Benetti Challenges 100 Design Students to Rethink the Future Superyacht Deck

An industrial shipyard becomes a design classroom

Benetti is using its Connecting Excellences project to bring approximately 100 students from leading Italian design institutions into direct contact with the decisions behind a modern superyacht. The initiative, described by the builder in an 8 October 2026 update, involves Politecnico di Milano, IED Torino and the University of Genoa's La Spezia programmes. It is intended to show students how a shipyard brings design ambitions into the constraints of engineering, manufacturing and owners' expectations.

The programme began with a dedicated event at Benetti's Livorno facility on 15 May, where participants encountered yacht design as a collaborative discipline rather than a series of attractive renderings. Benetti's marketing director Camilla Calza welcomed the group, followed by a discussion about the role of decks in how people now spend their time afloat. Its current significance is a ten-month challenge that continues into March 2027, not a claim that an entirely new competition only started in October.

RWD and Giorgio Cassetta connect students with working projects

Mentors include Charlie Baker, client and project director at RWD, and Giorgio Cassetta, founder of Cassetta Yacht Designers. They joined Benetti head of product Sebastiano Vida in a session moderated by Matteo Zaccagnino, explaining how ideas are tested against technical, spatial and practical requirements. That perspective is relevant to future designers because large-yacht projects depend on how multiple specialist teams resolve competing needs.

The three deck concepts used as case studies show very different approaches to owner experience. Benetti's Oasis Deck, developed with RWD, brings guests closer to the sea through expansive outdoor lounges. The RWD-designed Veranda Deck opens the main deck along three sides to connect interior living with outside air. Cassetta's Cabana Deck places a shaded, residentially inspired beach-club area of about 120 square metres near the water. Together, they demonstrate that changing one zone can alter circulation and the character of an entire yacht.

The Future Deck contest asks for more than a striking silhouette

Participants in the Designing the Future Deck challenge are being asked to develop concepts, renderings and a coherent account of how a new deck would work. The design brief considers the changing habits of owners and guests, their relationship with the surrounding water and the need to accommodate sustainability and new technology. The emphasis is on creating a convincing onboard environment, rather than repeating a recognizable beach club or sun terrace.

That task requires participants to confront how people actually use superyacht decks throughout the day. Service routes, access between levels, shade, privacy, storage and maintenance can all determine whether an inventive arrangement is pleasant to operate. A successful project would need to bring those concerns into the design without turning the owner's space into an engineering exhibition. The brief provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate judgment as well as imagination.

March 2027 selection gives the exercise a professional outcome

Benetti says the competition runs for ten months, with the final selection planned for March 2027 and selected proposals to be presented at a special event that spring. A jury coordinated by Vida is to include design professionals and journalists invited by the builder. The strongest participants may receive access to training and professional experiences through Benetti and the designers involved, creating a connection with work beyond a student assessment.

No winning design, future construction contract or final deck configuration has been announced, and the builder has not suggested that every submission will become part of its yacht catalogue. The value of the programme lies in allowing a new generation to consider how large yachts should adapt to changing expectations before designs become expensive physical commitments. It also gives the shipyard a direct view of ideas that emerge outside established design offices.