Fantastically inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the latest Lürssen project ALICE design aim was to play with the imaginary and to place it into reality. Everything that you dream of can be found here

Images courtesy of ©Lürssen Yachts

Fantastically inspired by Alice in Wonderland, written by novelist Lewis Carrol and published in long-ago in 1865, one of the most innovative creative projects has come to life in the nautical world of the newest decade. Designed in-house by Lürssen, the shipyard based in Germany and among the longest serving of the nautical world (four generations), this new project also places among the most technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable ever.

Alice in Wonderland has influenced entire generations, enlightening the minds of adults and children alike, on a journey of pure fantasy. The character of Alice has origins in some of the stories told – most fittingly – on board a boat during a trip on the Thames, then retold by their creator in the novelised version of a child assailed by boredom, in search of adventure and discovery within an illogical world, fantastically characterised by nonsensical spirit and the continuous drive of the original narrative towards surprising imagination.

Today, with the same imagination and enthusiasm, a project tailor-made for the near future emerges in the yachting world, banishing any sense of boredom and bringing a healthy dose of fun, with great innovation, cutting-edge design and an added pinch of madness, all combined with great ecological responsibility.

ALICE opens the door to a new era, taking form in imagination and creativity, with her 98-metre (321’5″) length and 17-metre (55’18”) beam, “disappearing” all thoughts of traditional styles.

ALICE features five decks, including an unusual, fully-open main deck. She lives a brand-new use of spaces, turning volumes almost topsy-turvy, but to the advantage of extraordinary on-board liveability. This is liveability rethought, developing an innovative and progressive model, infusing the idea of tomorrow’s yachting, foretelling the coming change of pace, towards modernity appreciable to more than just the new generations (gen-Xers, millennials), themselves intent on unleashing their own particular imaginations.

Deckside parks and ponds, combined with the living walls of the interiors, transform the yacht as a natural paradise. Guests enter a unique on-board ecosystem where they can engage in leisurely strolls, a few somersaults on deck, surfaced not in teak but in lightweight rapid-growth woods sourced from organic agriculture.

ALICE is also a fun place for play, with her aft tennis court, under night-time lighting for matches of kinds never-before seen.

And she transforms as a colourful platform for fun theme parties. Already we can pleasurably imagine the presence of the Carrol’s Alice in the company of the White Rabbit, relaxing together at their Tea Party, but instead of banishing Alice’s boredom in Wonderland, now at mid-ships, in the comfortable beach club.

The sparkling scent of nature envelops ALICE in her very own atmosphere, further infused by the totally transparent pool at centre of her ingeniously suspended upper deck … and she’s ever ready to take us yonder, including by departure from the bow helipad.

The exterior lines of this ALICE, created by the Lürssen yards, are complemented by artistic interpretations of the interiors, from the self-named design studio of Dasha Moranova. Expressed in her own creative thinking:

“Alice in Wonderland was the brief which I received from the Lurssen Shipyard. All started as a project for Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg which slowly developed into the very first Superyacht concept design of this legendary shipyard. I designed the spaces as an endless wonder walk of discovery. I used only sustainable materials to enrich the unique story of this yacht design. Sustainability, Nature and wellbeing were the key words of the design.

Magnificent architecture elements, open spaces, large windows bringing lots of natural light, high ceilings and many wonderful textures used throughout the vessel. Harmonious and peaceful. Design aim was to play with the imaginary and to place it into reality. Everything that you dream of can be found here.”

The design plays with the imaginary, aimed at bringing it to reality. Open spaces and large windows enhance the carefully designed architectural elements with natural light. The high ceilings host wonderful textures, imparting harmony and peace throughout the ship. Here, you can find everything you’ve dreamed of.

Her future owner will find personal place on the upper deck, in an owner’s suite located aft and designed in circular shape, allowing rotating viewing throughout the day while lying comfortably on a large bed.

The lower deck accommodates guests with no less than eight cabins, each offering its own rectangular window.

ALICE, in all honesty and sincerity, assumes her ecological responsibilities in combination with new technologies. Green and climate-neutral technologies indicate some potential directions for Lürssen yachts. Emission-free on-board fuel cells will generate electricity, based on hydrogen reformed from green methanol. These fuel cells will flank, and soon replace, traditional on-board diesel generators. For greater speed and energy demand, there will be an additional methanol engine. These innovative technologies will enable standing at anchor, without emissions, for 15 days, or sailing at low speeds up to 1000 miles.

Other energy-saving technologies include waste-heat recovery, redirecting energy to HVAC systems for both heating and cooling, and mirrored glass for the windows of the owner’s deck, reflecting heat in complement to thermal insulation and so reducing the energy draw from air conditioning systems.

This is driving, forward-looking thought, clearly evident in the Shipyard Manifesto: “We do everything to preserve our planet for future generations”. Given this thinking, there’s no surprise in the fact that Lürssen is building its first yacht with fuel cell technology, for a pioneering technology-oriented client … although the details in that particular direction remain strictly secret.

It’s also no coincidence that, since its first days, this same enterprising spirit and desire for evolution has always driven Lürssen towards important turning points in nautical history. This is a shipyard that leads, in unexplored directions, but always drawing on their accumulated know-how.

The year 1886, at the dawn of the nautical world, provides a clear example. This was the year that Lürssen played a joint leading role in construction of the first ever motorboat, in partnership with Gottlieb Daimler.

Returning to the project at hand, we also recall that “ALICE” also played a leading role in the most recent Monaco Yacht Show, in the form of her presentation as a high-definition scale model, now itself finding permanent place in Hamburg’s renowned Miniatur Wunderland, a magical place where fantasy takes shaped in scaled-down proportions, but truly minute and fantastic detail.