Van der Valk Shipyard, builder of bespoke and boutique custom superyachts up to 45 metres in length, have started construction of a new, 30-metre custom aluminium yacht being built as Project Berlin. The raised pilothouse yacht, which features purposeful and dynamic lines, offers the space and comfort of a larger superyacht while staying under the 24-metre regulatory threshold, offering the best of both worlds for her experienced owners who are moving up from a serial production yacht.
“We started talking with the owners in January 2025, and at that time they had been contemplating moving to another serial production build, but they also wanted the opportunity to develop a custom interior layout and design,” said Yoeri Bijker, Commercial Director at Van der Valk Shipyard. “This was important to them as they anticipate staying on the boat for extended periods, from April till October – they are really building this boat for themselves, and not for charter nor for carrying many guests onboard, which other owners might do. Our initial discussions led to a conceptual design phase, during which we were able to develop their ideas with the shipyard team and Guido de Groot Design.”
The yacht will feature an asymmetric layout, with the portside crew passage slightly smaller than the starboard guest sidedeck to allow for more interior volume on the 7-metre beam. The result is an airy salon with forward dining area that benefits from large windows for light and views. The windows, while offering more light than doors thanks to the lack of mullions, will also open to allow fresh air through the interior – no small engineering feat given the panes measure just under three metres long by two metres high. “We have done drop-down windows before on previous projects,” offered Valentijn Roos, project engineer at Van der Valk Shipyard, “but not at this size of window, so that has been quite a challenge for the design.”
The yacht will feature a full custom interior that blends modern style with comfort. Loose furniture will add to the relaxed feel. “It won’t be minimalistic, but quite playful in terms of ambiance, and designed to the owners’ tastes,” said De Groot. “They’ve really enjoyed developing the interiors of their houses, so it’s going to be a nice project working with them on creating this interior.”
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