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Gracious and glazed from waterline to sundeck, the first Azimut Grande 30M is a study in ingenuity, perfecting the floating terrace and Glass House skylounge in a package that conveys barefoot luxury.
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Getting on board the Azimut Grande 30M Crystal III during the Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 was a feat in itself, so popular was this latest model. After scampering across the passerelle and onto the Deck2Deck Terrace that transforms the transom door into a cantilevered leisure space, I could see why the 28.69-metre Grande 30M has been a sensation.
Hailed as an evolutionary leap in the luxury yacht line, the 95-footer is part of Azimut’s Low Emission Yacht family. It’s the first model to feature the new MTU propulsion system from Rolls-Royce with pod drives, giving a 15-percent increase in efficiency, reduced fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. The carbon-fibre-enhanced GRP hull and superstructure reduce the vessel’s overall weight and contribute to better performance.
The first collaboration between Alberto Mancini for exteriors and m2atelier interiors, Crystal III was built for experienced Azimut owners, who were immediately smitten with the concept. After Cannes, the owners planned to spend the rest of the season aboard, enjoying the Med before Crystal III was transported to their home port of Hong Kong.
On board, the Deck2Deck terrace is impressive and inviting – a sun-drenched verandah extension to the cockpit with sublime water views. The undercover aft deck adjacent features twin lounges and an expandable table. A bulkhead on each side serves as a handy benchtop with storage below. Similar structures are echoed on the upper deck, where there are wing stations that assist in practical manoeuvring.
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Perfectly embodying the indoor-outdoor fluidity of the design ethos, glass sliding doors open completely, with no steps between the cockpit and saloon. Here, her 7.3-metre beam can be seen to best advantage. Full-height windows and low-profile furniture ensure the views take centre stage, while to port there’s a long-line lounge and, opposite, two minimalist- style chairs and a nest of side tables. Storage takes the form of built-in cabinets beneath the windows plus cupboards concealed behind panelling on each side of the pantograph doors. Starboard, the TV folds down from the ceiling.
On a base of beige and grey furniture, light oak flooring and a turquoise tint in cushions and accessories, m2atelier has used materials, natural light, organic sculptural forms and curved shapes redolent of Mid-Century Modern in a fresh, contemporary way. With eye-pleasing form and space-saving function, this is easy living at its most refined.
The parquetry flooring forms a point, converging at the plectrum-shaped dining table – an intriguing design that seems the ideal arrangement for social occasions. The paling feature wall – a characteristic of the Grande series and a dynamic backdrop through which the staircases are just visible – conveys the philosophy of creating comfort and interest through subtle geometry.
This is the epitome of the barefoot luxury concept, developed by m2atelier for Azimut – a new stylistic language that, the designers state, “reflects the vision of a new generation of owners, drawn to an informal and authentic lifestyle on board.” In other words, all the luxury, less bling.
The Milan-based design studio was founded by Marco Bonelli and Marijana Radovic, who have a firm foundation in architectural, retail and residential design. They penned the Grande 36M, the Grande Trideck and the Grande 44M, the brand’s four-deck 499-gt flagship that will launch in time for the September 2026 boat-show season.
Bonelli defines the barefoot luxury rationale as details such as varied textures, precious materials and carefully considered pieces that don’t overwhelm but rather whisper. And it must be said that the sum of the subtleties combines into a soothing whole. The saloon is a space for quiet reflection as much as for rowdy family fun.
On the staircases themselves, leading to the upper deck and down to the accommodation, the floating treads are made of Palissandro Blue marble backlit by LED strip lighting. There are no risers, a design choice that maximises the feeling of space and maintains the transverse view.
Palissandro Blue marble is a highly prized natural stone quarried in Italy, of course, with veining that resembles brushstrokes, and m2atelier has used it in flooring and as decorative panels in the ceiling above the stairwell for an effect that is both ensconcing and mesmerising. Rather than mere substrates, they are works of art, created by using lightweight marble panels over a beehive structure for reinforcement.
