Cristiano Gatto: The yacht designer, owners rep and founder of a new exterior furniture line

“Born and raised in Venice, I’ve always felt that the bond between humans and boats is innate - a connection forged from the very beginning,” remarks designer Cristiano Gatto. Few in the industry can claim such a distinctive creative path - from studying as a sculptor at Venice’s Academy of Art to designing both the interiors and exteriors of yachts, while also holding the rare dual role of designer and owner’s representative. 

Gatto has worked on both the exterior and interior design of many high-profile yacht projects for shipyards around the world, including Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UAE. SuperYacht Times sat down with Cristiano Gatto to discuss the evolution of his career, his holistic approach to interior and exterior yacht design, his transition to an owner’s representative and his latest ventures; including upcoming yacht projects and the launch of a dedicated line of exterior furniture.

Gatto’s global journey in yacht design

From the early stages of his career, Cristiano Gatto pursued an international path, seeking to learn from different shipbuilding cultures, rather than remaining rooted solely in Italy. “I always tried to go around the world because especially in the beginning, I wanted to learn how others do it,” he highlights.

His journey took him from Italy to the United States with Palmer Johnson and later to shipyards in Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Germany and Spain. Working across diverse regions, Gatto encountered a wide variety of technical approaches and construction philosophies. “Humans are still the most important part of the process,” he reflects. “Wherever you go, you meet people with different experiences who offer different technical solutions.” 

For Gatto, integrating his Italian and Venetian sensibility with the distinct methods of other cultures has consistently led to stronger results. “It’s like genetics - when you combine different things, you become richer,” he says. This open-minded philosophy underpins his long-standing collaboration with Dutch builder Heesen Yachts, with whom he has worked on over a dozen projects winning multiple awards. The combination of Italian creativity and Dutch technical precision, he notes, produces a unique synergy: “None of the approaches are wrong - but when combined, they create something even better.”

Bridging interior and exterior: A holistic approach to yacht design

Throughout his career, Cristiano Gatto has developed an unusually holistic approach to yacht design, combining proficiency across both interiors and exteriors. As he explains, the benefits of mastering both disciplines are significant, allowing a designer to control three essential elements: the way people move through the yacht, the use of space, and the way natural light is introduced into the interior.

“I think that modern design is about giving an experience,” Gatto explains. “If you are able to control the design, you can control that experience - making sure it feels connected, without barriers. From the moment you see the object, to when you walk inside and around it, it should all flow as one.”

This integration, he notes, helps to avoid the disconnect that can occur when interiors and exteriors are designed separately - a common pitfall when different specialists are involved. “Sometimes the combination with the exterior architect is very collaborative,” he says. “But other times, there’s a different perception of reality and you can feel the disconnection between what you experience inside and what you experience outside.”

Expanding the role: From designer to owner’s representative

In addition to his work as a designer, Gatto has increasingly taken on the role of owner’s representative - a development that, he says, grew organically out of long-term client relationships, rather than through deliberate planning. “When you gain a little white hair, you become a bit more trustworthy!” he jokes. Clients who had worked with him over the years began asking him to assist not only with design, but also with managing the broader construction process.

Acting as an owner’s representative requires overseeing budgets, timelines, and technical compliance - balancing creative vision with practical execution. “You can design the most beautiful object, but if it’s out of budget or doesn’t meet the technical requirements, it’s worthless,” Gatto says. “Clients don’t pay for fancy renders - they pay to feel an emotion onboard.”

Every decision, he notes, must carefully balance three critical elements: weight, time and capital. Weight, in this context, refers not only to the physical mass of the yacht and its components - which impacts performance, stability and regulatory compliance - but also to the technical discipline required to ensure a project remains viable. Managing these factors, Gatto affirms, strengthens trust not only with clients, but also with shipyards, who recognise that he understands the full complexity of construction.

Future yacht projects and launch of the exterior furniture collection for superyachts: 

Looking ahead, Gatto’s studio is preparing for a particularly active period, with five new yachts scheduled for delivery by 2026. These include the Majesty 160 and Majesty 145 for Gulf Craft, the 49.98-metre Heesen superyacht Project Sophia, the 57-metre Heesen superyacht Project Setteesettanta, and the 39.92-metre Van der Valk motor yacht Project Evo, where he will be collaborating with SFG Yacht Design on the exterior and designing the interior.

In addition, Gatto is preparing to unveil a long-anticipated development: his first dedicated line of exterior yacht furniture. Designed exclusively for clients of his studio, the collection reflects decades of experience working across yacht interiors and exteriors. “I tried to combine everything I’ve learned over the last 30 years into a series of collections,” he explains. “It’s like the cherry on the cake.”

Unlike conventional home furniture adapted for marine use, Gatto’s designs are purpose-built for the demands of yachting - balancing weight, volume and durability without compromising on aesthetics. Developed over six years, with three years of prototyping, the main furniture collection is produced primarily in Italy and Austria under the new brand Onde. Complementing this, Onde Atelier will focus on upholstery and soft furnishings - including cushions, linens, and related accessories - supported by a newly founded facility connected to his studio.

For Gatto, this new venture is not about mass production, but about offering a true extension of his design vision. “If people trust you to design their yacht, it’s your responsibility to deliver every detail properly,” he concludes. “It’s about finishing the project with the same spirit as the rest of the design - not just selling furniture.”