his father controlled chemical plants all over the world. But vacations, Grannen recalled, consisted of the whole family driving up and down the East Coast — Rhode Island, Maine, Maryland — “buying the best of the best antiques, formal Americana, Philadelphia highboys, Boston highboys. My father owned the world’s finest antique tool collection, which I sold to the Henry Ford Museum (in Michigan). My father was a successful guy.”

Grannen studied archeology at the University of Tennessee, and by his late 20s, he owned an architecturally oriented resale business in Minneapolis. He also had a major drug addiction. Cocaine. Heroin. His trajectory to Chicago came in the wake of that low point, after the worst of the worst. He left a drug treatment program in Minnesota — he’s been sober since, he said — and hitchhiked down to Chicago, on the hope that he could salvage a mountain of treasures from the imminent demolition of Block 37 in the Loop.

He did, and partly using remains from that chunk of old Chicago, he built Architectural Artifacts . He kept an eye out for the unusual. Among the first pieces in the shop was an early driver’s education car from Lane Tech — a row of oak seats, primitive turn signals.

He got very aggressive about buying fresh objects. He made friends with historians, collectors, architects; he counts Tim Samuelson , the retired city historian, among his close friends. He placed full-page ads in the Chicago Reader, seeking the strange and rare. He was sought out by David Byrne, Richard Driehaus, Annie Leibovitz, Art Smith, John Hughes. For decades, he traveled the world several times a year, salvaging friezes from abandoned churches and bartering with rare-antique dealers in far-flung towns. He could afford to. He would simply offer some cash when he noticed something.

“Believe it or not, I noticed that people around here had stuff in their yards . I would spot marble statues from the 1893 World’s (Columbian Exposition), just sitting in some yard. I would think whoa, then ask: ‘Want to sell that?’ And soon, things were coming to me.

“A lot of Chicago dealers, they hated me. I was buying everything in sight.”

He was not modest. Even now, most of the fonts on his website are all-caps. He bought chandeliers out of bankrupt theaters and terra cotta from renovating landmarks. He owned a lot . He bought so much he needed warehouses for storage. He also bought houses for himself around the world. Havana, New Orleans, Buenos Aires, Michigan. He bought a farmhouse in the Hamptons once owned by a lover of Jackson Pollock; Ralph Lauren, another client, had a house down the street. In Chicago, he moved into a building across from the Hideout on the north branch of the Chicago River. He plans to hold onto properties in Chicago, including on Ada Street, much of which he also owns.

But this large midcentury building on North Orleans that Architectural Artifacts is exiting — the former home of Immaculate Conception, St. Joseph School — Grannen sold. He bought it a few years ago with plans to turn it into a boutique hotel, but when the pandemic struck and hotels seemed iffier, he moved the antique business in, added a pickleball court to the gym and a small cafe and rechristened the space The School House.

It still has the echo of an old school, the wide stairwells perfect for stampeding children.

Grannen filled it all, especially the classrooms.

Those rooms are emptier since he announced he was leaving, but they’re still pretty packed. He was doing $10,000 a day in business; after the announcement, he says he’s been doing closer to $50,000 a day. And despite a coming move, he hasn’t stopped haggling. He was about to buy a pair of bronze bank tables accented with dragons. He just sold a huge, room-filling electronic scoreboard to a bar; he wanted $3,600 but took $1,500. “I don’t want to move that damn thing!” he said, looking about an old classroom.

We passed a large bust labeled: “Italian bronze sculpture of an important dude.” And a larger bust of the Biblical Noah — “from when he came out of the desert, but I didn’t know!” He has a pair of javelins and a gleaming black prosciutto-slicing machine. He has an acid-proof vat that holds 1,000 liters and wooden chairs from the beloved bygone Cicero restaurant Klas. He has bits of buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, and decor from Mecca Flats, the apartment complex on 34th Street that became a touchstone of the Black middle class. (He donated other parts of Mecca to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.) He’s bought parts of the Rand McNally Building, the Medinah Temple, the Chicago Stock Exchange.

He said the paper trail on some of this stuff could get vague, but the vast majority found its way here legally, either being discarded or sold or, as he has done, removed from buildings being gutted. “On the other hand, if someone brought me something they just found from the Uptown Theatre on Broadway? A good chance that that’s been stolen.”

We passed ornamental grates from the Drake Hotel and rusted cages used to transport shellfish, a storage bin from an old Alka-Seltzer factory and faux mummies “that were made by some Belgian artist and were fairly important though I forget why the hell why.”

A customer approached. He wanted to know the prices of a stack of loose photographs. Well, let’s say, Grannen said, $10 each. The man did a double-take and grinned:

“Oh, I’m not paying that. Maybe 10 for the stack?”

“No,” Grannen said, “I’ll give them to a kid with his parents who gets more pleasure out of them.”

The guy wandered off, shaking his head.

“In the old days, you sold anything,” Grannen told me. “There was appetite. Now people don’t have money. Everything is thought out. A lot of my business is to hotels, restaurants, high-end folks. It’s more fun to buy when people know what they are doing. But now I can sell something for $10,000 easier than I can sell a $45 doorknob. Because $45 doorknob people are freaks.” He held up a chunk of type, the letter “V.” “I will sell a $10,000 drinking bar faster than I will sell this ‘V,’ because inevitably the wacko looking for this letter will decide that it’s just not the right ‘V’ for them.” He sighed.

Everything must go, but it probably won’t. Not before April anyway. There’s too much here.

My eye caught a row of stiff, white plaster hands arranged in a long row. “Molds, from a factory that made rubber gloves,” Grannen explained. “Beautiful — just not very useful.”

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