A Look at Streets of Monaco, the World's Most Absurd Yacht

Welcome to Mansions on the High Seas, a new Curbed summer series exploring the great, wide world of the megayacht. Stay tuned right here for jaw-dropping photos, backstories, and factoids about some of the most famous floating fortresses and trophy boats on Earth.

The world of megayachts is hardly known for its subtlety, but this proposed floating city makes even Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's 557-foot Eclipse look downright sensible. Modeled after the glamorous Mediterranean city-state of Monaco, the Streets of Monaco features exhaustive replicas of landmarks like the Monte Carlo Casino, the Hotel de Paris, La Rascasse, and even a beach-like swimming pool. Estimated to cost of more than $1B to construct, this floating mini-city is the brainchild of the Yacht Island Design, an as-yet-untested firm fond of attention-grabbing designs that don't make it past the design stage. Still, plenty of thought has gone into this extravagant farce.

? If actually built, the giant yacht will require crew of 70, some of whom will be tasked with maintaining "The Oasis," a cavernous space at the rear of the ship that serves as a main boarding and entertaining area. Modelled after the "gardens just outside the Monaco Casino," the garish room features a central waterfall feature, a giant jacuzzi, and walls of arched windows. Just forward of this gymnasium-sized space is the yacht's actual gym, along with a "cafe" and spa.

? The guest accommodations, which cover much of the yacht's second level, are just as opulent as the public spaces. The seven guest suites include a couple of VIP suites, which measure a whopping 3,800 square feet each and are equipped with private offices, reception rooms, dressing rooms, and balconies. All of the guests will share a full suite of communal amenities, including a library and cinema.

? The owner's cabin is, naturally, even more luxurious, measuring more than 15,000 square feet over three floors, with private elevator, office, his and hers dressing rooms, a double-height living room, "numerous balconies, and private sundeck with Jacuzzi/swimming pool." Given that the suite is the size of a giant McMansion, there must be space for many more custom features to be determined by the eventual buyer.

? The plans, while well publicized, don't appear to be very exact (above), just vague sections on each deck of the none-too-streamlined ship. That might be because, with the way things are going in yacht design lately, the designs might very well be obsolete before this billion-dollar extravagance is finally constructed.

· Yacht Island Design [official site]
· Outrageous, Opulent Yacht Interiors For Filthy-Rich Boaters [Curbed National]