GEM design studio: The art of maritime style and luxury in optima forma
GEM is one of the leeading Italian architecture and interior design studios. Founded in 1985 by architect Giacomo Erasmo Mortola, GEM takes its name from his initials.
The company specializes in ultra-luxury cruise ship and river cruise ship design, as well as project management.
GEM assists the owner throughout the entire journey from defining the general arrangement (GA-) plans in the concept design phase, throughout the signature of the contract with the shipyard to the definitive interior design. From architectural master planning to interior and lighting design and as well during the construction phase, where GEM operates as liaison between owner, yard, subcontractors etc. followed by site inspections and even participation in creating mock-ups.
During the last four decades, the studio has played an important role in the cruise industry as coordinating architect and interior designer, resulting in several award-winning vessels like for example Queen Victoria (Cunard Cruises, 2007) and Scarlet Lady (2020), the first of the Lady-ships quartet of Virgin Cruises.
Giacomo Erasmo Mortola graduated in Architecture from the University of Genoa in 1974. In the same year already he started with his first assignment in the cruise industry working on the refurbishment of the Sitmar fleet when its ships shifter from liner to cruise service. After its final liner voyage in November 1974, the Fairstar started operating as a full-time cruise ship from Sydney, with its first cruise departing in December 1974. Shortly thereafter, the Fairsky was also placed into full-time cruising, joining the Fairstar in December 1974 as a popular Australian-based cruise ship. Both ships needed an upgrade for their new role.
A decade later, in 1985 he established his own firm GEM; since then, he designed almost forty newbuildings and was the lead architect of many refurbishment projects.
Today Giacomo is at the helm of GEM together with his son Lorenzo Mortola who is an Italian naval architect obtaining his Master degree in Naval Architecture from the University of Southampton followed by a second Master degree in interior design at the university of Milan. After having worked for a renowned architecture and interior design film specialized in hospitality he moved back to Genoa in 2012 and joined GEM starting as a surveyor for refurbishment projects; in 2016 he became involved in new builds as well, focusing mainly on ultra-luxury projects.
Nowadays (at the time of writing 2025), having overseen fourteen multi-million cruise ships refurbishments and seven new building projects, Lorenzo is at the helm of GEM together with his father Giacomo.
At GEM, a multidisciplinary team, comprised of architects, interior designers, engineers and lighting designers, have expertise in diverse fields ranging from naval architecture, interior design and engineering and is able to create truly unique interiors where functionality and aesthetics seamlessly blend together.
According to Lorenzo Mortola, in order to stay at the leading edge of cruise ship design is not simply about using up-to-date materials and following the latest colour and design trends. Each ship has to be tailor made for the owner and, in the end, for the guests who will experience the ship. Each vessel needs to have “a one off, unique design, we cannot work with a production-line mentality”.
Today Gem is involved in every level of the design and construction of luxury and premium cruise ships as well as smaller expedition vessels, as mentioned before, from the concept phase until the delivery of the vessel.
An example of GEM’s impressive (design) work design is the Silver Nova of owners Silversea Cruises (2024, 54,700GT, 728 passsengers), built in Germany at the Meyer Werrft. All of its suites feature Italian craftsmanship with modern design touches like elegant, soft lighting and headboards with integrated reading lights, having a color palette with soft neutral tones, and subtle accents inspired by the sea and earth.
According to Giacomo Mortola “It was important to maintain Silversea’s elegant, Italian DNA, with whispered luxury and a consistent brand vision,.With Silver Nova, we had the opportunity to create something that is truly pioneering in the industry. The crowning accomplishment is the Otium Suite, complete with a Jacuzzi on the balcony and 270-degree views, which is among the most luxurious suites at sea.’
The firm can count among its clients some of the biggest names in the cruise industry such as Silversea, Virgin Voyages, Princess Cruises, P&O, and Cunard for which company has designed a series of award-winning vessels. GEM works on large premium cruise ships (over 140,000 GT), luxury “cruise yachts” (40,000 GT), and smaller expedition vessels.
GEM has been involved in a staggering number of almost 40 newbuildings and 50 refurbishments since the start of the company in the mid 1980’s.
The studio’s recent portfolio
Newbuildings future
2028, Crystal Cruises, 61,800GT
2027 River Cruise Ships, Celebrity Cruises, ND
2026 Mein Shiff Flow TUI Cruises, 161,000GT
Delivered last decade
2025 Nile River Cruise Ship, Abercrombie & Kent Cruises, ND
2025 Mein Shiff Relax, TUI Cruises, 161,000GT
2024 Silver Ray, Silversea Cruises, 54,700GT
2023 Silver Nova, Silversea Cruises, 54,700GT
2024 Brilliant Lady, Virgin Voyages, 110,000GT
2022 Resilient Lady, Virgin Voyages, 110,000GT
2021 Silver Dawn, Silversea Cruises, 40,700GT
2021 Valiant Lady, Virgin Voyages, 110,000GT
2020 Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages, 110,000GT
2020 Silver Origin, Silversea Cruises, 6,350GT
2020 Silver Moon, Silversea Cruises, 40,700GT
2017 Silver Dawn, Silverseas Cruises, 40,700GT
Refurbishments since 2020
2026 Silver Spirit, Silversea Cruises, 39,519GT
2025 Silver Muse, Silversea Cruises, 40,700GT
2024 Silver Whisper, Silversea Cruises, 28,258GT
2023 Silver Cloud, Silversea Cruises, 16,800GT
2023 Crystal Serenity, Crystal Cruises, 68,000GT
2023 Crystal Symphony, Crystal Cruises, 51,000GT
2022 Silver Endeavour, Silversea Cruises, 20,449GT
2021 Silver Wind, Silversea Cruises, 16,800GT
