Icona 70 earns a second major design recognition
The Icona 70 has received the Special Award for Outstanding Innovation at the seventh Design Innovation Award, presented during the 2026 Genoa International Boat Show. The prize follows the yacht’s world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival and a Best Exterior Design award at the World Yachts Trophies.
The 21-metre project is the first yacht from Icona inspired by Mangusta and was developed by Effebi New Project. The company brings together the Balducci family and Stefano Arlunno around a design brief aimed at combining high-performance styling with unusually flexible guest spaces.
Igor Lobanov treated styling and ergonomics as one project
Igor Lobanov developed the exterior, interior, ergonomics and helm station as a single integrated design. That approach avoids treating the exterior profile and interior layout as separate exercises and instead links circulation, visibility and guest use directly to the yacht’s form.
A curved windscreen inspired by fighter aircraft defines the forward profile, while a side garage keeps the stern free for guest use. Folding side wings open the aft area into a platform of about 40 square metres, extending the usable deck space at water level.
Award highlights innovation below 24 metres
The Design Innovation Award is organised by Confindustria Nautica and the Genoa International Boat Show to recognise technical and design advances across the recreational marine sector. Icona 70 was one of three projects selected for a special jury prize in 2026.
For a yacht below 24 metres, the award gives added visibility to the challenge of delivering larger-yacht functionality within a tighter length and volume envelope. The project’s next test will be how its transformable spaces and integrated design perform in regular owner use after the initial show circuit.
