In February 2023, Mohou.com learned that the founder of Forakis Design wanted to use 3D printing technology to create an “invisible” yacht.
Founder of the design agency Forakis Design, Jozeph is carving out a niche for herself. She is an innovator with a passion for generative design, fascinated by 3D printing and CAD (computer-aided design), which she believes can transform the world of yachting. To bring more possibilities, he launched his latest project – PEGASUS. The yacht can be made using 3D technology and is designed to live in harmony with nature. Featuring reflective “solar wings” that appear to disappear in the waves, it is powered by a zero-emission solar-electric or hydrogen hybrid system. It also features a multi-level hydroponic garden, which the designers call “tree of life,” providing guests with fresh food and purified air. So what is the inspiration and technology behind this yacht? And how would this concept work if realized?
The fascination of invisible yachts:
●Integration with the environment: The “invisibility” of the yacht is mainly based on the reflection of the mirror. The yacht itself is a layered building made up of three “wings”. The reflective mirror surface can make the boat blend into the surrounding landscape.
●Clean energy, safe for the environment: the mirrored glass serves a double function as it also incorporates transparent solar panels to power the electrolysers that extract hydrogen from seawater. The electricity is stored in batteries lithium-ion, which power pod-mounted azimuthal thrusters and other operating systems to achieve “virtually unlimited” range.
●Tree of Life Inside: The interior of the yacht is surrounded by a multi-level hydroponic garden “Tree of Life”, which can provide guests with fresh food and purify the air.
●Complete facilities: There are private terraces, bars, suites and indoor sunbathing areas.
The inspiration behind the ‘invisible’ yacht project
Jozeph said she started the project out of a passion for new technologies, materials and craftsmanship. It shows that as a designer, “invention” or “discovery” is about finding new approaches and new ways to solve old problems. Being an artist means searching for new languages to express new realities and new behaviors. She is very interested in the human need to live in harmony with the environment. Sailing has always been a wonderful way for man to connect with nature. However, motor yachts have some impact on the environment and have become synonymous with reckless resource extraction. PEGASUS should solve this problem, and although it is just a dream at the moment, it is based on scientific fact rather than fiction and fantasy.
The concept has been the subject of much research and requires further development to achieve performance goals. Jozeph estimates that the yacht will be ready for display by 2030, although the project is currently very ambitious. But once it does, it has the capacity to directly transform not only the yachting industry, but also other industries, including shipping.
How exactly does a 3D printed yacht work and how is it built?
Making a 3D printed structure like PEGASUS is a question of resources, not “if” it can be built, but “when”? So far, the team has informally received many suggestions from experts in the field of additive manufacturing, but many questions still need to be answered, such as: should we use a polymer alloy or a metal alloy? as a base material? How are technical polymers currently used in additive manufacturing recycled?
In addition to the materials and additive manufacturing techniques, the geometry of the structures themselves will also be fundamentally innovative. By integrating the shell and superstructure, a triangular 3D grid frame will effectively distribute loads across the entire vehicle, resulting in a stronger and lighter system. The final geometry of the structure will be refined using computer FEA (finite element analysis) and advanced AI, resulting in an uneven triangular pattern based on different load and impact requirements on the 88 meter ship.
How and why is the “invisible” mirror appearance created?
The R&D team said the original vision was to design a yacht that resembles a cloud floating on the sea, providing protection, comfort and power to sail in harmony with nature. In thinking about how to achieve this, I took inspiration from Diller & Scoffidio’s “ambiguous architecture” for the 2002 Swiss Expo and Berndnaut Smilde’s recent cloud installation. Visually, reflective glass tilted toward the sky receives more solar radiation to generate electricity while “capturing” the sky and clouds and reflecting them directly back to the viewer. Likewise, the metal hull tilts gently in the water, reflecting the sea. The entire system uses hydrogen and the only product is cleaner, more environmentally friendly steam.
How does the internal “Tree of Life” work and what was its inspiration?
The R&D team said that hydroponic farming is already quite advanced and will become an important technology to help astronauts survive in space in the near future. In this project, the R&D staff integrated the hydroponic organism “Tree of Life” into the yacht as the main design element to constantly remind people of the origin of nature and call on people to pay more attention to nature. ‘environment.
Source: Antarctic Bear
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