Hasta La Ideas

Dutch designer Hella Jongerius has created a new cabin interior for Dutch airline KLM, including textiles inspired by the Milky Way and carpets made from recycled uniforms.

Launched today at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, KLM’s revamped World Business Class cabin features spotted and striped dividing curtains, leather and aluminium details and a carpet made from the recycled uniforms of flight attendants.

Hella Jongerius and her team at Jongeriuslab developed the palette of blue, purple, grey, brown and white by bringing fabric swatches onboard flights to observe how colours could be perceived differently in various lighting conditions.

“The light condition above the clouds and the light temperature makes all colours very red,” Jongerius told Dezeen at the launch. “We had to really work in that sense so that the red goes out of the colour palette and so we chose colours that have a bit of green in them.”

The carpet is inspired by an image of the Milky Way, with blue dots as stars in a pattern that’s designed to be easy to match up when it needs repairing.

“The [previous KLM business class] interior was more business-like, very uniform and efficiently done but this feel of mass-production is not what we want to have right now as an atmosphere,” she continued. “I really want to have luxury. Is luxury glamorous? Luxury for me is comfort.”

“Maybe Marcel [Wanders]’s work is more the glamorous part,” she added. KLM previously commissioned Dutch designer Marcel Wanders to create a dinner service for use onboard its aircraft, including porcelain, glassware, cutlery and linen.

Jongerius is now working on designs for the airline’s economy cabins. See all our stories about design by Hella Jongerius.

Last year industrial design studio Priestmangoode designed a first-class cabin with sofas and wardrobes for Brazilian airline TAM, while London studio Pengelly Design created an aeroplane seat that converts into a 2.2-metre-long bed for Virgin Atlantic – see all aircraft design.

Here’s more information from Hella Jongerius:

The new interior design for KLM World Business Class in the Boeing 747-700, by Hella Jongerius/Jongeriuslab

When KLM invited a designer to develop a comprehensive vision for its interior, it broke new ground in the aviation industry. Usually, new aircraft parts are simply selected from the available stock. Furnishings, materials, service facilities, and storage space must meet so many stringent requirements that they are usually seen as the domain not of designers, but of technical engineers.

Jongerius threw herself into the project with the Jongeriuslab team, seeking opportunities for meaningful change within strict parameters. In the spirit of her earlier work and her design philosophy, she found those opportunities in KLM’s own corporate traditions, such as the company’s distinctive colour palette and sustainable materials.

Design

Flying is magical. But at the same time, air travel stands for discomfort – the exhaustion, the endless waits, the anonymous crowds, the long stretches without privacy, the lack of telephone or internet access, the severe restrictions on movement, the processed air you breathe.

The primary objective of Jongerius’s design is therefore to offer passengers the greatest possible comfort, so that they can use their airborne interlude however they prefer: to work or to dream, unplugged from everyday life.

Jongerius rose to the challenge through the imaginative use of textiles and the double-faced weaving technique, combining mass-produced parts with craftsmanlike details, reducing the ‘visual noise’ of the interior to a minimum, and creating ingenious variations on the KLM colour palette.

This brought aesthetic excellence and a warm ambiance to the hi-tech world of the aviation industry, creating an atmosphere and experience that, according to Jongerius, suit the needs of today’s cosmopolitan world travellers.

The richly varied patterns of the carpeting make passengers feel welcome and stir vague memories. That’s because they’re sustainable creations based on high-quality recycled materials, including the discarded uniforms of KLM stewards and stewardesses.

Even when a carpet has to be repaired, sustainability is guaranteed. The pattern – a scene of the Milky Way with blue uniform dots in the role of stars – will always match up.

The efficiency that has always characterised World Business Class will be preserved. At the same time, the new interior will offer a more restful environment with greater personal privacy and considerably superior quality and comfort.

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by Hella Jongerius for KLM appeared first on Dezeen.

News: American Airlines has unveiled a new logo and livery for its aircraft, designed by brand consultancy FutureBrand.