“The surfaces of the boat are actually very matte, and have few back-painted glass surfaces,” the designers comment.
“Only the windows have reflective portals in order to reflect and increase the light from outside as much as possible.”
Forward, past the technical room and day head, is the galley. Compared with the flashy show galleys of many vessels this size, it’s a compact commercial kitchen, attributed to being crew-operated and prioritising guests and their onboard experience. Designed
for the professional chef, there’s ample preparation space, top-notch Miele appliances and storage in every nook and cranny.
At the bow is the full-beam owner’s stateroom, which m2atelier completely redesigned, building on their efforts with the Trideck and 36M models. “The redesign was as much about architecture, not just decor, so we changed the layout of the master cabin and how it flows, which we’re proud of,” they state.
The owner’s cabin is imbued with a casual, contemporary layout and a shared ensuite as opposed to the his-and-hers ensuite design and separate dressing room found on previous models. Separated from the rest of the main deck by a sliding door, the suite features a private lobby lined with cupboards leading into the main cabin. Large windows, white ceiling, smooth cabinetry devoid of hardware and minimal decoration combine to form a peaceful retreat.
The centreline bed continues the soft geometric edges found throughout the vessel, while the mini saloon area to port comprises a single oval chair and side table; on the starboard side, there’s a desk/vanity with ottoman seat. The smoky-hued mirrored surfaces, including the TV, add to the sense of space and light. Access to the ensuite – which is every bit a luxurious sanctuary with its recessed LED lighting, marble, trough-style double basin, shower and partitioned toilet – is via a single, starboard-side entrance.
In addition to the owner’s cabin, there are four guest suites on the lower deck – two double staterooms and two twins – each designed with the same masterful formula of quality materials used sparingly. A captain’s cabin with ensuite, two crew cabins with a shared bathroom, and a crew galley/mess round out the layout.
From the main deck, the top level can be accessed via portside stairs on deck, or the central stair inside. Ascending into sunlight, the walkaround Infinity Skydeck, as it’s termed, is the dazzling main attraction.
In a stroke of practical and aesthetic genius, Mancini has enhanced the skydeck feature from previous models – the skylounge is reimagined as what Azimut calls a Glass House, with fully retractable floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides that open to transform the space into a pavilion, treating guests to 360-degree views and sea breezes.
It’s a versatile space with two sofas, a table, bar and entertainment system, and could easily convert into a cosy movie room or accommodation for extra guests. Aft is a sundeck with an array of sunpads and three sunlounges, while forward is the cherry on top – a foredeck with infinity pool and enough lounges for the entire entourage.
The wheelhouse is located forward of the Glass House. As practical and spartan as the other crew zones on board, the dash is kitted out in Raymarine and there’s a smoked-glass display behind the helm station. A lounge and table set-up is ideal for the captain’s charts and equipment, or as a comfy spot for guests curious about the course.
According to official data, the fuel capacity on the Grande 30M is 12,000 litres, which delivers a range of approximately 613 nautical miles at a cruise speed of 13.2 knots, while at a faster cruise of 24 knots, the range is around 376 nautical miles.
The broad appeal of this new model is evident in its sales so far. Before its launch in August 2025, Azimut had pre-sold eight units of the Grande 30M, and it has added many more sales since.
“This is not a niche product,” confirms Federico Armentaro, Azimut’s sales representative in the Middle East and Asia- Pacific, who was in Sydney to attend the 2025 Sydney International On-Water Boat Show with local distributor Short Marine.
“It offers five huge cabins, flexibility in design and customisation, and of course, the innovative features of the Infinity Skydeck and the Deck2Deck Terrace.
“The Grande 30M is proving incredibly popular,” he continues. “It is big enough but not too heavy, a family home with not too many crew. It will have tremendous appeal with owners in the US, Europe, the United Arab Emirates, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In fact, Azimut will double the moulds to increase production.
“But, most of all,” he concludes, “it’s about peace and relaxation – the feeling you have on board and how it resonates with you.”
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