Text by Norman Kietzmann
It was a moment that changed his life. Even as a boy, Luca Dini was fascinated by yachts. But when he saw the legendary "Nabila" (now "Kingdom 5KR") off Livorno in 1983, which Benetti had once built for Adnan Khashoggi, he was hooked. "I was really blown away. I got off my Vespa and just had to look at it for two or three hours. It was love at first sight," says Dini. He had already had the idea of pursuing a creative career. Architecture or furniture making were no longer an option.
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"Of course, I didn't know anything about motorboats or the world of yachting at the time. They were simply beautiful objects for me. So I focussed my architecture studies entirely on them," says Luca Dini. At the end of the 1980s, there were only three offices in Italy that specialised in the planning of yachts. One of them was based in the city where he lived: Florence.
From 1987, he worked for Tommaso Spadolini for nine years before deciding to open his own studio on the Arno.
" I'm not the kind of architect who says: 'My designs are always just white'."
Designer, architect, friend and psychologist
"I really started from scratch, without sponsors, without a rich father. I sold my car, an old BMW, for the necessary drawing equipment. Because I couldn't afford any premises, I set up my studio in my old nursery and my mum became my secretary. Then came one yacht project after another and it really became a beautiful story," recalls the Florentine. In 1998, "Sophie Blue" caused a sensation for CBI with her colourful hull. The "Sea Force One" designed in 2004 for Admiral Mariotti Yachts introduced hydraulically movable platforms to the yacht world. The 50-metre explorer "Tribu", built in 2007 for Luciano Benetton, was the first yacht to receive Green Star certification from RINA. The "Rose", the first model in Tankoa Yachts' new "Sportiva" line, was presented in 2025, offering guests underwater impressions via a "Nemo Room".
To date, more than 110 of his custom designs have been built, none of which are the same. The reason for his success? "To listen! I'm not the kind of architect who says: 'My designs are always just white'. That's not me," says Luca Dini. For him, a binding style is like a prison. And he refuses to be locked up in it. "We believe that a yacht doesn't belong to us, but to the customer. Our aim is to make them satisfied and happy. If we can also make something that reflects our taste, all the better," says the designer.
Of course, this is also challenging: "The relationship with the customer is the best and most difficult thing at the same time. Communicating with the shipyard is easier because we speak the same language anyway. With the owner, you're not just a designer or architect, but always a bit of a friend and psychologist as well. You have to be many things at once. After all, you don't buy a yacht with your head, but with your gut, because it's something emotional. And as with all emotional things, you sometimes change your mind. Today something is red, tomorrow it's green. You have to be able to deal with that," Luca Dini is convinced. He manages a team of more than 60 people, half of whom are men and half women. This point is important to him. Here, too, it is about avoiding a narrow perspective and instead adopting different points of view.
The principle of diversity applies above all to Heesen's 55-metre "Agnetha" project, which was unveiled in April 2025 and offers space for twelve guests in six cabins. The 86 square metre owner's cabin has its own living area, a study, a walk-in wardrobe and a private outdoor area. Four further guest cabins are located on the lower deck, plus a VIP suite on the bridge deck. The interior design was created by Luca Dini Design & Architecture, which is the official office name. "This is the first time we have dared to plan a series model that is being built without customers," explains Dini.
Compared to a full-custom yacht, the design and construction time is significantly reduced. Nevertheless, there is no fear of uniformity on board. Customers can choose between four different interior worlds named after the Shakespeare plays "As You Like It", "The Winter's Tale", "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Taming of the Shrew". "It's interesting to see how much customisation is possible when the interior is fixed. We have therefore prepared several proposals of different lighting, furniture and decoration to show how an almost finished interior can be further modified and adapted to the client's needs," emphasises Silvia Margutti, lead architect at Luca Dini Design & Architecture. The result is a stylistic modular system that can be cleverly combined. While the floor plans on board remain untouched, the look and feel on board can be varied to create an individual and personalised ambience.
Personalisation and series production go hand in hand
Even though the office's focus is clearly on the nautical world, the spectrum has broadened considerably in recent years. "Everyone who builds a yacht naturally also has a villa or a beautiful flat. And so customers have been asking us more and more if we can help them with these projects. At first, we always declined because we wanted to concentrate on yachting. But then the moment came when we were asked to design a complete island in Saudi Arabia. I just couldn't say no anymore," the architect recalls.
