INFUSED ESSENCE – Aircraft Interiors Showcase 2024

Tangerine has experience in working with companies and cultures all over the world, with design approaches that bring them together. Recent examples include cabin Interior projects for JAL In Japan and LOT In Poland

 

What are the nuances of culture and what are the cultural aspects of a nation? How do designers interpret these factors to create a travel experience that resonates with the airline and the passengers it Is flying? Interpreting culture is an extremely sensitive task, and a point on which a design agency and airline could part ways.

The team at Tangerine believe that the best strategic approach for an airline Is to partner with them well in advance of a cabin programme becoming live. Investing more time at the front-end of a programme leads to a greater understanding of what is achievable and a better alignment with the airline’s strategic ambitions.

This is a strategy that worked for Japan Airlines (JAL) which, before Covid restrictions hit, had relocated members from its team to Tangerine’s studio In London, where they took part in Its successful Design Immersion programme. This programme enabled
the airline to discover the studio’s design process, and over a period of months a sense of trust was built as the two teams shared ideas and sought out opportunities for the design theory to flourish. Tangerine’s concept of ‘Infused Essence’ is the brand expression that was subsequently implemented on JAL’s domestic aircraft. JAL successfully launched the new interiors in A350 and B777 aircraft flying domestic routes in June 2019.

However, the programme for aircraft operating the airline’s international routes began just as Covid hit. Tangerine, JAL, and their suppliers faced logistical issues never witnessed before, as country after country closed their skies and imposed strict lockdowns. Achieving that greater level of understanding between the airline and the designers during the earlier Design Immersion phase helped give both teams the confidence to make the right decisions at what was a difficult time. “This approach by JAL is what enabled all the supply-chain partners to ultimately deliver on our designers’ vision for the airline, particularly when none of us could meet in person for a long while,” observes Matt Round, chief creative officer atTangerine, who had previously created
Finnair’s new business class, which launched in 2022. “JAL’s willingness to embrace the pre-work programme meant that Tangerine was able to prepare the ground to create a design vision ahead of any RFP being issued to the OEM suppliers.”

Tangerine worked with seating vendors as part of JAL’s seat manufacturer selection process. Safran was chosen to manufacture the new First Class seat, and Tangerine collaborated on the design development of the new product. With the new seat proposition determined, Tangerine found the perfect balance between desirability and density that leads to commercial gain. The new First Class cabin has six seats in a 1-1-1 configuration, which is two fewer than in the aircraft being replaced. That new layout has given the designers more space in which to create a bespoke offer from the ground up. The result is a luxurious space, In which passengers can enjoy the superlative Japanese first class experience.

The Japanese cultural influences within the cabin are subtle. The design of the delicate downlighters was inspired by
cocktails taken in the Orchard Bar at the original iconic Hotel Okura. Once a Tokyo landmark graced by Presidents, the hotel
was famously described as a modernist masterpiece and a showcase of Japanese craftsmanship. Likewise, the door to the
First Class suite has lattice work that is reminiscent of the famous Ukiyo-e artwork and traditional Japanese wood craft. Junta Nishigaki from the product & service strategy development department at JAL explains, “Sharing and demonstrating ‘the essence of Japan’ to a non-Japanese company may sound challenging. However, as Tangerine has a proven track record in working with Japanese companies, including JAL, all our communication with them was easy and seamless. It was essential to incorporate elements of the essence of Japan, not only as perceived by the people of Japan, but also as expected by international customers. In this regard, we appreciate the expertise of Tangerine, which brought an entirely global viewpoint to this project.”

 

REDESIGNING THE LOT AIRLINE EXPERIENCE

Another notable recent project by Tangerine, this one on the other side of the world, was for LOT Polish Airlines (LOT), one of the oldest national carriers still flying, having been established in 1928. LOT wanted to incorporate the famous Polish hospitality into Its new cabin offer as part of an ambition to be the preferred carrier of Central and Eastern Europe. From the get-go Matt Round and his team at Tangerine travelled to Poland and held conversations with CEOs, creatives, and eminent film directors to do a deep
dive into Polish culture. They were surprised. “Poland is filled with incredible light washing over breathtaking scenery,” says Round. “Artists are creating energetic moments of magic, and bold architecture stamps it mark on the landscape. This was inspirational gold dust.”

Many of the country’s buildings take their design language from Polish craftwork, stunning scenery, and from the abundance of copper still mined in the country. When the Tangerine design team discovered that Poland is Europe’s largest producer of copper, they felt it would be the perfect material to represent the warm hospitality of LOT in their design vision. With particular inspiration coming from the Museum of Fire in Zory, Poland, touches of copper accent are found throughout the cabin interior. Tangerine set the vision for travel with LOT, including the cabin interiors, on-board service goods and the lounge experience, before developing the design for all three cabin classes: business class, premium economy and economy class. The team also designed the elegant entranceway to the aircraft in a copper finish, with detailing that resembles ‘wycinanki’, a form of Polish paper cutting art that is found in shops around the world.

Elsewhere the colour is blue, but with a difference. “Blue is LOT’s brand colour, as it is with many airlines, and a bigquestion posed by us was ‘how do we redefine blue?”, says Rui Xu, a CMF designer at Tangerine. ‘Pure Polish’ is the theme of all three cabins. It builds on Polish heritage and is shaped by LOT’s ambition for the future. Every element is designed to capture the spirit of Poland. The bulkheads are reminiscent of awe-inspiring scenes over the Tatra Mountains at sunrise and sunset. In business class an ethereal gradient sky moves from dark blue to light blue, while in premium economy it moves from dark blue to amber – a vivid moment in the sky – and in economy class it moves from dark blue to sky pink.

Izabela Leszczyńska, director of product development and customer experience at LOT, sums it up nicely: “The new cabin space in all classes is inspired by the Polish landscape. Vibrant, deep blues emanate perfectly from the LOT brand, while the addition of copper alludes to the warmth of the Polish sun. The design follows business trends. However, as one of the oldest and most recognisable Polish brands in the world, we do not forget to include touches from our cultural heritage”. Two very different airlines from different parts of the world, with brand languages diametrically opposed, but whose ambition to fly their passengers around the globe in safety and in comfort is more aligned than the stars in the sky.

The 2024 Showcase issue of Aircraft Interiors International is now available online! Editor – Adam Gavine