FutureBrand has simplified the American Airlines eagle into a slim diagonal logo, with the bird’s white head appearing between red and blue wings.

The aircrafts’ bodies will be painted pale silver, with red and blue stripes on the tailfin evoking the American flag. About a quarter of the fleet, or between 150 and 200 aeroplanes, will have the new design by the end of 2013.

Massimo Vignelli, the designer who created the airline’s outgoing logo, told BusinessWeek he wasn’t keen on the new design. “It has no sense of permanence,” he said. “There was no need to change. Every other airline has changed its logo many times, and every time was worse than the previous one.”

Above: the previous logo, designed by Vignelli

Vignelli also noted that FutureBrand had replaced the Helvetica font the carrier had used since 1967. “We used Helvetica, which was brand new at the time,” he said. “It looked great. The typeface was great. We proceeded by logic, not emotion. Not trends and fashions.”

FutureBrand has also been working with the airline to produce web and mobile apps, airport lounges and onboard menus and branding.

Last year we reported that Finnair had decorated its aircraft with a floral print from Finnish design brand Marimekko and also showed Priestmangoode’s design for a first-class cabin with sofas and wardrobes, and the longest flat business-class bed ever made by Pengelly Design.

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Here’s some information from Futurebrand:

American Airlines & FutureBrand Partner to Create a Modern New Look for the Iconic Brand

With the launch of a refreshed look and livery for American Airlines, FutureBrand is proud to announce our ongoing partnership with this truly iconic brand. Recognising that it was time for a new look to better reflect the progress it had made in the ongoing modernisation of the airline, American engaged FutureBrand to partner on the modernisation of the logo, livery and overall look and feel of the customer experience.

Our work is inspired by the company’s heritage and incorporates colours and symbols universally associated with the American brand. A reimagined logo — called the Flight Symbol — evokes the star, “A”, and iconic eagle of American’s past, all brought to life in refreshed shades of red, white and blue. Together, they reflect a more modern, vibrant and welcoming spirit.

The logo debuts along with a boldly reimagined livery. With proud stripes and a timeless silver body, the livery expresses American’s origins but also the spirit of modern America: innovative, progressive and open to the world.

During our multi-year collaboration with American, we’ve extended the new look to the broader customer experience — on web and mobile apps, modernised airport terminals and check-in experiences, premium airport lounges, updated onboard menus and communications, as well as a host of new branded elements. We continue our work with American as they continue their journey to modernise.

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new logo and livery appeared first on Dezeen.

Industrial design studio Priestmangoode drew inspiration from domestic interiors to design a first-class cabin with sofas and wardrobes for Brazilian airline TAM.

The TAM First Class Cabin is based around the theme ”home away from home,” and Priestmangoode‘s designers describe how they wanted to bring “the comfort of home” onto an aircraft.

Sofas take the places of footstools, so that families and small groups can choose to sit facing one another, like they would in their own homes.

Seating is upholstered with soft fabrics for extra comfort and each passenger has access to an adjustable reading lamp, a wooden table, a touchscreen control panel, a television screen and a selection of magazines and city guides.

Wardrobes are provided for each passenger to store their luggage and these are lined with leather and suede.

The designs are being rolled out across TAM’s entire fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft carriers, plus Priestmangoode has also developed new interiors for the economy and new Space Plus cabins.

“The designs present TAM as an important international player and give them the tools they need to compete with the world’s other major international carriers,” said Priestmangoode director Luke Hawes.

Priestmangoode have worked on a number of projects for airlines, including the first-class cabins of Lufthansa’s A380 planes and a conceptual airline seat with a detachable wheelchair.

Director Paul Priestman also talked to Dezeen about aircraft interiors in a movie we filmed at the 2011 Inside Awards.

See all our stories about Priestmangoode »
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by Priestmangoode appeared first on Dezeen.

