Chulhun park was thinking about deconstructivism. It’s the postmodern architectural movement that emerged in the 1980s, when buildings started looking fragmented and asymmetrical, almost like disjointed pieces stacked together. Having studied industrial and vehicle design in South Korea and the United Kingdom, and having spent four years working on exterior design at Palmer Johnson Yachts in Monaco before taking his current job as chief designer for Latitude Yachts in Latvia, Park thought it might be possible to apply the concept of deconstructivism to the design of a large yacht.
In fact, the more he thought about it, he realized it might be possible to “deconstruct” the exterior design on a hull that would dwarf the world’s largest yacht, the 590-foot Lürssen Azzam.
“When I decided to be a yacht designer, I realized that most yachts are white colored and stacked up like a wedding cake,” the 36-year-old designer says. “Therefore, I was determined to design a very unique-looking yacht which can stand out in the fleet.”
Park’s concept yacht, the 751-foot Project Valkyrie, would be built on Palmer Johnson’s trimaran hull form in steel or aluminum, with a carbon-fiber superstructure. No interior renderings exist for the project yet, but Park says the vessel could include a casino and theater, in addition to accommodations for 52 guests and 92 crew. Outside, some deck spaces would be larger than the total exterior square footage on “smaller” yachts — all the better, Park says, for enjoying memorable sunsets.
“Most of the superyacht or mega-yacht owners are trying to fill their yacht interiors with very luxurious and expensive things,” he says. “However, there are no more beautiful and luxurious things than nature.”
Project Valkyrie Specifications
- Length Overall: 751 feet, 4 inches
- Beam: 98 feet, 5 inches
- Draft: 24 feet, 7 inches
- Projected Speed: 25 knots
- Fuel Capacity: 396,258 gallons
- Projected Range: 10,000 miles at 16 knots; 7,500 miles at 20 knots; 4,600 miles at 24 knots
- Accommodations: 52 guests in 26 staterooms, and 92 crew in 46 cabins
- Hull Form: Palmer Johnson trimaran
- Construction: Steel or aluminum hull with a carbon-fiber superstructure
- Exterior Design: Chulhun Park, founder of Chulhun Design in South Korea
