When Camper & Nicholsons opened its new location in Viareggio earlier this year, it marked an evolution of how the company builds and delivers custom yacht projects and refits. Its new studio in Europe’s shipbuilding heartland brings design development, specification review and project management into one environment, linking concept and build more directly.

Under the direction of Daniela Duck, Group Head of New Build, the division has evolved into a full-service design-to-delivery platform that supports owners through every stage of a project. The Viareggio studio brings clients, the in-house design team and shipyards into the same workflow, allowing projects to move forward with greater speed and ease.

“The goal is to align design ambition with technical execution from day one,” Duck explains. “When the design and technical sides of a project collaborate from the first brief, it sets a clear direction that carries through every stage of the build.”

Daniela Duck, Group Head of New Build, Camper & Nicholsons

The approach limits the fragmentation that can occur when a project moves between separate teams. With the same specialists overseeing design development, technical detail and construction progress, decisions remain consistent and information stays intact throughout the build. “We maintain one continuous dialogue from the first sketch to delivery,” says Duck.

DESIGN STUDIO

The new hub combines two office suites and a dedicated materials lounge, where clients can explore nearly 50 partner collections spanning fabrics, marbles, leathers and décor, from silver cutlery and crystal glassware to fine linens. Each session is supported by an in-house digital configurator that renders materials and finishes directly onto a 3D model. Clients can watch their design choices take shape in real time.

“What once required several meetings can now unfold in a single interactive review, whether in Viareggio or remotely,” Duck says. “It’s a practical way to simplify decisions and avoid costly missteps. When clients can visualise their yacht with such clarity, the process becomes faster and far more intuitive.”

This new capability forms part of Camper & Nicholsons’ broader new-build approach. From Viareggio, the division manages new-build and refit programmes end to end, keeping sales, design, technical support and project oversight running in step.

For new build projects, specialists work alongside shipyards and owners from the first sketches through contract, construction and completion. A dedicated new-build sales function feeds directly into the project management team, many of whom have shipyard experience, with a network that extends across Europe’s leading shipyards in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Turkey.

That technical fluency, Duck believes, is what sets the company apart. “Understanding the logic of a yard allows us to anticipate challenges and make informed recommendations,” she notes. “Our in-house team brings together specialists who understand both the creative and practical sides of yacht construction.”

Bringing both design instinct and a builder’s mindset ensures that every concept is not only beautiful but buildable. It’s a balance that helps owners confidently make decisions throughout the process, while keeping projects on time and on budget. Owners are also free to bring their own designers, with Camper & Nicholsons providing technical, project management or outfitting support as required.

PERSONAL TOUCH

While Viareggio may be home to the company’s New Build division, its scope reaches beyond new construction. Owners with existing yachts can use the digital configurator to reorder bespoke glassware, linens or finishes ahead of the season, while the Camper & Nicholsons design team supports refit projects with both exterior and interior design proposals, modelling new layouts and updating materials.

A dedicated outfitting service adds another layer of personalisation, sourcing everything from furniture and artwork to tableware and accessories. Integrated into the same digital platform as the design configurator, it creates an e-commerce-style environment where clients can browse, select and reorder items with the support of an in-house specialist.

The studio also extends its expertise ashore through Camper & Nicholsons’ partner network, with the first villa project already underway. “Our clients see their yachts as part of a broader lifestyle,” Duck says. “They want continuity between sea and shore, so we’ve expanded our service to include residential projects as naturally as we approach yachts.”

Wherever a project takes shape, Viareggio remains the creative core. Its concentration of specialist artisans, from cabinetmakers and upholsterers to Carrara marble experts and custom furniture ateliers, gives the studio direct access to exceptional craftsmanship. “The strength of the region lies in its network,” Duck notes. “Proximity allows ideas to move quickly from design to prototype to finished piece.”

For owners, the advantages are clear: fewer interfaces, greater transparency, and one accountable partner guiding every stage of a project. “We want clients to feel supported from the first conversation to the first voyage. The new studio lets us do just that.”

In a market where projects often pass between separate hands, this approach closes the gap between imagination and build. The idea that starts the project is the one that reaches the water.

camperandnicholsons.com