News: Finnish design company Marimekko‘s classic floral print will appear on the livery of two Finnair aeroplanes as part of a collaboration that also includes a range of textiles and tableware for use onboard.

A Finnair Airbus A340 featuring Marimekko’s signature Unikko floral print from 1964 is already operating between Helsinki and Asian destinations, and another aircraft in Marimekko livery will appear next year.

From spring 2013 all of the Finnish flag carrier’s aeroplanes will use the Marimekko for Finnair tableware collection, which includes teapots, cups, plates and napkins.

“We hope that Marimekko’s sympathetic Unikko poppy flowers flying up in the sky as well as our other iconic prints as a part of the in-flight experience bring joy to people around the world,” said Mika Ihamuotila, Marimekko’s President and CEO. “I believe that the Marimekko and Finnair design collaboration will bring to hectic and often grey air travel joy, peace of mind and beautiful memories.”

The Marimekko products will be available for purchase by Finnair customers for the duration of the three-year collaboration.

Several national carriers have recently teamed up with home-grown design talent to give their services a local touch. Earlier this year we reported on news that Dutch designer Hella Jongerius was creating new cabin interiors for KLM, while fellow Dutch designer Marcel Wanders produced a set of tableware for the Dutch airline in 2010. Before that, Australian designer Marc Newson teamed up with Qantas Airways to design its First Class lounges in Sydney and Melbourne airports.

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Here’s the full press release from Marimekko:

Marimekko and Finnish airline company Finnair are teaming up to enhance the air travel experience with a new design partnership. From spring 2013 all Finnair aircraft will feature a Marimekko for Finnair collection of textiles and tableware, featuring Marimekko’s classic patterns. The Marimekko for Finnair collection is specially designed to add a light and fresh visual and tactile dimension to the onboard experience, while lightening the airline’s carbon footprint as well.

Two of Finnair’s long-haul aircraft will also wear livery based on Marimekko designs. An Airbus A340 featuring Maija Isola’s iconic Unikko floral print from 1964 is already operating between Helsinki and Finnair’s Asian destinations, and it will be followed by another aircraft in Marimekko livery in spring 2013.

“Finnair has a strong design heritage, and this cooperation brings our design thinking to a new level,” says Mika Vehviläinen, Finnair CEO. “Our goal is to become a design airline, and bring our customers unique experiences for all five senses. Cooperation with Marimekko is an important step towards this target. Finnair aircraft will become roving ambassadors of timeless Finnish design and creativity, giving our customers a special experience when they fly with us.”

”We hope that Marimekko’s sympathetic Unikko poppy flowers flying up in the sky as well as our other iconic prints as a part of the in-flight experience bring joy to people around the world,” says Mika Ihamuotila, Marimekko’s President and CEO. “Lately, we have wanted to connect Marimekko’s colourful design and fashion with surprising parties and forms of art, such as ballet, modern dance or visual arts. Now it is time to do something unforeseen up in the sky. I believe that the Marimekko and Finnair design collaboration will bring to hectic and often grey air travel joy, peace of mind and beautiful memories.”

During the three-year collaboration, an exclusive selection of Marimekko design products are also available for Finnair customers in in-flight sales and the Finnair Plus Shop.

In addition to adding value to the customer experience, both companies look forward to the collaboration helping build more awareness of their brands. Both companies have a long established presence in Japan but are growing rapidly in other Asian markets, China in particular.

“Finnair is a natural partner for Marimekko, as in my opinion it has been the first airline in the world to lift up design and place it strongly at the center of its service,” continues Ihamuotila. “With our collaboration we want to show how design can help improve the well-being of people in different moments of life. Furthermore, our design collaboration with Finnair supports our growth strategy, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, which is one of Marimekko’s key market areas.”

“Both of these brands are about bringing positivity, high quality and peace of mind to customers,” adds Vehviläinen. “We believe this collaboration will help generate new experiences and lasting, positive memories for a whole new generation of Finnair passengers in Asia.”

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Finnish airline appeared first on Dezeen.