MILAN — Like so many of Italy’s landmarks, historic sites often adapt to contemporary times with modern additions. In the case of Azimut‘s revamped headquarters, its chair Giovanna Vitelli was very clear: She wanted a Louvre-like structure.
“I always used the example of the Louvre Pyramid. It’s a very modern object, but one that somehow dialogues with history and even enhances it,” she told WWD.
The Avigliana, Italy-based firm, which is known for its luxury yachts coveted by the world’s rich and famous, tapped Milan-based Michele De Lucchi‘s design studio AMDL Circle for the revamp, which is characterized by a metallic structure reminiscent of nautical vessels. The monumental entrance is flanked by light-filled glass walls and a path of flowing water, which is juxtaposed with historic brick structures of the original building designed by Gabetti & Isola.
“The project perfectly hit the mark because Michele De Lucchi’s studio AMDL Circle brought an extremely modern touch to it — a steel blade that welcomes you upon arrival, along with the additional structure, which I like to call my Louvre Pyramid,” she said.
Azimut’s headquarters were redesigned by Michele De Lucchi’s studio AMDL Circle.
Courtesy of Azimut|Benetti Group
The building also recalls the shipyard’s past and pays homage to its founder, Giovanna’s father Paolo Vitelli, who passed away in 2024. The engine of the first boat built by Vitelli is displayed in a lightbox as a reminder of the brand’s origins and his pioneering vision.
Inside, De Lucchi also revamped the work space, creating a more open, convivial and even democratic model. The traditional layout of closed, hierarchical office spaces has been replaced with an open office concept featuring glass partitions and bright, interconnected rooms, to encourage team collaboration.
“These design choices enable employees to connect more easily, reflecting a shift toward a more inclusive and cooperative work environment,” Vitelli explained, adding that the aim was to create an environment that was akin to an architectural studio, conjuring the spirit of the tech heartland of Silicon Valley.
“I like to call it the Cupertino of the nautical industry,” she said. “The spaces have also been designed to make it a place that reflects our DNA as a hub for ideas.”
Paolo Vitelli founded Azimut in the late 1960s. In the 1980s, Vitelli acquired Cantieri Benetti, a historic Viareggio-based shipyard and created the Azimut|Benetti Group. Giovanna has been chairman of the group since March 2023. The Vitelli family continues to control the company with two minority shareholders. Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund owns 33 percent, while Italy’s Tamburi Investment Partners owns 8 percent.
Inside Azimut’s headquarters designed by Michele De Lucchi.
Rasmus Hjortshoj Studio
De Lucchi’s relationship with the group continues to evolve. At the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, he made his debut in the nautical world with Azimut’s Magellano 27M vessel, marking his and his first interior design project for a yacht. Vitelli said working with creatives foreign to the nautical world brings the firm a fresh outlook.
“The fact that Michele De Lucchi has never designed a boat is interesting to me because he brings a fresh perspective to a sector that, for many years, was dominated by a style of excessive opulence — such as glossy ebony, luxurious materials. Instead, having contemporary interpretations that are strongly connected to the sea is interesting,” she said.
A render image of Azimut’s Magellano 27M vessel designed by Michele De Lucchi’s and his studio AMDL Circle.
Courtesy of Azimut
In 2023, De Lucchi’s AMDL Circle curated an Azimut installation titled “Mooring by the Moon” during Milan Design Week. The display unfolded as a journey through four acts focused on sustainable innovation at the Bagni Misteriosi pool with a choreographed performance that culminated in a setting inflatable moon attached to a dancer in mid-air.
Despite geopolitical woes and tariff jitters, Vitelli said the high-end nautical world is weathering the storm. “We have coverage for our order portfolio that extends until 2029…that means we’ve already secured orders that will carry us well into the long term. At the moment, the large yacht segment is not experiencing any crisis.”
In September, Azimut|Benetti Group saw its sales reach an all-time high.
Boosted by orders worldwide, and rapid growth in Middle Eastern nations like Saudi Arabia, the privately owned company said its sales rose 15 percent during the fiscal 2024-25 year ended Aug. 31. That brought sales of its luxury vessels to 1.5 billion euros in the 12-month period.
Italy is the biggest luxury superyachts-maker in the world by sales and is also the home of go-to shipbuilders like Fincantieri, Sanlorenzo and Ferretti Yachts. In recent years it has set itself apart with new models like the Seadeck series and Benetti’s B.Yond family, both of which give shape to a new concept of luxury, one that interweaves aesthetic research, cutting-edge technology and is focused on reducing environmental impact.
