As superyacht concepts go, we’ve seen more than a fair share of outrageous, positively insane ones. This one is both these things but without the negative connotation, just perfect for the multi-millionaire who has it all, won’t settle for the mundane, and is keen on protecting the environment.
This is Alice, a carbon-neutral superyacht model from the prestigious shipyard Lürssen. Unveiled earlier this year at the latest edition of the Monaco Yacht Show, it aims to break the mold of yacht design by removing the main deck entirely and separating the hull from the superstructure. It also aims to lay out the path for the future of sustainable seafaring by proposing a vessel with fuel-cell propulsion and all-electric gear. Alice is, in short, a dream superyacht for tomorrow’s eco-friendly multi-millionaire who won’t skimp on comfort and luxury. It blends incredible amenities with the most surprising, magical design and outstanding green credentials, but its biggest merit lies in the fact that it is “a fraction of reality in movement.” Lürssen has no concrete plans of building Alice or anything even remotely close to it, but it’s positive this study will help showcase and refine certain features that will then pass on to other builds. Alice, whose name echoes Lewis Carroll’s 1965 fantasy classic Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland, measures 322 feet (98 meters) in length, has a beam of 56 feet (17 meters), and a total of five decks. The main deck, as noted above, is missing, as designer Jim Robert Sluijter determined that most owners find little use for the main salon on the main deck. As such, he removed it altogether, opening that space up for a myriad of other uses, and placing the upper deck on a floating platform above it.The result is visually striking but also functional. The main deck helps turn Alice into its own ecosystem, a green oasis in the middle of the ocean. Take that in the most literal sense: Alice has its own garden with ponds and a river, with plenty of open space and living walls inside. Alice is green in theory and in practice if you will. The open main deck is the highlight of the design of this superyacht. Sluijter’s idea was to offer a superyacht that would allow constant connection to nature but without sacrificing any of the luxury amenities superyacht guests are accustomed to. Toward the bow, they can wander through the green park or have a drink at the shielded bar while admiring the view up above: a glass-bottom pool that connects two sections of the upper deck. A dancefloor is also available here, for when they feel they’re done immersing in nature. A large tennis court is placed aft, again putting the space that would have otherwise been occupied by the main salon to much better use. It could be replaced by anything, whether more outdoor lounge areas, a cinema or a concert venue, depending on how that hypothetical multi-millionaire imagined himself spending time while on vacation. While Alice places a lot of emphasis on creating a natural environment inviting to relaxation, it’s also primed for luxury and fun. The interiors by Dasha Moranova Designs feature quality materials, like fast-growing and lightweight organically farmed wood that replaces the usual teak and other sustainable but luxe materials. Rooms are airy, with plenty of open spaces and large, panoramic windows that offer spectacular views.
All the gear onboard would be electric, from the tenders to the jetskis, Lürssen said at the time of the reveal. Only the helicopter that can land on the helipad on the upper deck, in close proximity to the infinity pool, would burn fossil fuels, from what we can tell. Alice has emission-free fuel cell propulsion, with one or two engines that would use electrical energy derived from green methanol. To further improve efficiency and reduce its impact on the environment, Alice would use smart energy management and energy-saving technology, including waste heat recovery utilization (heat emissions would be used to heat the pool or within the HVAC system, for instance). The owner’s deck would be surrounded by mirrored glass windows serving a double purpose: to guarantee the privacy and offer thermal insulation by reflecting the heat and reducing the energy load on the AC system. “Right now, [Alice] remains a model but one that paves the way,” Lürssen said of the concept. Alice is “a dream world” and a “conversation starter,” and perhaps one of the few superyacht concepts that truly deserve a chance at reality.
Keyword: Alice Is a Dream, Climate-Neutral Superyacht for a Millionaire With Excellent Taste