[The following content is provided by Simpson Marine]   

Crunching the numbers, at least 180 people will spend approximately 500,000 hours creating one of Sanlorenzo’s 60-65 metre marvels, each of which will wear its “Made in Italy” badge with pride upon delivery. With every brush stroke on the canvas formed either inhouse or by local craftspeople, Sanlorenzo has already harnessed such artistic talents as Rodolfo Dordoni, Citterio Viel, Piero Lissoni (art director since 2018), Patricia Urquiola and Studio Liaigre for its interior designs. 

 

Indeed, ‘art’ for Sanlorenzo is about so much more than creating a beautiful object on the water, it forms an integral part of the company’s ethos and way of being – as evident from its launching of an entire division dedicated to supporting encounters between art and the world of luxury yachting: Sanlorenzo Arts. 

 

This interactive platform navigates some of the most complex and sensitive issues facing our contemporary world through immersive and thought-provoking creative projects, teaming up with renowned artists in order to bring these to life. A key player in global fine art circuits, Sanlorenzo was the Institutional Patron of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice between 2020-2022 and Global Host Partner of Art Basel for its annual events in Hong Kong, Basel, Paris, and Miami Beach from 2018 to 2023. 

 

Executive Chairman Massimo Perotti explains more: “Art holds a significant place within Sanlorenzo, deeply intertwined with the company’s identity and philosophy. This connection stems from a shared foundation of creativity, innovation, a mutual pursuit of aesthetic refinement and the creation of extraordinary experiences.” 

 

 

Milan Design Week 2025 

Indeed, one such extraordinary artistic experience was found at this year’s Milan Design Week in April, through Sanlorenzo’s immersive installation at the Interni Cre-Action exhibition, which spotlighted Nautor Swan, the Finnish sailing brand acquired by the company in August 2024. 

 

Set in the beautiful Cortile del Settecento at the University of Milan, the work, named Wind Labyrinth, was curated by Piero Lissoni, artistic director of Sanlorenzo since 2018 and took the form of a labyrinth made of sails unfolding across the central lawn. 

 

Visitors were guided around this intricate maze of sails, mainsails and jib sails – reclaimed via an upcycling process – which harnessed the transparency of the fabric, with their contrasting light and shadows, to evoke the continuous movement of the sea, serving as a potent symbol of sustainable living in harmony with nature. 

 

Through this installation, the unstoppable element of wind became a thread which linked the age-old tradition of sailing with the most cutting-edge visions in the world of luxury and innovation. 

 

 

As with the immersive SUB exhibition from Milan Design Week 2024, the Wind Labyrinth itself offered guests an invitation to experience the sea differently, serving as a metaphor for the Italian company’s journey towards a greener future, alongside reinforcing the deep connection between art, design and yachting. 

 

Notably, through this installation, Sanlorenzo demonstrated its willingness to take practical action towards achieving environmental goals, as it also displayed three of its most environmentally-friendly vessels in the current fleet, thus showcasing a sustainable future for pleasure boating by highlighting its latest propulsion technology. 

 

These consisted of the Sanlorenzo 50Steel (equipped with the Reformer Fuel Cell system), the latest, innovative hydrogen-powered zero-emissions chase boat, the Bluegame BGG-HSV, and the Swan 88 DreamCatcher, winner of the Eco Award at the BOAT International Design & Innovation Awards for its diesel-electric hybrid propulsion. 

 

Zooming out slightly, Sanlorenzo will also continue on its ‘Road to 2030’ – a strategic path toward carbon neutrality – with the 50X-Space, the first superyacht featuring a bi-fuel engine powered by green methanol. Developed in partnership with MAN Engines and set to be launched in 2027, this system reduces emissions by up to 70%, marking a major step in sustainable yachting. Part of the LIFE MYSTIC initiative supported by the European Union, the project integrates advanced hybrid propulsion and fuel cell technology. 

 

Sanlorenzo Arts - Venice 

Looking to the future, there are many more such encounters between arts and yachting to come from Sanlorenzo. 2025 saw the grand unveiling of Casa Sanlorenzo during the Biennale of Architettura in Venice, which now serves as the headquarters of Sanlorenzo Arts. 

 

 

Located in the south of the city near the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Sanlorenzo Arts will foster intelligent discussions by hosting thought-provoking art, design and architecture exhibitions. 

 

Massimo Perotti explains further: “The most significant example of Sanlorenzo’s deep connection to art is the inauguration of Casa Sanlorenzo in Venice, a visionary cultural centre located in a historic building overlooking the Grand Canal. This space, which will be the headquarters of Sanlorenzo Arts, is designed to be a hybrid venue where art, design, innovation, and culture converge, embodying Sanlorenzo’s commitment to fostering new creative languages and contributing to the production of high-quality culture and design.” 

  

 

 

In September 2025 Sanlorenzo Casa launched its maiden exhibition, Breathtaking, a powerful photographic installation by acclaimed Italian artist Fabrizio Ferri. First shown in Milan, the series portrays international figures including Susan Sarandon, Julianne Moore and Willem Dafoe encased in plastic, symbolising the silent suffocation of the oceans. The experience is enriched by immersive soundscapes by Marina Abramović and a central installation filled with seawater. 

 

The exhibition was opened to the public from 2 to 7 September, and then from 11 September to 23 November 2025, following an exclusive VIP vernissage on 1 September during the Venice International Film Festival, where Ferri, Dafoe and other special guests attended and unveiled a new portrait of Sting created especially for the project. 

 

It is clear that Sanlorenzo’s creative canvas still has many brushstrokes left to paint, as it blends art, nature, and technology to craft vessels ready to navigate the future of humanity.