Feadship unveils 115-metre HIVE concept, rethinking superyacht life around shared spaces
The Dutch builder's largest concept design centres on a vast four-deck atrium and reimagines the bridge to free up space for the owner.
Feadship has unveiled HIVE, a 115-metre concept design presented during the Monaco Yacht Show this week.
The concept emerged from collaboration between designers at Studio De Voogt and Feadship’s naval architects, informed by conversations with finalists from the Boat International Young Designer of the Year competition. The design process began not with traditional yacht arrangements, but by imagining how a fictional family of four would actually spend their time on board—the same approach Feadship takes with every custom commission.
The Central Atrium
At the heart of HIVE lies a four-deck void. On the main deck it functions as a large saloon, performance space or gathering hall, with curved staircases above connecting to balconies and smaller viewing areas. Service spaces and storage allow this central void to transform for different purposes, from everyday family routines to events and large assemblies, with terraces on both sides opening to the water.
The concept takes its name and organising logic from the hive itself: many different activities coexisting around a shared centre. Influence also came from the social character of 1930s Parisian salons, treating the gathering place as a hub around which residents pursue their own interests rather than as a collection of separate stacked rooms.
Owner’s Deck and Forward Redesign
HIVE introduces a virtual command centre that frees forward sections of the superstructure for owner accommodation and an observation lounge. Cameras and sensors supply navigation information, while retractable glass wing stations allow direct views outside during tight maneuvering.
The owner’s quarters include a 20-metre pool fitted with Feadship’s ContraWave™ technology. The observation lounge above it features a roof that retracts, opening views of the night sky.
Other Living Spaces
A two-storey beach lounge connects to dining at water level that seats 24 or more. The foredeck houses a circular library enclosed in glass, which opens onto a secluded garden. Throughout, extensive glazing and integrated terraces link the different levels visually rather than emphasising the divisions between conventional decks.
Power and Propulsion
The power architecture rests on three 900 kW generators with variable-speed permanent-magnet motors burning HVO, paired with fuel cells and a 5 MWh lithium-ion battery pack—roughly five times the battery capacity of the superyacht Savannah relative to the battery-room footprint. For zero-emission running, the vessel can switch to either solid oxide fuel cells rated at 75 kW each (seven units) or PEM fuel cells at 250 kW apiece (nine units) paired with a methanol reformer, according to Feadship.
At a cruise speed of 12 knots, HIVE covers 9,500 nautical miles on HVO fuel or 5,000 nautical miles on methanol. Voith Schneider Propellers deliver omnidirectional thrust without the need for conventional rudders, allowing precise maneuvering and quiet operation.
Concept to Reality
Feadship has been developing concept designs since 2006 to investigate how shifting lifestyles and new technologies might reshape yachting’s future. Several ideas first tested in these studies have subsequently appeared on delivered vessels, among them hybrid propulsion and novel structural uses of glass.
The builder emphasises that HIVE was developed with feasibility in mind, drawing on technologies already in existence or under active development rather than speculative science. The company is showing HIVE privately at the Monaco Yacht Show’s House of Feadship, where invited guests can view a scale model and speak directly with the design team about the concept.
This article was compiled by the CityLifeBytes editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
