Designing yachts in the digital era

Designing Yachts in the Digital Era examines the transformation of yacht design within the context of the digital and industrial transitions characterising contemporary design practice.
Drawing on over ten years of research, and enriched by the results of NEMO and CYClaDES projects (PNRR – MICS programme), the volume investigates how computational technologies, advanced manufacturing, and data-driven systems are redefining processes, roles, and disciplinary boundaries in the yachting industry. Through a structured methodology of framing, scanning, forecasting, and acting, the research connects theoretical reflection with empirical studies, industrial mapping, and codesign experimentation. It explores how digital frameworksare reshaping the relationship between design, production, and user experience, and how yacht design can evolve from object-centred practice toward a systemic approach. By integrating foresight methods with design research, it outlines new models for digital integration, sustainability, and customization, positioning design as a form of strategic intelligence capable of navigating complexity and guiding transformation.
Addressed to scholars, designers, and professionals engaged in advanced design and maritime innovation, this work offers both theoretical foundations and methodological tools for rethinking yacht design in the age of digital transformation.