At the helm of VZ Interiors Architecture, Valentina Zannier talks openly about her loves and passions: family, work, animals, ballet
by Olimpia De Casa
Valentina Zannier, an established professional in the field of architecture and interior design, exudes taste, class and style from every pore. The love of beauty, in its highest and most complete sense, and of what is well made, well understood, well conceived, well developed and coherently realised, is strongly expressed in her works, as is the solidity of her values, the sensitivity of her soul, the intimacy of her passions and loves. “For my family, to whom I am very attached, and for my beloved Van Gogh, a reddish Maine Coon, hence the name, who is now ten years old and weighs nine kilos, a heavenly creature with whom I am incredibly in love”.
«AHPO (now Lady Jorgia), a 115-metre gigayacht launched by Lürssen in 2021, which I would describe as a “majestic” project, at the pinnacle of detail, precious materials, decoration and research. A project that has involved more than five years of work and a total commitment on my part».
Driven, it must be said, by the same feeling, I ask her what it means to live with Van Gogh in a city like Venice. “Very intense, vibrant, fulfilling and sometimes challenging because of the amount of hair he leaves everywhere and his tendency to escape. For many years he did not leave the house because he was running away, curious to discover what other roofs and terraces were hiding”. Her relationship with Van Gogh reveals a love of cats, but not only. “I am an animal activist, a vegetarian, I support associations all over the world. I would do anything for animals and I think I will continue to work for them in my old age. Another interest I’ve always had is ballet. It takes time, but I haven’t had enough time to practise it as much as I would have liked”. These passions evoke images of seductive beauty, the same ones that echo in Valentina Zannier’s interior design studies. Interestingly, she grew up in a very artistic family. “I have always been nourished by art. I would have liked to dedicate myself professionally to something more related to that world than the purely technical world of architecture”.
What changed your mind? Discussions with my family. My parents wanted me to have the opportunity to work, and a degree in architecture would certainly have opened up more opportunities for me than an arts or humanities education would ever have. I took up the challenge with determination, so much so that I started working in an architectural practice before I had even finished my degree. I wanted to be ready for the world of work without having to waste time on various sabbaticals trying in vain to “find my way”.
Looking at the “beautiful” and “well-done” things she has achieved so far, it is clear that Valentina Zannier, who was born in Treviso and lived there for thirty-five years before moving to Venice, where she has now lived for fourteen years, has approached each project with great skill, determination and boundless passion. These are the qualities she has developed in over twenty-two years of collaboration with Carlo Nuvolari and Dan Lenard, with whom she has created many of the most innovative projects of all time. “I had heard that they were looking for someone with a ‘good hand’, because in those days computer rendering was out of the question. We had fax machines and email was in its infancy. So I started as a simple graphics assistant. Over the years, I was given the opportunity to work on important projects and prove that I had the creativity they needed at the time. Then came the collaboration that lasted for sixteen years and the autonomy that was gained thanks to their trust, but also thanks to the success of some of the projects we worked on together”. With the opening of VZ Interiors Architecture in 2023, in the very heart of San Polo, Venice, this journey towards autonomy has obviously meant moving away from a very solid reality, which at the same time is very much identified with its founders.
«DAR, A 90-METRE OCEANCO GIGAYACHT WITH EXTERIOR BY LUIZ DE BASTO, HAS ALSO GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MYSELF. DELIVERED IN 2018, SHE CAN BE DESCRIBED AS TIMELESS, WELL DECORATED BUT IN MODERATION, ABLE TO SATISFY MANY TASTES».
Speaking of the stage, how did the desire to “dance alone” come about? I will always be grateful to Carlo and Dan for giving me the opportunity to work on incredible projects, but the time had come to create something of my own.
With regard to the client, how important is it for the success of the project to be able to empathise with the client? My work requires a very important human component. Especially in the early stages, I don’t think designers should impose themselves, but rather listen carefully to better understand the client’s vision. To move the relationship forward, it is essential to transform the input, often accompanied by photographs, drawings, travel stories or experiences, into something that makes complete stylistic sense. Time spent with the owners, perhaps even drawing with them, is always time well spent. Then there is the human relationship. For example, I usually talk to the ladies who are usually in charge of the interiors and furnishings. Our dialogue is therefore usually facilitated by the sharing of sensitivities and perceptions.