This refers to the island of Sindalah in the Red Sea with several hotels, apartment buildings, restaurants, a golf club, a water sports centre and, of course, a marina. Everything was designed by Luca Dini and his team - from the master plan to the smallest details. A first glimpse of the construction site was given in October 2024. The opening of the first buildings is planned for the end of 2025.
When the go-ahead was given for the island, Luca Dini had to react quickly. After all, as proven experts in shipbuilding, his employees could not be the same people to oversee this gigantic project on land. "So we practically took over an entire architectural office and integrated it into our structure. From then on, we continued to grow. Today, we do 50 per cent yacht construction and 50 per cent architecture," explains Dini. The two cannot be separated anyway. They are directly interwoven. This is demonstrated by the planning for the Water Canal Marina in Dubai.
New terrain for nautical excursions
"We have placed a building with shops, restaurants and clubs in the centre of the marina where people can walk around. Because everything is changing again in Dubai and people are beginning to realise that we can't just stay in air-conditioned rooms. The aim of our planning is to convince people to go outside again," says Dini.
Several projects are also currently under construction in Albania. In the coastal town of Durrës, the 30-storey Durres Tower is rising, attracting attention with its meandering terraces and green façades. There are also plans for a six-and-a-half kilometre stretch of coastline that is not even accessible by road today. In addition to a marina and a yacht club, numerous villas and a casino are planned. No concrete blocks, but elegant buildings that are intended to bring a touch of Portofino to the Albanian coast. "For all of us in the yachting world, this will definitely be our next holiday destination. Travelling from Greece to Croatia is a long way. Albania is in the middle - just right for a stopover," Luca Dini is convinced.
Buildings near harbours or the coast are in the office's blood. "The sea is always present. Because that's our way of thinking. With a new project, we put ourselves in the shoes of the owner of a yacht. When he comes ashore, what does he expect? What do they want to see? Our experience in yacht building and working with special materials allows us to realise projects that are something special." For Dini, class comes before quantity - even for large projects. That's why he doesn't want to grow too quickly. "It would be easy for us to go from the current 60 employees to 200. But then we would no longer have certain processes under control and would become a machine that constantly has to move. We would no longer be an architecture firm, but an industrial company." The studio is currently run by six senior employees, all of whom know the clients.
"If the studio gets too big, this contact is lost. The customers then no longer have a relationship with me, they no longer have a relationship with those standing right next to me. I don't want that," emphasises Luca Dini. He makes the first sketches by hand. And his employees don't just work on the computer either. "There is still a department here that draws by hand. They are true artists and sometimes also create comics. It always gives me great pleasure to watch them draw. Because for me, the idea goes from my head to my hand and then onto paper," explains Luca Dini.
Once the initial ideas have been sketched out, they are further developed on the computer. The designers usually present clients with two or three different designs, showing the living room, the master suite and a bathroom. "This allows us to see whether we like the atmosphere and are on the right track. It's also about the specific materials, colours and details. They are not finalised at the end, but are integral parts of the design," says Luca Dini.
" People who work with me should be in a beautiful place and feel comfortable."
The studio as an oasis with its own garden and cook
Four years ago, his studio opened a branch in Forte dei Marmi, where Silvia Margutti heads a team of ten. Here, the latest materials are delivered, catalogued and can be viewed and, above all, touched by customers. After all, on board a yacht, it's not just about the look, but also about the tactile, sensual aspects that cannot be judged on a screen. What counts is the real thing, the tangible qualities. But a visit to the "headquarters" is always worthwhile. It is located in the centre of Florence. And yet you have the feeling of being in the countryside when you look out through the windows into the large, private garden.
The studio itself occupies a space of 500 square metres. The partition walls are made of wood - just like on a historic boat. There is also another room, decorated with frescoes, where Luca Dini has set up his desk. The garden is also visible from here and is used for internal meetings as well as client meetings. The studio defines a place that radiates warmth and cosiness instead of the sterility and austerity of a typical office environment.
"I want the people who work with me to be in a nice place and feel comfortable. That's the most important thing. That's why we have a chef who prepares lunch for us every day. As we run a very specialised business and essentially deal with beautiful things, the place where you spend time also has to be beautiful," Luca Dini is convinced. You can feel it in his projects - on the water and on land.
