Interview with Anton Kroshechkin

At my core, I am a deeply creative person, and this inner creative drive is what motivates me every single day. For as long as I can remember, I have experienced the world through visuals, shapes, and colors. Becoming a designer was the most natural way to channel this intense creative energy into something tangible, functional, and meaningful.What motivates me most is the unique power of design to change reality. It gives me the ability to take an abstract idea, a dream, or a spark of imagination, and transform it into a real physical object or space that people can interact with. For a creative mind, there is no greater fulfillment than seeing your artistic vision merge with complex engineering to create something beautiful, comfortable, and useful for human life. Design allows me to keep creating without any boundaries, converting pure passion into solutions that elevate the everyday human experience.

I believe that a truly good design is defined by three fundamental pillars: functionality, justification, and attractiveness. For me, these are the exact criteria I use to evaluate any design.First, it must be fully functional and ergonomic; if an object or space fails to perform its primary purpose seamlessly, its design cannot be called successful. Second, it must have clear justification—every line, every material, and every choice made by the designer must serve a rational reason and solve a specific problem rather than being just a random decoration. Finally, it must be visually attractive and evoke an emotional response. When a project perfectly balances these three elements, it transcends mere utility and becomes a timeless masterpiece that naturally improves the user's life.

Dieter Rams is undeniably the main figure at the very top of my inspiration list. For me, he is the ultimate master who truly understands form, visual honesty, and the purity of design. His core philosophy of "less, but better" is a timeless guide.In my view, achieving simplicity and functional clarity is the hardest task for any creator, especially when designing massive, structurally complex transportation objects like superyachts. Rams taught the design world to strip away the unnecessary noise and focus on what truly matters to the user.

My favorite designs span different industries, but they all share a rare qualities: unforgettable identity, profound character, or absolute functional clarity.The Works of Dieter Rams: His creations for Braun are the gold standard of industrial design. I admire them because they prove that true beauty lies in visual honesty, strict discipline, and stripping away everything that is unnecessary.Motor Yacht 'A' and Sailing Yacht 'A' by Philippe Starck: In the maritime world, these two vessels are absolute masterpieces. I love them because Starck completely rejected traditional yacht stereotypes. He created radical, futuristic monuments that reshaped the entire history of superyacht design.Lamborghini Aventador Coupé LP700-4 (Matte Black): Filippo Perini's work on this car is a masterclass in aggressive, sharp aerodynamics. I love it because the design feels incredibly powerful, precise, and fast even when the car is completely stationary.The Darth Vader Costume from Star Wars (by John Mollo and Ralph McQuarrie): This is a phenomenal example of character and costume design. It uses a bold silhouette and contrasting materials to instantly evoke deep emotions and create a timeless, commanding cinematic icon.

If I hadn't become a designer, I would have fully dedicated myself to being a fine artist. Painting, drawing, and graphic art have always been essential parts of my soul and daily life. I would pursue creating art that sparks deep emotional and visual dialogues with people. In fact, I am already active in this field, and you can explore some of my artworks in well-known online galleries such as Saatchi Art and Fine Art America. For me, art and design are two branches of the same creative tree, so even without design, my life would completely revolve around creation and visual expression.

The projects that bring me the greatest satisfaction are my superyacht and explorer yacht concepts. Each of them represents a milestone in my creative evolution, and I am incredibly proud to have shared these visions with the global design world. My absolute favorites include:Count Stroganov (70m): My graduation explorer yacht project, named in honor of my academy's heritage, where my deep passion for maritime design fully matured.RAVEN (65m), Golden Arrow (90m), and ROCK (120m): Projects where I pushed the boundaries of aerodynamics, scale, and innovative spatial layouts.SEAMAID (124m): A concept focused on ultimate elegance and seamless integration with the marine environment.WHITE DRAGON (150m): My award-winning megayacht concept, which represents the pinnacle of my current work, merging fluid mythical energy with advanced engineering.

My ultimate passion and primary focus is yacht and superyacht design. I am deeply fascinated by the maritime world because a vessel is one of the most complex objects to design—it requires balancing strict naval architecture with ultimate comfort. However, I don't limit my creativity to just one industry. The philosophy behind my work is universal: design must always be created for people, making their lives fascinating, beautiful, and ergonomically comfortable.This human-centric approach allows me to expand my horizons. While superyachts remain my priority, I am equally inspired to apply my skills to designing motorcycles, interiors, everyday consumer products, or furniture. No matter the scale—whether it is a massive explorer yacht or a piece of home furniture—my goal is to ensure that engineering and aesthetics merge seamlessly, creating a space or object that is truly functional and joyful for people to live in and interact with.

It is impossible for me to name just one single design, as my inspiration comes from a synthesis of absolute functional purity and powerful emotional forms. If I had to highlight what shapes my design worldview, it would be a unique combination of five masterworks:First, Dieter Rams. For me, he is the ultimate icon of form, clarity, and design integrity. His philosophy of "less, but better" is the foundation of good design. On the other end of the spectrum, I am deeply inspired by design with a powerful character and bold geometry, such as the Lamborghini Aventador Coupé LP700-4 in matte black, and the iconic Darth Vader costume from Star Wars—both are masterclasses in creating a commanding, unforgettable visual presence.I also find immense inspiration in traditional Chinese dragon sculptures, where fluid, organic, and mythical motion is carved into physical form. Finally, in my own field, I greatly admire the radical avant-garde vision of the Motor Yacht 'A' and Sailing Yacht 'A'. They completely broke maritime stereotypes and proved that a yacht can be a monument of modern art. My favorite design is the intersection of all these worlds: where Rams' purity meets the fluid energy of a dragon and the bold, futuristic lines of an Aventador.

When I design, it feels like entering a state of absolute creative flow, where time stops. It is a moment of pure happiness for me. In those moments, I truly feel that design has no limits. The process completely consumes me, shifting from rational engineering into a vast space of freedom where anything is possible. Bringing something non-existent into the physical world, shaping objects that will live in harmony with people and nature, gives me an immense sense of joy.

For me, a successful design is one where engineering and art find perfect harmony, but its ultimate measure is how it serves people. A design cannot be called successful if it is only visually stunning but uncomfortable to use, or if it is functionally flawless but lacks emotional and aesthetic soul.True success lies in balance and ergonomics. It’s about creating an object or a space—whether it is a complex superyacht or a simple piece of furniture—where every detail feels intuitive, safe, and natural for the user. When a person interacts with a design and feels a deep sense of physical comfort and emotional connection, without even thinking about the complex engineering behind it, that is when the design has truly succeeded. Ultimately, a successful design improves the quality of human life and stands the test of time.

A designer is a bridge between the present and the future, and this role comes with immense responsibility. For society, our responsibility is to create safe, inclusive, and highly ergonomic environments that enhance the quality of human life. Design should never be self-indulgent; it must always elevate human well-being, bringing aesthetic joy and functional comfort to everyday experiences.When it comes to the environment, the responsibility is even more critical, especially in industries like yacht and transportation design. We must design with the future of our planet in mind. This means striving for efficiency, minimizing ecological footprints, and embracing sustainable innovations—whether through hydrodynamic optimization, eco-friendly materials, or cleaner energy solutions. As designers, we have a duty to ensure that the beauty we create today does not come at the cost of tomorrow's natural world. True modern design must harmoniously coexist with nature, preserving the environment for future generations.