“A yacht is not a product to be assembled — it is a work of art to be composed.”
I have always believed that a yacht is not a product to be assembled, but a work of art to be composed. Every line, every proportion, every reflection of light on a hull carries intention. This is the belief that DRAFTXL was built on, and it is the lens through which I approach every commission.
A yacht is a sculpture that moves
The exterior of a yacht is sculpture — a form that has to feel inevitable from every angle, whether seen from the quay, from the water, or from the air. The interior is atmosphere — the way light falls across a material, the way a space makes you feel the moment you step aboard. My work is to give both a single, confident design language, so that a yacht feels like one idea rather than a collection of decisions.
Imagination should run ahead of technology
Over years of designing yachts from 5 to 68 metres — for leading studios in France and the Netherlands, and now through my own studio — I have learned that the most memorable vessels begin where the rules end. A designer’s imagination should surpass technology, break the mould and set the direction for what is possible. Technology should serve the vision, not limit it.
From the first sketch
Every project begins with a pencil. A concept sketch is where the soul of a yacht is decided, long before any render. I hold on to that hand-drawn honesty through the whole process — from sketch, to three-dimensional development, to the finished design — because it keeps the emotion in the work.
Why I stay a creative studio
Many studios promise everything: exterior, interior, naval architecture, engineering. I made a different choice. DRAFTXL specialises in the creative half — the artistic exterior and interior design that gives a yacht its character. For naval architecture and engineering, I bring in the best partners, chosen specifically for each yacht’s type and purpose, so the vision is realised without compromise. It keeps my studio focused on what it does best: creating beauty.
An invitation
If you are an owner with a vision, or a shipyard or studio looking for a distinctive creative partner, I would love to design with you. Every yacht I take on is one I want people to fall in love with. You can request a design or explore how we collaborate.
Artist & Design Director, DRAFTXL
Andrzej Starużyk is the Artist & Design Director and founder of DRAFTXL. Trained in Yacht and Transport Design at Coventry University in England and in Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology in Poland, he has designed yachts from 5 to 68 metres for leading studios in France and the Netherlands.…