CAON
1. THE NEW SOCIAL ZONES ON THE
QANTAS A380 ARE GREAT FOR WORK
MEETINGS OR JUST CATCHING UP
OVER DRINKS
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2020 085
Caon’s most recent undertaking has
been the refurbishment of the Qantas
Airways flagship A380 fleet. One of the key
components of the brief was the removal
of a small section of economy class
seating at the aft of the upper deck, which
allowed the entire floor to be considered
a premium level. Importantly, configuration
changes at the front of the aircraft
unlocked valuable space and allowed the
design team to reimagine this entire zone
as an expanded social area.
“As part of our research we looked back
at historical photography of some of the
original sky bars. Apart from the obvious
‘romance of flying’, what made such an
impact was how many opportunities for
social interaction were presented in and by
some of the creations. We wanted to bring
this into the spirit of our design as well as
create a sense of intimacy and mood that
we weren’t seeing in contemporary
spaces”, says David Caon, creative director
of Caon.
The Caon team divided one side of the
space into a series of booth seats, which
allow passengers to face each other and
share a conversation or refreshment, or
even just work in comfort. The other side
of the aircraft houses a well-stocked bar
area combined with an L-shaped sofa for
larger groups. The entire experience is
dressed in a moody material palette of
olive leather, dark timber and charcoal
Ultrasuede which, when combined with
bespoke designed table lamps and wall
sconces, creates an intimate atmosphere
for the social zone.
This sense of occasion and the
opportunity to create a unique moment
within the micro-architecture of an aircraft
interior is what Caon seeks. With space
being so dense there is limited opportunity
for real pause, for standing back and
appreciating a detail, as one might when
admiring great architecture. Beauty is
perhaps undervalued when speaking
about something as technical as a
commercial aircraft interior, but it is
important. Caon makes much room for it –
underpinned, of course, by all the technical
and functional requirements of modern
aerospace. After all, art is as old as
humankind, ingrained in our DNA, and a
beautiful space is more appreciated and
enjoyable than one in which beauty has
been disregarded.
There is much to be excited about in
the future. Research will drive the next
step-change in the landscape of the
human experience onboard. With Caon’s
work on long-haul cabin environments,
its designers are keenly focused on
“AIR TRAVEL IS, FOR THE
MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIO, AN
UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY
FOR DISCOVERY”
The Caon studio’s
philosophy is based
upon precision
analysis and bespoke
response
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