News: a yacht built for Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs has been impounded in Amsterdam following a dispute over an unpaid bill to French designer Philippe Starck. Update 27/12/12: the boat is now free to sail again following a temporary agreement between Starck and Jobs' heirs.
A lawyer for Starck's company, Ubik, said the designer was still owed €3m for his work on the vessel, which was completed after Jobs' death last year.
Jobs and Starck had reportedly agreed on a payment of €9m for the design work – or 6% of the estimated €150m building costs. However, Jobs' estate say the designer should receive 6% of the actual total cost, which came in at €105m.
The yacht will remain in the Port of Amsterdam until Jobs' estate hands over the money, the lawyer told Reuters.
Earlier this year we reported on the unveiling of the 80-metre-long yacht, named Venus, which was built over six years at the Koninklijke De Vries shipyards in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. See all our stories about Steve Jobs and all our stories about Apple.
We've previously reported on boats designed by Zaha Hadid, Thomas Heatherwick, Marc Newson and Studio Job – see all our stories about boats.
This year we've featured Starck's stacking chair for Emeco made of discarded material and his design for an aerosol spray that lets users enjoy alcohol without the hangover.
In my humble opinion, the design wasn’t worth paying for in the first place.
Starck should just be happy he hasn’t been sent to jail for producing this abomination of an assault on my eyes.
At least Starck and Jobs agreed on one thing: that design should only be accessible for those who are loaded. What a huge fail.
Can Starck bat 300? Years ago he did a boat interior for Beneteau that was only okay. Compare this to John Pawson/Luca Brenta elegance. I say a bullsh*t boat design by Starck.
Steve Jobs won’t be needing it any longer.
Steve Jobs + Jonathan Ive = Apple products
Steve Jobs + Philippe Starck = this yatch
You do the logic.
Steve Jobs here failed to find the right person for the design.
No matter – an agreement is an agreement and it should stand. Who knows how much input of the design was actually Jobs’ anyway.
iMpound?
What a terrible-looking yacht. You can’t be serious. It’s just one of the worst designs I’ve ever seen and I’ve been around mega-yachts for 20 years.
That is one unique design for a yacht.
Dis iz all bullsheet, mon amie!