From cars to clocks and yachts: Milanese architect Lucio Micheletti jumps gallantly between scales and disciplines. In doing so, he always maintains a fresh perspective and creates beauty that is memorable.
A text by Norman Kietzmann
Architects don't just design buildings. Following the model of the Milan School, budding architects are trained on a broader basis. From the spoon to the city, this has been the credo since the 1950s. In other words: from the scale of product design to individual buildings to the dimensions of an entire neighbourhood or even beyond. What unites the objects is their orientation towards people. This is what matters, not specialisation in a single discipline. Lucio Micheletti's work shows that it is precisely in their overlaps that exciting things are created.
Born in Milan, he studied architecture at the Milan Polytechnic under Marco Zanuso and Achille Castiglioni, two greats of Italian design. In 1987, at the age of just 26, he opened his own studio, Micheletti + Partners. "I had an old Bakelite telephone that didn't ring. So I kept going back to see if it was broken because nobody was calling me. But little by little the orders came in and I divided the studio into two areas," says Lucio Micheletti in his office. In the field of architecture, the focus was on residential buildings and hotels. In the field of design, he headed towards the automotive industry, where he designed interiors for Zagato, the legendary design studio that specialises in visionary small series, one-offs and concept cars. Anything but standard is in demand here. "But at some point, the moment came when I felt that cars were limiting. There were still no electric cars that required a new design. So the design came to a standstill," explains Micheletti.
The change from the road to the sea
That's why he changed his mode of mobility and immersed himself in the yachting world in 2009. Here, too, the step happened organically, this time the phone actually rang. His mobile phone. "I was in Siberia for a new theatre and was commissioned by an owner to design the interior of his boat. The project had already started, and suddenly I found myself in a situation where I was working with Nauta Design on the Advanced 66," says the Milan native. The 20-metre sloop became his nautical training, the baptism in a new discipline. When the A66 was honoured as Yacht of the Year at the 50th Salone della Nautica in Genoa in 2011, Micheletti knew that he wanted to continue in this profession. He designed six interiors for Solaris and made his name heard even more in the industry. The first project was the design of the interior of the Solaris 42.
The Solaris 50 winning the European Yacht of the Year award in January 2016 was an important moment for the shipyard - just as it was for Studio Micheletti + Partners. "I worked on what I was used to in the automotive sector, namely perception. So it's not just about what really is, but about how something feels," says Lucio Micheletti. And there it is, this transfer between disciplines that seems so natural if you don't allow yourself to be pigeonholed. Lucio Micheletti develops a boat not as it has always been done, but as it should be. From his point of view - and therefore also that of an architect.
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In other words: on board a yacht, it's about more than just space. It's about space. And that needs to be experienced. Focal points are crucial. So are breaks, open spaces that allow the eyes to take a little breather before they can indulge in opulence again. "When we talk about luxury, we talk about quiet luxury," says the architect. He is not interested in bling-bling, but in sophistication. Tranquillity is the key. But much more than that: it requires another, even more precious commodity - grace.
Lucio Micheletti took part in the competition
The 43-metre one-off "Canova", built in 2019 for Baltic Yachts, is an almost exuberant example of this. Four years earlier, Micheletti came out on top in a competition between many yacht designers. The result: a sailor with grace. Luxury that doesn't shout. Comfort that welcomes you. Low furniture below deck to give a feeling of depth. Your gaze wanders outside through the large windows, visually bringing the sea into the interior. The idea of transparency has its roots in modern architecture, with Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier. To convince the initially somewhat sceptical designers at the shipyard, Micheletti chose a different example: he took a model of a Chrysler from the 1950s to the meeting.
"It had low windows and high doors. We transferred this principle to the yacht, except that the car doors are now the ship's side. And the low windows correspond to the deckhouse. I know that this is not correct from a sailing point of view. But it is precisely these narrow eyes that give 'Canova' her unmistakable profile," emphasises Lucio Micheletti. However, it's not just about the look from the outside, but also the perception from the inside. "Lines of sight, so that you can see the furthest point of the boat from one point, convey a sense of space. We also bring light into corners, which increases the volume. These are all things that are normal in architecture, but uncharted territory in the nautical world."
The biggest challenge? "Every boat has a secret soul. If you are good at bringing out this soul, then this boat stands out from all the others - with its own heart," Lucio Micheletti is convinced. However, this also means developing a different perspective with each project. "Before I studied architecture, I wanted to be a painter. But at some point my father told me to forget it because I wouldn't make it. But I persevered and went to a master called Eduardo Cruma, who taught me how to paint. He told me: "You can paint a beautiful picture - the problem is not to do it once, but to repeat it. After 'Canova' we really had a problem. How could we repeat ourselves? The boat was like fucking poetry."
Work for Nautor Swan deepens yacht focus
How did he get out of this predicament? Quite simply: he went one better. In 2020, Nautor Swan commissioned him to take over the exterior design of the Maxi line. This collaboration includes projects such as the 108, 88 and 80, but it is above all the Swan 128, launched in 2025, that captivates the senses with its striking, flowing contours. It was inspired by the streamline design of the 1930s. Even everyday products such as telephones were aerodynamically optimised at the time, as if they had to break through the air at high speed.
"There are no sterile lines. Instead, things convey the feeling of being optimised for the wind tunnel. This is also about the aspect of perception - in extreme dimensions," Lucio Micheletti is convinced. The contours of a boat must be recognisable. That's why he works on the hull shape all in white. He tends to remove details and leave what remains of the object. It's about the art of subtraction. If the form is perfect, colour can also be added as a distinguishing feature. But it doesn't have to, because the contours already serve as a distinguishing feature. "These are all gimmicks that increase the perceived quality and create a memory. So it's a whole system, an aesthetic language that helps you to identify the product: not as Micheletti + Partners, but as Nautor Swan or Baltic. In other words, we really get into the soul of the product," explains the architect.
How does this work? For one, the roof of the cabin superstructure is slightly slanted, like an accent that indicates the correct pronunciation of a vowel in Italian. On another boat, which was designed for lakes in Switzerland and northern Italy, the hull is reminiscent of a stylised wave. "Even when the boat is stationary, it should convey a feeling of speed. It's like the inflated bumpers of a Mercedes or Porsche, which are aerodynamically useless but suggest performance. In this case, this even applies when the boat is moored. That's why we called this aspect 'quay speed'," emphasises Micheletti.
Details that Lucio Micheletti pays attention to
What does beauty mean to him? "For me, it's well-being. Everything is connected. That's why it's important to achieve a balance. Well-being is highly individual, just like the perception of beauty." For him, this aspect goes far beyond the visible level. He once placed the engines of a yacht on so-called silent blocks. These are normally placed under loudspeaker boxes so that they emit less noise to the floor below. Here they ensure peace and quiet on board. "These are details of things that are often invisible. But they are essential for comfort on board. And comfort is what defines well-being and, in my eyes, beauty," explains Lucio Micheletti.
Art is still present for him. In 2012, Michele Sofisti, CEO of the Swiss watch manufacturer Girard-Perregaux, appointed him Art Director and let him work in all areas, from sales to watch faces. He created a series of drawings for Girard-Perregaux that were shown at the Venice Art Biennale in 2013. He is just as proud of this as he is of his cars and his numerous yachts and buildings. Things that are so different and yet fit together harmoniously. As we step out of the conference room after our conversation in the Milan studio, a familiar face appears. It is none other than Wally founder Luca Bassani. "We're building a house for him right now," says Lucio Micheletti as he passes by and says goodbye. And so everything comes together again: the land, the sea - and the beauty in the middle of it all.
