The inauguration’s ribbon-cutting ceremony

Giovanna Vitelli and Marco Valle, Azimut|Benetti Group’s Chair and CEO respectively, and Andrea Archinà, the Mayor of Avigliana, inaugurated the new Azimut Yachts headquarters, which will open its doors to staff from September. The new headquarters is part of a €50 million investment plan for the Avigliana production facility, which has a total of about 1,500 employees.

AMDL Circle and Michele De Lucchi spearheaded artistic direction for the brand’s new-look headquarters, which included restyling of the main building and construction of the new multifunctional pavilion. Offices were completely renovated based on an architectural design by Settanta7, while the project included a significant energy efficiency upgrade.

Marco Valle, Giovanna Vitelli and Avigliana Mayor Andrea Archinà

The aim of the project was to sensitively reinterpret the original architectural concept of Gabetti & Isola, which designed Azimut|Benetti Group facilities in the Piedmont, Liguria and Tuscany regions in the 1990s.

Vitelli, daughter of company founder Paolo Vitelli, said: “I had the image of the Louvre pyramid in mind. A statement of changing times but above all a sign of how the new finds its full power in its relationship with the grandeur of the past. Azimut has a history spanning more than 50 years, and the best way to honour it is to continue evolving, as my father always did.”

AMDL Circle – Azimut’s longtime creative partner and creator of the iconic ‘yacht in the pool’ at Bagni Misteriosi during last year’s Milano Design Week – added an entrance pavilion, the first stop on the new heritage walk that takes you through Azimut’s history. The new pavilion includes a metallic volume, reminiscent of the nautical world, resting on an historic brick structure.

The water feature’s surface reflects the models of Azimut’s ‘firsts’, a tribute to the key stylistic and technological innovations of the brand’s yachts “born in the mountains”.

Among these was the introduction in 2003 of hull glazing in place of traditional portholes, to bring more natural light into cabins. This visionary development is echoed in the new Avigliana headquarters, with the windows extended for floor-to-ceiling glazing, underscoring the continuity between nautical innovation and the design language of this project.

The layout of the new headquarters symbolises an evolution of Azimut’s work model, focusing now on collaboration and teamwork, and moving beyond traditional hierarchical structures. Transparency dominates an architectural language that transcends aesthetics to give shape to Azimut’s vision of “a work culture based on openness, connection and trust”, with glass replacing walls, and shared environments instead of closed, oversized executive offices.

The panoramic meeting rooms, Gogamigoga, Goga and Goghina, are named after Paolo Vitelli’s boats, reflecting the company’s heritage.

A pinnacle of modern Azimut is the new Virtual Reality room, the creative and technological heart of the building, where the technical and style offices collaborate daily. Owners and guests are also welcome to use virtual reality, so selecting layouts, furnishings, colours and fabrics “becomes an immersive and personalised experience”, according to Azimut.

azimutyachts.com