102 INTERVIEW “ It’s important to reflect sustainability with a well-thoughtout design that enhances guests’ well-being” For three years, Tillberg Design of Sweden (TDoS) has been working with residential cruise line Storylines on the design of its luxury ship, Narrative. The ship was conceived as a new concept for a residential vessel, emphasising liveability and community. “The project began with the idea from Storylines to take the existing idea of a residential vessel and build upon that to create a floating society, where people can actually live and work,” says Michal Jackiewicz, executive director of TDoS and partner in its parent company, Viken Group. “To achieve this, we very quickly decided to develop a newbuild for the project so that we could really create what we wanted to without the limitations of a second-hand ship.” With the freedom of a newbuild to work with, TDoS has created unique concepts to fulfil the needs of those living on a residential ship. “While it looks like a regular cruise ship from the outside, it’s not,” explains Jackiewicz. “For example, we have a very well-defined public area, which we call a street, with a town hall, different service shops and small restaurants. We have looked to create the feeling of walking through a small town.” Sustainability has been a particular focus in the overall design, not only in the choice of products and materials but also in the layouts. “We have focused on providing smooth transitions and a balance in the flow of the layouts,” says Jackiewicz. “It’s important to reflect sustainability with a well-thoughtout design enhancing guests’ well-being.” Meanwhile, future residents will have flexibility when it comes to deciding the specific design of their home at sea. “There will be two main design options, and each one will then have add-ons available such as equipment, materials, and so on,” says Jackiewicz. “These options are priced clearly for buyers, so that they know from the beginning how much each choice will cost them.” TDoS has also created a concept for a lounge shared between a small group of residences, which would act as a location for shared activities and socialising. Alongside this, dedicated workspaces allow residents to continue working effectively while living onboard. “We’re aiming to create small communities who can use the lounge area for communal activities,” says Jackiewicz. “There will also be offices onboard which you can rent permanently or per hour, totally flexibly. In some of the more expensive accommodation areas, we will have a group of smaller units so passengers can invite their coworkers to visit and work together with them as well.” A compelling story Michal Jackiewicz of Tillberg Design of Sweden talks with Alex Smith about the firm’s design for Storylines’ residential cruise ship, Narrative
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