Coworking in the skies

Abstract

This project focus on forming a future flying experience for passengers in 2022. The design concept came from the usage of the approach ViP (Vision in Design), by deconstruction of current aircraft environment ,collecting context factors, forming future context. After the future context structure, four types of passengers’ behaviour in aircraft were distilled: “Freestyle working“,”Distant self-care taking”,”Reluctant developing”and “Stand out from the crowds“. Then design ideas and concepts were focused on “Freestyle working“ behaviour, which had a statement(design goal) as “make passengers see aircraft as means to optimise working and relaxing balance“. Four main activities of “Freestyle working”behaviour are also distilled: working, relaxing, connecting with others and learning. By ideation and conceptualisation, as well as iterations of prototyping and testing, the final concept consists of two parts: the seat part and the galley part. These two parts must work together to achieve the effect of the statement. The seat part consists of a re-designed tray table and suggested seat headrest change. The tray table has privacy boards, drawers and other functions to support working and relaxing on the seat. The seat headrest helps passengers in Economy class to sleep better and connect or disconnect with others. Then the galley part is a concept to open the galley and redecorate it into a welcoming atmosphere, where passengers can gather together to serve themselves and socialise with others. The whole concept triggers passengers to see aircraft as a place for actively performing activities, instead of merely a means of transport. At the end of the report, suggestions of improvement of the design as well as implement were given for further steps.