Joost Mertens

From building sailboats in his parents’ backyard to competing on the international racing circuit as a teenager, he developed an intuitive understanding of how vessels respond when they meet the elements.

Joost joined Vripack in 2009 as an intern. Trained in Industrial Design, he moves naturally between questioning assumptions, testing ideas, and refining solutions, and is adept at quickly recognising where a design choice may affect the level of comfort, onboard atmosphere, or the long-term feasibility of a project. Today, as Senior Designer and Partner, Joost balances technical insight with a refined sensitivity for space and atmosphere. His work is grounded in the belief that good design only proves its value once it is truly lived in at sea.