Holland America’s Latest Build Will Have a Fresh Design Approach

In 2016 Holland America Line will welcome a brand new ship to its fleet – ms Koningsdam. Marking a brand new era in design approach for the line, the ship will be the first in the Pinnacle class. A 2,650-guest ship, the ms Koningsdam will have an interior that blends fresh, contemporary styling with the line’s renowned classic elegance.

A first-look at select interior renderings on the ship can be found on the Holland America Line’s website. Over the coming months the story of the ship will unfold showing vibrant renderings, engaging videos, ship facts and more details about the interiors that have been created by Adam D Tihany and Bjorn Storbraaten. This will give future guests an advance look at the stunning interiors and will showcase the stunning new features along with Holland America Line’s classic hallmarks.

“When guests come aboard ms Koningsdam they’ll know they’re on a Holland America Line ship, but they’ll see we’re taking a forward-thinking approach to many of the design elements,” said Stein Kruse, CEO of Holland America Group.

Tihany is at the helm of the interior conceptualisation and is regarded as one of the world’s pre-eminent hospitality designers. He specialises in creating luxurious and creative interiors in some of the world’s most iconic properties. He aims to create public spaces on ms Koningsdam that reflect the tradition and elegance for which Holland America is known, while creating a more modern balance of the past, present and future.

The design will focus on fluid curves and graceful lines, airy spaces and a natural flow in the public areas. Tihany has been inspired by the “architecture of music”.

“The idea was to tell a story that guests can connect with throughout their voyage,” said Tihany. “I was inspired by the thought of what you might see from the inside of a musical instrument, what the architecture of the surfaces and the geometry look like.”

He hopes that guests will actively engage with the architecture rather than moving through it without noticing it. Like with musical instruments, he hopes the graceful lines, dramatic textures, lighting effects and use of materials will create majestic spaces that exaggerate the feeling of height, so guests feel the grandeur of every room.

At the heart of the ship will be a central atrium. Soaring three decks high, the space will incorporate an airy stainless-steel sculpture that represents the synthesis of a string quartet. The experience will change as guests move through it, so no two perspectives are alike; just like with music. The atrium will be topped with a skylight that makes a wonderful backdrop for the subtly changing high-definition projections. Guests can look up and see clouds during the day and starlit constellations at night.

Spanning two floors, the main dining room will be framed by views of the sea. The décor will be bright and modern to set the stage for the exciting culinary experiences set to be served on board. The soaring ceiling will be accentuated by strong, curved pillars. The ship is even getting its own custom made furnishings in chic, contemporary designs that will sit alongside modern glass lighting.

The Queen’s Lounge, which is iconic to the ship, has been completely redesigned as an elegant theatre and entertainment venue, spanning two floors. Tihany drew inspiration from music again to create the design for this room, with a nod to the curves of a violin and incorporating a lot of wood and light. State-of-the-art technology will enable the Queen’s Lounge to showcase world-class musicians and will house the largest dance floor on the ship.

Joining Tihany is architect and designer Bjorn Storbraaten whose previous work on ms Eurodam and ms Nieuw Amsterdam, means he is well schooled in producing familiar yet innovative style to ships. He aims to add continuity to the brand of ms Koningsdam, whilst taking elegance to a new level.

Storbraaten’s eye is clearly present in the design of the central pool area. Spanning two levels, The Magrodome, will be a vast glass-enclosed space. The lower level will be more traditional, while the mezzanine level will be innovative and totally new to the Holland America Line’s brand. Storbraaten is also designing the line’s Pan-Asian restaurant – Tamarind. His focus for the design is water, wood, fire and earth.

The ms Koningsdam is set to be an evolution of the Holland America Line’s brand, thanks to Tihany and Storbraaten and even more exciting and innovative features are still yet to be released via the company’s website. Early season premier itineraries will be revealed in the coming weeks, in advance of these first ms Koningsdam sailings opening for booking on Dec 1.

Images sourced via Flickr Creative Commons. Credits: Roger Wollstadt