Yacht Design Alumni stories

On the occasion of the 20th birthday of the Specializing Master in Yacht Design, we interviewed 20 alumni of the first MYD editions who have distinguished themselves in the world yachting scene. Here is our interview with Marijana Radovic  today Co-founder / m2atelier.

1. Can you tell us “who you are”, what do you do today and with what role within the company / reality where you work?

It takes a life to answer that question. I can tell you for sure that Marijana Radovic is a designer, architect, mum, wife, daughter, sister and a friend to many of my dear friends. My first professional choices started in Serbia and my career enfolded in Milan after precious experience in many other locations Rome, Geneva, Athens, London. From my Master onwards I have been always involved in Yachts Design and more.
Thanks to diverse environments and significant experiences in the field, I mastered project management, which allowed me to oversee the projects at 360 degrees.
In 2006 I founded a design studio STANDBY, initially based in Belgrade and Athens; then soon after, in 2009, I moved back to Milan, which I identified as a perfect location to continue my yacht design journey and research in the field, along with the residential and other architectural projects.
Together with architect Marco Bonelli, I founded the international architecture studio m2atelier based in Milan, which has the essence in a multidisciplinary approach and continuous research of space potential, proportions, and materials, with an eye for details that distinguish our design.

2. What was the role of training, and in particular of the Master in Yacht Design of the Politecnico di Milano, to be where you are today?

It was fundamental. The architectural background was a good base; however, I entered the Yachting world during this master. I learned a lot since the course was quite intense, and at the same time, it opened the doors to important studios, and from there, the rest was on me.

3. An important moment or an anecdote from your experience at the Master.

I loved everything about the Master. I was also lucky to meet people who remained my friends. I remember very well that I was the first foreign student in the class, and that was when the Master was entirely in Italian. During the day, I studied and attended the classes, and my nights were dedicated to my 3 dictionaries that helped me follow the courses. I had to be 8 hours constantly focused on hearing and understanding the professors lecturing in Italian otherwise I risked of missing the whole lecture. After 3 days of studies, the professor asked me if I understood everything, and I answered, “yes” (which was maybe my mistake:). From then, no one ever asked me the same thing again assuming that I understood everything, so I had to move forward with intense learning of Italian language, along with Italian nautical language and the courses. That hard work paid off, and I am very satisfied today with what I had then accomplished in just one year.

4. The first word that comes to your mind when thinking about the Master.

Experience. Working on projects that were real challenges. My colleagues. And the way I lived my life during the studies. All felt and became my new family. We spent time together working a lot and also travelling a lot which was organized by Politecnico.

5. What suggestion would you give to a young person who dreams of becoming a yacht designer / undertaking this training course?
Master studies are the best way to gain knowledge and dive into the nautical world in a short intense period. I warmly recommend the Politecnico Master in Yacht Design to all people dreaming of becoming a yacht designer.