Name: Tam Elder 
Company: H2 Yacht Design
Position within company: Project Director
Website: www.h2yachtdesign.com
Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc).
Bachelor & Graduate Diploma degrees of Industrial Design from QUT (Australia)
1 year shipyard design experience (Azzura Marine, Australia)
10 years design & project management experience with 11 total projects (8 delivered) at a total combined LOA of 759m (H2 yacht design)
What direction do you feel design is moving towards in general terms?
Interiors are moving away from traditional ‘yachty’ interiors and towards a residential & minimal feeling with the ability to be flexible using loose furniture. Exterior themes have been moving toward a more ‘explorer’ and purposeful layouts taking into account larger numbers of guest
Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2018 and beyond.
– Texture
– Tones
– Usability
– Interaction
– Value engineering
Where do you feel yacht and aviation design is going in terms of schemes?
The answer to this is unique to every project and every client. However, when we are asked to produce a ‘spec’ boat we lean toward bold finishes and tones
What projects are you currently working on?
– Alpha Yachts 125
– AES 73m Victoria
– REV Explorer Vessel
If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design schemes, what would it be?
Be bold & adventurous but always design for your client and not for yourself
What products/services could you not live without when designing?
Pinterest, AutoCAD, photoshop, pen & paper!
How important are The International Yacht and Aviation Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?
They offer another important platform to share accolades amongst this prestigious industry
What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
Continue to deliver projects on time to satisfied and excited clients
Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself:
Your favourite place to travel to in the world?
Sicily/south coast of Turkey/Australia
Your most treasured possession?
Porsche 911
Your favourite hotel, restaurant and bar?</strong>
Ace Hotel, NY/The fat duck/anything local
Your favourite food and drink?
Everything Italian & Negroni/spritz
The place that enables you to totally relax?
Sailing on the south coast of Turkey
The place that gives you most inspiration?
The contrast of architecture in London
Anything final thoughts?
Every client is equally important as without their vision for creating these amazing projects and inviting us to work on them we wouldn’t have an industry at all.