Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 02:30 am

Designer Philippe Starck confirms 'revolutionary' project is Jobs family yacht

By AppleInsider Staff

After reports that renowned French designer Philippe Starck was working on a "revolutionary project" with Apple set off a round of speculation, the designer has confirmed that the project actually relates to a yacht for the family of the late Steve Jobs.

A spokeswoman for Starck told The Wall Street Journal that Jobs had worked together with Starck on the project.

“It’s not a project with Apple. It’s a private project that began with Steve Jobs and that has been taken over by his wife,” the spokeswoman said.

Late last week, Starck was quoted by a French site as saying that he was working with Apple on a "revolutionary" project that would come out in eight months. Speculation immediately surged that the project was potentially related to an rumored Apple television. The Cupertino, Calif., company quickly responded by confirming that it was not working on any products with Starck.

Starck had also revealed in the interview that he met with Jobs once a month in Palo Alto, Calif., for seven years and is now meeting with Jobs' wife. AppleInsider reported last Friday that the project Starck was referring to was likely to be a yacht that Jobs was working on before his death.


Jobs' biographer Walter Isaacson revealed details about the yacht in his book "Steve Jobs." The Apple co-founder apparently began designing the boat after his "best vacation" -- a cruise from Italy to Turkey. He repeatedly redesigned the boat and nearly canceled the project when he was sick in 2009.

"I didn't think I would be alive when it got done," Jobs told Isaacson. "But that made me so sad, and I decided that working on the design was fun to do, and maybe I have a shot at being alive when it's done."

Isaacson noted that the boat was "sleek and minimalist," based on the models and drawings of the project Jobs showed. The plans included a special glass designed by the "chief engineer of the Apple stores" to provide structural support. Custom yacht builder Feadship had been constructing the boat.

"I know that it's possible I will die and leave Laurene with a half-built boat," Jobs said. "But I have to keep going on it. If I don't, it's an admission that I'm about to die."

Though Jobs did not live to see the completion of the project, the yacht may still see completion since Starck and Laurene Jobs have continued to work on it.