pearsonlloyd fits out lufthansa's A350 economy class cabin

london-based studio pearson lloyd has designed the interiors of lufthansa’s A350 economy class airplane, with a scheme that places an emphasis on craft and textiles. in developing the project, the design team shifted its attention from the individual seat to the affect it has on the cabin as a whole, creating a distinct traveling environment. seating throughout the cabin has ergonomically-formed upholstery, with more space to store personal belongings in comparison to previous models.

all images courtesy of pearson lloyd

based on weaves and colors, pearson lloyd has designed each seat to be individual, yet part of a collective experience. the interiors are based on a blue color scheme, designed to resemble the sky, the horizon, and a sense of ‘openness’. drawing inspiration from a modified lufthansa blue, the color of the seat cover shifts from dark blue at the windows, where natural light is strongest, towards lighter tones at the center of the cabin. this visually stretches the space, making it feel wider and more inviting.

each seat is individual, yet part of a collective experience

‘the last project we did for lufthansa was the current business class seat, which is now flying across the entire fleet,’ explains luke pearson, co-founder of pearson lloyd. ‘we have spent the last eight or nine years working with lufthansa, so it is very much a partnership form that perspective. we are furniture designers, so we are inherently interested in the relationship between objects and people. so we had to think very carefully about which bits of the body will come into contact with which materials. I’m a nervous flyer, so anything that makes me feel more comfortable is a good thing!’.

the color of the seat cover shifts from dark blue towards lighter tones at the center of the cabin

a metallic silver and blue foil is utilized within the cabin, whose color shifts reflect natural light, adding warmth to the design. another aspect of the interiors is the brand panel, an intervention that sees the lufthansa logo framed on an airfoil shaped surface. the panel’s soft surface exists in contrast to the crisp logo, and is backlit to give the impression that the panel is not in contact with the wall.

the interiors are based on a color scheme that is designed to resemble the sky and the horizon

‘travel nowadays is no longer a matter of arriving to the chosen destination,’ says the design team. ‘changes in our living and working patterns have altered the motives of travel from strictly work or rest to an interplay between work, culture, development, adventure, rest, play, where the overall experience is stronger than traveling’s main purpose. within this context, flying becomes an emotional part of the journey which addresses travelers on a personal level.  ’

the lufthansa logo is framed on an airfoil shaped panel

‘the values of industrial quality and service, which lufthansa is renowned for, were mixed with a more tactile and personal human aesthetic through the individual and ever varying seat textiles,’ adds pearsonlloyd. ‘this introduced a new energy and created a narrative, which unravels from the traveler’s first entry to the cabin to the discovery of the seat details and the depth of the textiles.’

the scheme places an emphasis on craft and textiles