Aboard Azimut’s Magellano 27M
Jarkko Jämsén and Michele De Lucchi shape a yacht out of oak, light and open space
We like to think that wind and water draw the lines of a boat. We recently stepped aboard Azimut’s new Magellano 27M, with exteriors by Finnish designer Jarkko Jämsén and interiors by AMDL CIRCLE & Michele De Lucchi, and discovered something else: a yacht can take its shape from light and space.
The latest addition to the Magellano Series brings together two authors. Jämsén, a designer whose work spans superyachts and sailing yachts, drew the exteriors. De Lucchi and AMDL CIRCLE, with architect Davide Angeli, designed the interiors, taking on a boat for the first time. Azimut asked them to keep the Magellano DNA while steering it toward a timeless line, one that will still appeal decades from now.
Jämsén loves working with straight lines and pure forms, starting from the idea that a straight line leaves a timeless mark, one that never ages. The most recognizable element, the “loop”—a large ellipsoid with an industrial feel—defines the profile, the glazing and many interior details. Instead of classic round portholes, the Magellano 27M offers wide, decidedly horizontal openings, shaped by firm curves rather than sharp corners. The boat stays recognizable without chasing trends, and avoids seductive forms that can quickly tire the eye.
This goes beyond aesthetics. Azimut conceived the yacht for comfortable cruising and for living aboard as in a real home, spacious and welcoming. A sense of openness coexists with a feeling of protection, like a shell. Beyond the large windows, the side walkways measure 87 centimeters (about 34 inches) across, uncommon even on much larger boats. Protecting without enclosing: one of the project’s guiding principles.
De Lucchi fully embraced this idea and amplified it inside. The central architectural concept: the loggia. The stern glazing opens completely and folds onto itself, with no mullions, so nature steps into the boat and the barriers fall away. The Mediterranean reference echoes the architectural identity De Lucchi had already created for Azimut on land, at its headquarters and boat-show stands: wooden shutters and brise-soleil, light and shadow.
Light enters and plays with the materials, setting matte decorations beside glossy surfaces that glow with the color of the sun at dawn. For visual continuity, De Lucchi designed identical sofas for inside and out. Outdoors, the decks use pickled teak; indoors, pickled oak, and to the eye the difference nearly disappears. The upholstery comes from outdoor fabric ranges and moves indoors too. The border between interior and exterior essentially dissolves.
The interiors form a box made entirely of oak, worked in several ways: grooved on the ceilings, flamed on the walls, laid in strips on the floors. Walnut adds contrast through three-dimensional, brushed surfaces. The choice goes against the grain of the yachting market, and it works thanks to the variety of textures and the attention to touch.
De Lucchi’s love for Japan creates a connection between the Far East and Made in Italy, a dialogue between Japanese obsession with detail and Italian craftsmanship. Trays and side tables carry surfaces hand-carved with the Naguri technique, the bathrooms take their cue from Japanese spas, and the headboard wears a silk fabric by HOSOO, the historic Kyoto weaving house. Its pattern reproduces a microscopic cross-section of the oak used on board, a way to tie together nature, the human hand and technology.
Technical lights hide in ceiling tracks, leaving room for signature lamps: the Jona and Metafisica models by Produzione Privata, the studio De Lucchi founded in 1990, alongside Artemide designs. In the bathrooms, travertine softens the light so it feels abundant but never glaring, while mirrors and reeded glass expand the smaller spaces.
Owners can customize the Magellano 27M’s layout, finishes and furnishings, so no two boats will match. What remains: the wood, the space, the light, and De Lucchi and Jämsén’s vision for Azimut. the vision of De Lucchi and Jämsén for Azimut.
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