The first edition of the Azimut Yachts Contest Design Award

Azimut Yachts has launched a new initiative to identify and engage young talent from different design environments. For the first edition of the competition, the participants -­‐ students from Italian and international universities and design schools -­‐ were asked to design the spaces and furnishings of an Azimut 70 fly. Azimut looks to the future, and this time it chose to focus on young talent in the world of Interior Design. “The ability to innovate is a strategic asset for the success of our company and this ability is based on the quality and energy of ideas,” explains Architect Federica Bertolini of Azimut Yachts, project coordinator." Azimut Yachts has always recognised young talent as a fundamental resource that enables us to look to the future with confidence and a sense of continuity. In terms of specific sectors such as Interior Design, we have decided to launch a competition open to compatible schools and universities. The aim is twofold: first, to identify promising and capable young talent that could contribute innovative ideas to designing our yachts; second, to expose these young students to our company and provide them with direct in the field experience. The results have been so positive that we will definitely be holding a second competition in late autumn." The Azimut Yachts Contest Design Award saw participation from students from the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) of Milan and Turin, Poli Design – Master in Yacht Design, Politecnico di Torino, and Coventry University. IED Milan student Francesco Russolillo won first prize earning a six-­‐month internship at Azimut Yachts. Seven members of the Azimut Yachts Style Office juried the competition, assessing the entries according to various criteria, including: innovation, organisation of space/layout, feasibility, graphic presentation, and detail development. The official awards ceremony will be held at the next Cannes Yachting Festival scheduled for 8-­‐13 September. The project will also be included in the Stu-­‐art-­‐Exhibition 2015 opening in Osaka, Japan on 1 June. The show will be held at Osaka's Italian Culture Institute in collaboration with the Visualization Laboratory at Osaka University's Cybermedia Centre and is sponsored by the Italian General Consulate in Osaka. The goal is to illustrate the most important achievements of the Group to the students, and will also be an opportunity for IED to present the IED STUDENT AWARDS. “It is a clear example of how the Istituto Europeo di Design is at the cutting edge of Made in Italy design, able to offer its students the tools and opportunities to access high level training in an international setting,” says Maurizio Cortese, General Manager of IED Group. "The collaboration with Azimut Yachts represents yet another opportunity for our students to gain first-­‐hand experience with one of the leaders of the nautical sector, putting into practice the "expertise" our Group has always promoted." "I embraced this opportunity for various reasons," explains competition winner Francesco Russolillo. "Definitely because of the client, Azimut Yachts, which embodies Italian excellence and is admired worldwide. It is a company that has figured out how to stand out. Even in times when the rest of the world has been struggling, it has remained at the forefront of developing new ways to experience the water and their vessels. I also approached this competition as a way to challenge myself. It was an opportunity to experiment and design something based on concrete parameters; and, like any new undertaking, it allowed me to learn something more about research and design." 25th May 2015 AZIMUT YACHTS Azimut Yachts is a brand of the Azimut|Benetti Group. With Atlantis, Magellano Flybridge, S, and Grande collections, it offers the most extensive range of 34'-­‐120' yachts. It operates in 70 countries with 138 sales and service centres and has representative and support offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Fort Lauderdale (USA), and Itajai (Brazil). IED IED -­‐ Istituto Europeo di Design -­‐ was established in 1966 as the brainchild of Francesco Morelli. Today, IED is internationally known for its rigorously Italian excellence. It specialises in training and research in Design, Fashion, Visual Arts, and Communications. It is an international school of higher education geared towards the creative professions, particularly design in its varied and most current applications. IED's curriculum is based on training credits (CF) structured in conformance with parameters adopted by Europe's most advanced institutions in the sector. The course of study is designed to give the student well-­‐rounded preparation in the selected design area, with coordinated undergraduate and postgraduate programs. IED's staff includes more than 400 professionals who collaborate with more than 1,900 teachers that practice in the various sectors, ensuring the smooth operation of all 11 campuses: Milan, Turin, Rome, Florence, Venice, Cagliari, Como, Madrid, Barcelona, San Paolo, and Rio de Janeiro.