Dutch shipyard Heesen has joined the hull and superstructure of YN 20655, codenamed Project Venus, at its shipyard in Oss, the Netherlands.
The eighth in the yard’s 55-metre Steel Fast Displacement series, the yacht features exterior lines by Omega Architects, with an interior by Luca Dini Design and Architecture. The yacht’s superstructure features a distinctive "shark tooth" motif behind the wheelhouse, which the shipyards call "an extra twist of personality".
Scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2025, the yacht is being built alongside sisterships Project Serena and Project Apollo at the Heesen shipyard in Oss.
Speaking at an event in Italy, which was hosted at Luca Dini’s showroom in Forte dei Marmi, the lead designer, Silvia Margutti, shared her vision for crafting a “strong and daring identity” for the project. “This is the third hull of the 55 that we have worked on, so the challenge was to do something different and maybe a little bit more courageous,” she said. “Usually when you are building on specification, you need to be a little bit quiet to please everybody, but this time we tried to be a little bit stronger.”
As a result, the interior has a light Art Deco theme, with strong contrasts between light and dark. To achieve this, Margutti used a mixture of woods throughout – including oak, dark oak and eucalyptus – as well as dark metal details, which are contrasted with lighter fabrics and textiles.
Margutti’s favourite area on board is the 82-square-metre owner's apartment, which has a full-beam bathroom, with fixtures by Gessi, as well as a French balcony on the starboard side. The space will also be fitted with fabrics by Pierre Frey for wall upholstery and curtains, as well as leathers by Foglizzo, to add a softer feel.
“The owners’ cabin is a very beautiful area on board this boat but it also showcases everything that we have utilised throughout. There is also the fixed balcony, which makes it feel like a small, private universe,” explained Margutti.
The yacht offers accommodation for 12 guests. As well as the master suite, there is a VIP suite on the bridge deck and four guest cabins on the lower deck. The guest accommodation is deliberately “welcoming and soft”. To ensure a client has flexibility, branded nightstands have been incorporated into the design and can be customised to the new owner’s preferences. The bathrooms feature striking cuts of Italian marble and the designers have also used glass and mirrors, to add further contrast.
The main saloon and dining room utilise the yacht’s 9.6-metre beam. The area features dark wood veneers with splashes of aquamarine, with full-height windows filling the space with natural light. The sky lounge on the upper deck is also filled with light and opens directly onto an aft deck terrace, to blend indoor and outdoor areas. To ensure this “connection” was felt, Margutti opted to use outdoor furniture throughout this space.
Additional al fresco areas include the sun deck, which is home to a hot tub and lounge seating area. There is also a beach club on the lower deck, which is fitted with a sauna, bar area and has direct access to the water. The space has been designed to be multifunctional so that it can be enjoyed as a beach area when the transform door is open, but can also serve as an enclosed wellness space when it is closed.
Project Venus has a Fast Displacement Hull Form offering both efficient cruising and optimum comfort at sea. Two MTU4000 M63 IMO Tier III engines propel her to a maximum speed of 15.5 knots, and provide a transatlantic range of 4,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 13 knots.
According to BOATPro, there are a total of eight yachts in build at Heesen.