The 202 metre long Centerfold depicted cruising out of Miami.
The 202 metre long Centerfold depicted cruising out of Miami.
Image: Jarmo Pohjaniemi

A new year is here, and hopefully some big plans, but are they as big as the design for the new Centerfold superyacht from Nuvolari Lenard? Measuring a vast 202m, it’s still just a concept from the Italian yachting design house, but should it go into production it will be one of the biggest private luxury yachts in the world.

What’s really clever though is that the images of the yacht look real — and that’s because rather than the typical computer-generated renderings or scale model, the company called on photographer Jarmo Pohjaniemi to create lifelike images.

It’s a first for the yachting industry, and Nuvolari Lenard boss Dan Lenard says photography provides the best way to see a yacht without actually being able to physically experience it.

“In architecture, car design or sculpture, an object is first born from the mind of its creator, who portrays what they are visualising. And if you are not lucky enough to be able to take in that building or piece of art in person, the next great way to experience it is through photography and videography. In this case, that object is presented to you through the eyes of the photographer, with their control of the light, the situation and so on,” he says.

“For our collaboration with Jarmo on Centerfold, we inverted that creative process. Rather than waiting for him to capture the physical yacht with his lens, we invited him to work with us from the early stages of design, to exclusively manage the yacht’s beauty from his perspective as a world-class photographer. We created an initial yacht design that was beautiful to us, to our vision, and he then brought his refined professional eye and creative influence.”

Lenard says it was not so much about the physical shape of the yacht, but rather about how to best showcase the surfaces. To do that, Pohjaniemi used his own landscape photographs in some of the best locations around the world, such as Miami and the Maldives, much as he would do in his regular role as a fashion photographer.

Moored off a tropical paradise in the Maldives.
Moored off a tropical paradise in the Maldives.
Image: Jarmo Pohjaniemi

“We are not creating a design simply as a means to an end of that yacht being built; we are putting the maximum creativity into the design itself,” says Lenard. “It blurs the lines between yacht design and art, so that the enjoyment can be experienced by anyone who sees the images, not just the person who ultimately owns the yacht.”

A yacht as art is one thing, but the plan is that Centerfold will be commissioned and eventually emerge from a shipyard. If it does, then it will be the epitome of luxury, though the design studio hasn’t provided much information regarding the interior at this stage. It’s clear from the images that entertaining will be at its heart though, with vast sun decks, a rear beach club, garages for water toys in the hold and a helipad to transport guests to and from this playground on the water.

The ultimate venue for entertaining or escaping the stresses of everyday life.
The ultimate venue for entertaining or escaping the stresses of everyday life.
Image: Jarmo Pohjaniemi

While it might seem to be all about the luxury, the concept has also been designed with the latest technology, especially when it comes to different propulsion systems. This includes a fully electric stealth mode for cruising through environmentally sensitive areas or in low-emission harbours and marinas. At other times, the crew will be able to summon up a full 100,000hp (74,569kW) from traditional marine engines to hit a cruising speed of over 35 knots.

Imagine seeing in the New Year on this deck.
Imagine seeing in the New Year on this deck.
Image: Jarmo Pohjaniemi

It might seem like overindulgence, but the chances are that the phone at Nuvolari Lenard has already been ringing with inquiries from potential buyers. We can only speculate how much it will cost, certainly a figure in the hundreds of millions of dollars, but in the world of superyachts and megayachts, there is always someone commissioning a vessel that is bigger, faster and more luxurious than the last. It’s not so much keeping up with the Joneses as keeping up with the Bezoses.

Dwarfing the multi-million dollar homes of the Miami coastline.
Dwarfing the multi-million dollar homes of the Miami coastline.
Image: Jarmo Pohjaniemi
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