56 INTERIOR VIEW Cunard has worked with several design firms to create its latest cruise ship, which celebrates the brand’s history while moving into a new era. Rebecca Gibson went onboard to find out more Renowned worldwide for its distinctive British heritage and opulence, Cunard has redefined contemporary luxury cruising with the new Queen Anne. The 3,000-guest ship, the 249th to sail for Cunard, was built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. “We wanted to create a contemporary ship that would celebrate the story of Cunard and its illustrious history,” says Lee Powell, Cunard’s vice president of brand and product. Award-winning interior designer Adam Tihany was appointed as creative director, with the support of three firms: Richmond International and cruise industry newcomers David Collins Studio and Sybille de Margerie. “We wanted to challenge the designers to do something they’d never done before,” says Tihany. “We followed five design ideals: heritage, style, storytelling, craftsmanship and innovation.” Each company was tasked with designing individual spaces onboard the ship, but all collaborated to develop the overall design narrative. “Our spaces are adjacent to each other, so it was very important to have seamless transitions between the areas,” says Fiona Thomas, principal of Richmond International. “Every space is purposefully designed with its own identity, but they don’t feel jarring or like they have been created by different people.” The designers visited the Cunard archives in Liverpool, UK, to study the layouts, materials and art deco patterns used on the brand’s historic ships, with a view to reinterpreting them in a contemporary way. “Each time we visited, we found new materials that informed the design of each venue in very different ways,” says Lewis Taylor, design director at David Collins Studio. “For example, historic menu cards informed the navy blue, yellow and coral colour palette in The Pavilion. We had to carefully toe the line between being inspired by the past but pushing the design forwards to ensure authenticity.” Guests will find art deco-inspired design elements and historic Cunard references throughout the ship, for example in the marble of the Grand Lobby, the red velvet seats and curtains in the Royal Court Theatre, the light installations in public spaces and the geometric shapes on the carpets. Cunard’s maritime history is evident in the Commodore Club cocktail lounge, where David Collins Studio took inspiration from the British commodore’s uniform. “The epaulettes on the shoulders are reflected on the back of some of the chairs, while the spacing of the stripes on the columns and the bar is perfectly set out in the same ratio as the bands on the commodore’s sleeves,” says Taylor. Queen Anne The mural in the Grand Lobby depicts three different images celebrating a Cunard voyage
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=