Architect Zannier continues to sketch the shapes, leaving the digital rendering to her collaborators. “During my first ten years at the Nuvolari Lenard studio, everything was done by hand. The drawings, which were extraordinary, looked more like paintings than tools in the strict sense of the word”. Masterpieces of art, you might think… “You have to offer exclusivity, solutions that have never been seen before. You achieve this level of customisation by employing talents capable of developing individual details to perfection”. The designer’s personal research is an important part of this teamwork. “It is crucial to be able to research and focus on very specific things. Designing a superyacht involves many different worlds, including carpentry, lighting and leather, to name but a few. Working with experts who can develop the full potential of use, decoration and performance opens up an incredibly wide panorama of stimuli”.
«BENETTI’S PROJECT ORO, AN 85 METRE GIGAYACHT. AS FOR THE INTERIORS, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT THEY ARE REMARKABLY DETAILED AND AT THE SAME TIME FRESH, CONTEMPORARY AND ELEGANTLY UNDERSTATED».
What else does a modern ship owner want? Openings to the sea, natural light, direct connections between inside and outside. Compared to the 2000s, boats have become much less formal in terms of layout. This trend is linked to the fact that owners are younger, used to large homes and have an innate desire to enjoy real, direct contact with the outdoors. I also think it is more consistent to offer them interiors that are closely related to the characteristics of a floating and sailing object, rather than maritime replicas of mansions or lofts in Central Park. This does not detract from the recreation of large spaces and immense glass openings, but one must be careful to emphasise the structures rather than hide them to make them resemble those of a house. In naval architecture, we should draw on the extraordinary heritage of the great ships of the past. I am thinking of the transatlantic liners, exceptional examples that taught us how to make interiors.
What would you say if I asked you to name the project that is closest to your heart? I would say at least three. Definitely Dar (a 90-metre Oceanco with exterior by Luiz De Basto, ed), which also gave me the opportunity to express myself. Delivered in 2018, she can be described as timeless, well decorated but in moderation, able to satisfy many tastes. Then there is AHPO (now Lady Jorgia), the 115-metre yacht to be launched by Lürssen in 2021, which I would describe as a “majestic” project, at the pinnacle of detail, precious materials, decoration and research. Nuvolari Lenard designed both the exterior and the interior of this project, which took more than five years of work and total commitment on my part. The management of these interiors required total dedication and an almost permanent presence on board during the last three months of work.
photo credit Andrea Muscatello by Barche.
The third job? Benetti’s Progetto Oro, an 85-metre gigayacht. As for the interiors, I can only say that they are remarkably detailed and at the same time fresh, contemporary and elegantly understated. Can I add a fourth?
Yes, sure. CRN M/Y 139 Project Njoy, a 72 metre yacht with a top secret interior that the yard has built to perfection. I consider it a “mini Ahpo” because this yacht embodies fantastic execution. I also mention it for the wonderful adventure I had with the owner, who was able to stimulate my creativity by challenging me every day to research, experiment and create. It is a project that has allowed me to spend a good part of my recent life with the owners, sharing dinners, trips and precious time.
«MY BELOVED VAN GOGH, A GINGER MAINE COON, HENCE THE NAME, WHO IS NOW TEN YEARS OLD AND WEIGHS NINE POUNDS, IS A HEAVENLY CREATURE WITH WHOM I’M INCREDIBLY IN LOVE».
What more can be said, except that Van Gogh’s sunflowers are definitely ready to seek the sun, to open up, to be illuminated and warmed by the emotion, elegance and harmony that Valentina Zannier’s work will bring to her and to those who wish to appreciate its essence and result.
(Valentina Zannier – Drawing nourishment from art – Barchemagazine.com – Excerpted from Barche, November 2024)
