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PITCH ISN’T EVERYTHING
The Interspace seat has been designed with a padded wing support system that
folds out from the seatback space. Could this rethought approach to passenger
comfort in high-density spaces revolutionise mass-transit seating?
New Territory
is working with
SWS to ensure the
seat design can
be certified
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
020 MARCH 2020
Embedded entertainment
1. NEW TERRITORY FOUNDER,
LUKE MILES THINKS THAT
INTERSPACE COULD BE
“PARTICULARLY VALUABLE FOR
THE GROWING ULTRA LONG-HAUL
ULH MARKET. SEE P90 FOR MORE
ULH COMFORT IDEAS
2. THE MOUNTING OF THE IFE
DISPLAYS IS REMINISCENT OF
THE DISPLAYS IN MODERN CARS
SUCH AS THE MERCEDES-BENZ
A-CLASS AND BMW 1 SERIES
Many recent developments in economy seating have focused on
incremental comfort improvements, often involving the carving out
of a little extra knee room from seatbacks. Every inch, or even fraction
of an inch, found for the passenger envelope in high-density cabin is
welcome – but the hard work involved in creating even that small space
isn’t always matched by the gains in passenger experience. Seat pitch
isn’t everything in terms of comfort in high-density cabins – but sleep
and support may be, and this is where the design philosophy of the
Interspace seat comes in.
Interspace features two easily deployable padded wings that can be
folded out from the seatback – from typically unused seat volume – and
rotated, allowing passengers to lean on a more cushioned surface with
greater lateral support. This position is considered a key comfort factor
by the seat’s designers, Universal Movement, a transportation design
company set up by New Territory, a London-based creative firm whose
aircraft projects in recent years include Aeromexico’s B787-9 cabins and
Safran’s Lifestyle cabin concept. The design team observed that while
comfort in economy seating tends to be equated to pitch, in reality very
few people would ever choose to sit upright with their feet stretched
out for any length of time – and especially on a long-haul flight.
As Luke Miles, founder and chief creative officer at Universal
Movement and New Territory explains, “If you consider the psychology
of the cabin, its linear, grid-like form is restrictive, and as a result, seats
have been designed for what is essentially an unnatural posture and
seating position.”
Miles and his team are of the opinion that what passengers actually
crave is the ability to rotate and redistribute weight within their seat,
which is why people often lean on the window of the aircraft, using
makeshift pillows to create a soft surface.
The wings on the seat feature what the studio describes as ‘living
hinges’ that can be easily folded back into the chair’s upholstery, and
which can also be replaced in service. Stowing the wings provides
The Interspace design is also
intended to give airline
customers the opportunity to
apply their branding on the
inside of the wings and to
introduce different types
of finishes to the padding.
Carriers could also choose
to embed technology within
the wings, such as speakers
or noise-cancelling systems,
to create a more immersive
in-seat experience.
Miles even suggests
fitting facial recognition
technology into the back of
the seat as a future option,
an idea that would open
up new possibilities for
personalised cabin service,
tailored IFE selections and
other improved experiences.
Visit aircraftinteriorsinternational.com to see a video of the Interspace experience
better access for passengers needing
to move into and out of their seat. The
hinges are connected to the material at
the back of the seat through a composite
assembly, meaning that the wings are
robust enough to withstand the weight
of passengers leaning on them.
It is also possible for only one seat
wing to be deployed so that passengers’
different sleeping preferences and body
shapes can be catered for. There is also
the option of only deploying one wing on
either side of multiple adjacent seats,
which would effectively create a private
bay for families travelling together. The
padding can also be easily removed and
washed when necessary.
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