165 VIEWPOINT The development of a general arrangement (GA), the drawing that shows how all the spaces onboard a ship are laid out, is a collaborative process which involves the owner, the yard, the designer and the naval architect. From a designer’s perspective it is a fundamentally creative process, though you are required to stay within certain boundaries, such as maximum gross tonnage, length and width. To prepare to create a GA, I never stop studying. I am lucky enough to be part not only of Tillberg Design of Sweden, but also the wider Viken Group, and our merged portfolio means we have great knowledge in-house. We collect ship data and examine market trends to identify what is working well. We are also researching architectural developments and the impact they could have on guests. At the start of the process, we begin by locating areas quite freely within the ship, focusing on the experience for the guests onboard and the architectural features and key areas we’re creating. Understanding sight lines is crucial: when a guest boards, what’s the first thing they see? What about the flow to their cabin or suite? And what about the sight lines in the public areas? Even if in this stage of the process a GA is often presented in a 2D medium, we are thinking holistically. We imagine guest experience, areas of activity and of retreat, trying to immerse ourselves in how a space will be perceived by guests and crew by visualising volumes and spaces. Lately, I have been investigating environmental psychology factors which can impact master planning, examining interactions between individuals and surrounding environment. By carefully designing the location and size of each public area, you can help a guest easily navigate a ship and create a sense of exploration. An intuitively designed ship helps stop them from feeling lost, as they understand where their cabin is and where the public areas are. We always keep in mind the targeted number of cabins and suites. It’s important to validate that each square metre of space allocated to an area is valuable – we don’t want any wasted space onboard! I am fascinated by the process of creating a GA. It is about breaking rules, inventing new areas and features and creating flow, all within the boundaries of an engineered and feasible platform. Malvina Guarnieri is a design director for Tillberg Design of Sweden By Malvina Guarnieri, Tillberg Design of Sweden Developing a general arrangement plan for a cruise ship is a process that requires a careful balance between creativity and technical expertise Creating space Malvina Guarnieri sketching a general arrangement plan for a cruise ship
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