Clifford Denn Design
Clifford Denn Design is a studio offering exterior and interior design services for luxury yachts and cruise ships, working on large-scale new-build projects.
Background & Studio Profile
Clifford Denn Design is a French-based studio founded by designer Clifford Denn in 2003. Denn's career began with a strong foundation in industrial design, earning a BA Honours degree and winning the prestigious Royal Society of Arts Industrial Design Bursaries competition.
His professional path is marked by significant experiences that shaped his unique perspective:
He started at the renowned architecture firm of Norman Foster.
He then moved into yacht design in the South of France, working on notable projects like the 65m Golden Shadow and acting as project designer for the 74m ECO (Katana).
His portfolio also includes a period designing for the cruise ship industry, working on exteriors and interiors for companies like Cunard, where he contributed to the iconic Queen Mary 2 (QM2), and Viking Ocean Cruises.
The studio is described as a "multiple award winning and internationally recognised" firm with over 35 years of collective experience in new builds and refits. It offers comprehensive services covering exterior styling, interior design, and product design for luxury yachts and cruise ships.
Design Philosophy & Notable Projects
Clifford Denn's design philosophy is distinguished by his background in both superyachts and large cruise ships. This experience allows him to approach yacht design with a focus on optimizing space and creating dramatic, guest-centric layouts.
A prime example of this approach is Project Maximus (83m) for Heesen. This concept reimagines yacht layout by placing the wheelhouse low and forward, freeing up 100% of the exterior decks from stern to bow for owner and guest use—a feature inspired by cruise ship design. The design includes signature elements like a multi-level pool with a waterfall.
Another executed project showcasing his work is the 50-meter Heesen motor yacht Omaha (Project Maia). Delivered in 2018, its exterior design by Clifford Denn draws clear inspiration from contemporary and classic car design, featuring elements like grilles on the main deck aft and flowing, curvaceous lines combined with Heesen's traditional pelican bow.
The studio's project list includes concepts and designs for a wide range of vessels, from a 160-meter concept down to 19-meter power yachts, working with builders such as Heesen, Feadship and Burger Boat.
Summary
In summary, Clifford Denn Design is a studio led by a designer with a unique hybrid background in industrial design, iconic cruise liners, and custom superyachts. The studio's strength lies in creating spatially innovative and dramatic exterior designs, often leveraging grand-scale cruise ship principles for luxury yacht applications. They maintain strong, recurring collaborations with top Dutch shipyards like Heesen.
