53.8 Meters / 776 Gross Tonnes / Built by Delta Marine

Motoryacht Arianna was one of the most rewarding and technically ambitious projects undertaken during my tenure as Senior Designer and Creative Director at Delta Marine. Custom-built in 2012, she was at the time of delivery the largest all-composite, full-displacement motor yacht in the world — a remarkable milestone for Delta and a testament to the engineering and design ambition that defined the project.

The brief was a deeply personal one. The original owner wanted something that felt nothing like a conventional superyacht — not a hotel at sea, but a genuine home on the water, warm and livable for multiple generations of family. That vision shaped every design decision, from the overall arrangement down to the smallest detail.

The complete interior design was my responsibility — including space planning, material and finish selection, custom furniture design, artwork curation, and furnishing selection throughout. The result was a "Pacific Rim" ambiance built around tropical hardwoods, macassar ebony, wenge, and koa on a soft cream palette, with bespoke furniture pieces including a solid-slab dining table with natural unfinished edges and hand-blown glass lighting. The arrangement dedicates the entire main deck to family entertainment, with the owner's full-beam private apartment situated on the bridge deck.

When the vessel changed hands in 2015 and was renamed Helios 3, her new owner returned her to Delta for an ambitious 18-month refit and hull extension. I was once again placed in charge of the design, guiding the creative direction of a project that opened up and reimagined the exterior deck spaces to match the warmth and generosity of the original interior. It was a rare opportunity to revisit and evolve a design I knew intimately — and by all accounts, she came out looking better than new.

Design credit is retained by Delta Marine. This project is presented here as part of Christian Oliver's professional portfolio, reflecting the caliber and scope of work produced during his 18-year role leading design at one of America's most respected custom yacht builders.