Inspired by the idea of Utopia as a highly desirable and problem-free place in the world, the studio held a brainstorming session to identify the most pressing environmental problems relating to yachts. A key one, the team concluded, was waste.
Although relatively modest in size, yachts nonetheless produce enough waste – both of the obvious physical sort and with respect to exhaust gasses – to be of concern. The mission was decided: design a yacht with an environmental footprint as harmless and as faint as that left by a human walking along a sandy beach.
‘We’re entering a period of radical transformation in which technology has the potential to significantly raise the basic standards of every man, woman and child on the planet’.
PETER H. DIAMANDIS – FOUNDER OF THE XPRIZE FOUNDATION
With respect to waste, being on board a yacht is little different from being on land, in that the sources are mostly the same: human, discarded food, and packaging. Thus, an on-board incinerator was one idea. However, like a yacht engine, an incinerator would produce CO2.
The team members pondered this unit one day, on a trend walk for VriThink, the studio’s idea platform, they stumbled on a nature-inspired air purifier that separates oxygen from carbon. Carbon is a common element of a all known life, and oxygen is life itself. Research and prototyping followed, and soon the concept of Utopia was born, complete with on-board park and clean air.
‘We connected our award winning diesel-electric propulsion system to 4 nature-inspired air purifying units and visibly attached the entire system to an on-board park providing it with clean air. All being monitored from an on-board control room allowing researchers to observe its operations, while visitors engage with the park and its connection with technology.’
ROBIN DE VRIES - DESIGNER
| Current name | Utopia |
| Type of vessel | Displacement Motor Yacht |
| Design number | 7359 |
| Length | 88.00 M |
| Beam | 14.20 M |
| Draft | 8.80 M |
| Designer | Vripack |
| Naval Architect | Vripack |
| Structural Engineering | Vripack |
| Mechanical Engineering | Vripack |
| Interior Design | Vripack |
| Interior Engineering | Vripack |
| Hull type | Displacement |
| Material | Steel |
| Classification | Lloyds 100A1 SSC, G6 YACHT MONO LMC, UMS |
| Engine | CATERPILLAR 3516 (2x) + CATERPILLAR C32 (2x) |
| Speed (cruising/max) | 12.5 / 16 kts |
| Fuel capacity | 200,000 ltrs |
| Fresh water capacity | 80,000 ltrs |
| Grey / black water capacity | TBD ltrs |
| Owner & Guest | 15 persons |
| Crew | 14 persons |
