Press Release
Alisiu Sail Yacht by Francisco Branco Receives the A' Design Award in Yacht and Marine Vessels Design
Francisco Branco recognized for yacht and marine vessels design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 21, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Alisiu Sail Yacht by Francisco Branco, designed for Dice, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Yacht and Marine Vessels Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the A' Design Award
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
About Alisiu Sail Yacht
Alisiu is a study, a dissertation on a new lifestyle, with the advent of global warming and the growing necessity for new alternatives, comes a new understanding of habitable space, one that presents technological advancements as the driving factor for ecofriendly solutions. Envisioned for sustainable living, it merges nautical heritage with contemporary aesthetics, offering seamless integration between user, vessel, and environment, like the Elysian Wind, it does so with elegance and tranquility.
About Francisco Branco
A multidisciplinary, Unipersonal Concept Design Practice focused on integrating biological principles into engineering solutions. Utilizing Design Methodologies as the primary problem solving framework and prioritizing the interface between human intuition and complex high-efficiency technical systems. The studio uses advanced 3D CAD software that enables real time, photoreal 3D environments, facilitating the development of integrative product and allowing for a more intuitive social integration with the natural world.
Award Record
With this recognition, Francisco Branco is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Yacht and Marine Vessels Design Award
The A' Yacht Design Award is an international yacht design competition recognizing good yacht designs by leading yacht designers and manufacturers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to yacht designers, naval engineers, marine vessel producers and yacht manufacturers from all countries. Entries typically include sailboats, motor yachts, catamarans, trimarans, superyachts and explorer yachts. Awarded yacht designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/yacht
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/176464
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/176464
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!176464
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/125086
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Alisiu Sail Yacht
- Function
- Sail Yacht
- Category
- Yacht and Marine Vessels Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Automotive and Luxury
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Lavender, Light Steel Blue, Gainsboro and Black
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Dice
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Francisco Branco
- Country
- Portugal
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #176464
Credits
- Image Credits
- Concept Designer Francisco Augusto, 2022
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Alisiu is simplicity, its upper deck is intended to expose sailors to the elements and doing so with ease of movement, clean lines that allow for a much more functional use of space, especially the modular, multifunction area composing the upper deck. Its sails integrate photovoltaic cells that power the system in its entirety, this includes rechargeable hyper batteries, retractable hydrofoil and desalination systems, making it completely self sustainable. By integrating structural materials like, carbon composites and advanced laminated glass, it was made possible to open windows that run from stern to bow, allowing interiors to adopt a new open space typology.
- Inspiration
- In the present era, our relation with our environment is undergoing considerable change, now more than ever, words like Sustainability, Privacy, Mobility, assume a much more center role in our every day lives, the growing necessary for peace of mind, for stability is the very reason why Alisiu came to be. Alisiu is a study, a reflection of its one epoch.
- Research
- An adaptive methodology was employed, permitting research to remain responsive to social feedback as to newly discovered data. Aligned with user expectations, optimal solutions were shaped true direct enthusiasts insights, driving required decisions to meet real word requirements. AI analysis of industry related information, allowed for a more efficient parsing of emerging sustainable technologies, materials and market directions. Real time 3D model interaction and prototyping enabled iterative validation of project choices, with emphasis on innovative, eco friendly sail yacht design.
- Challenge
- Significant technical challenges were encountered, particularly in designing and engineering the frame that would ensure structural integrity between all main elements, carbon frame, hull, mast, and Keel, this stage was by far the most challenging, once taking into account two lateral windows, which effectively divide the whole structure in half. Also, conceptualizing the Portuguese nautical heritage proved most demanding, it required developing a new visual language capable of binding together the traditional Yacht and its contemporary, seamlessly integrating it in all aspects that compose Alisiu narrative.
- Realization and Technology
- True an iterative process of research development and application, involving a continuous curation of the most innovative ideas, a concept originated. Using advanced 3D CAD software that enables photoreal 3D environments in real time, the best possible correlation between concept, project and end result was ensured. Integrating advanced composite materials, with technologies like CNC machining, carbon laying and carbon 3D printing were considered, driving technological production advancements to enable new design and engineering solutions, wile modern craftsmanship was the given choice to bring life into details.
- Operation and Interaction
- Designed for simple interaction, either true integrated navigation or simply by using a tablet, mobile phone interface, users can effortlessly command the entire vessel. It converts from a stationary docked state into a sailing state or stationary counter current state, using the 360 degree rotary water jet, no anchor required. Its sails automatically deploy for optimal performance, making it more energy efficient, and remarkably stable. This intelligent design and smart automation allow for a much more enjoyable, elegant, sailing experience.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in July 2022, finalized in March 2023 Torres Novas, Portugal, and exhibited on Behance, April 2023.
- Specifications
- Loa - 131ft, Bmax - 23ft, Dmt - 15.5ft, Freeboard: 11ft Hull - Monohull, Dry Weight: 72,820 kg Rig - Single Masted Sloop, Main Sail - 450.m2, Jib - 350m2, Furling - In Haul, Keel - Retractable Pod Based Hydrofoil, Engine - Doen Water Jets Kompakt Series DJ85.
- Keywords
- Eco-Friendly, Tech Savvy, Yacht Design, Modern Living, High-End Marine Design, High-End Engineering, Modern Craftsmanship, Sustainable Materials, Biopolymers,
