Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is hosting a landmark exhibition honouring the work of legendary yacht designer Terence Disdale. Coinciding with a book celebrating his long career, the show in the Design Avenue will illustrate how Disdale has shaped some of the most iconic yachts of the modern era.
As the introduction to the book Terence Disdale: My Art of Yacht Design (Assouline) notes, “yachts designed by Terence Disdale are timeless rather than trendy and as much coveted 20 years after delivery as they were on launch day.” Known for drawing everything by hand – artistry that will be revealed both in the book and at the exhibition – he has designed some of the world’s largest and most exquisite yachts, consistently setting the bar at its highest, and with interiors and exteriors conceived as a singular, harmonious whole.
Claire German, CEO of Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, says “it is fitting that Terence Disdale’s remarkable work is being celebrated here, where design visionaries from around the world come together. His legacy in yacht design epitomises the values we champion – innovation, artistry and timeless craft.”
Read on for a quick-fire Q&A with the designer that is a primer for both the book and the show.
What can visitors expect from your show at the Design Centre, and why did you choose it as a venue?The show will feature several models of our exterior designs, including vessels of 160 metres in length. My interior design will also be featured including various enlarged extracts from the book as well as some of our special finishes. Also included are some furniture, lamps and sculptural pieces of my creations as well as some of my paintings. From a design aspect, we also feature portfolios of my hand drawings, which I hope will inspire designers away from AI!
Chelsea Harbour was chosen for its management’s consistent warm attitude towards us and its first-class reputation.
I am celebrating 53 years of Terence Disdale Design Ltd and I thought it was time!
There have been more than one: meeting Jon Bannenberg, Pegasus, Pelorus and Eclipse, to name a few.
In the case of a Disdale Design vessel, most of the surface textures are specially created and hand carved for the project, such as cabin door designs and staircase enclosures. All wall lights and table lamps are not marketplace finds – they are all bespoke to my designs, along with every table, chair or other loose furniture. Every detail is custom-made for the project to our design. Bespoke is the key word. On some vessels we have also designed the crockery and cutlery. Visual comfort also can come from the selection of artwork, making sure there is interesting harmony between the paintings in the room. We like to take great care in this department.
Comfort is a very individual concept, and every vessel is designed around the owner, which is the ultimate luxury.
I balance grandeur within “my household philosophy” of creating an interior with the vibe of “beach house”, not “penthouse”. Generally, we avoid brash grandeur abiding to our mantra of “don’t gild the lily.” Comfort obviously doesn’t just relate to the sofa cushions; comfort evolves from the room with its mix of visual features and the harmony of the art.
The book explains how we explored unknown territories already many years ago, but if I have to name one or two, I would say Pelorus’ interiors, and Eclipse.
Terence Disdale: My Art of Yacht Design (Assouline) is published in November. The exhibition that accompanies the launch of the book is in the Design Avenue at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour from 7 – 14 November, Monday – Friday, 9.30am – 5.30pm
Images: Marchant and Gonta / Richard Seaton
