Hella Jongerius
 
Hella Jongerius’s research on colours, materials, and textures is never complete. All her questions are open-ended, and all her answers provisional, taking the form of finished and semi-finished products. These are part of a never-ending process, and the same is essentially true of all Jongeriuslab designs: they possess the power of the final stage, while also communicating that they are part of something greater, with both a past and an uncertain future. The unfinished, the provisional, the possible – they hide in the attention for imperfections, traces of the creation process, and the revealed potential of materials and techniques. Through this working method, Jongerius not only celebrates the value of the process, but also engages the viewer, the user, in her investigation.

The pattern used for the bulkheads (cabin dividers) is a tribute to the diversity of economy-class travellers. From a distance, the bulkheads look like irregular grid patterns of white dots against a soft grey background. As you move in closer, more and more details become visible, and an image gradually appears: a large group of passengers viewed from the air. This pattern is based on photos of many different travellers, transformed into line drawings to create a more abstract image. They are people of all ages and cultures, headed for many different destinations, each with a unique story to tell passengers who gaze at the dots during their flight.

The economy seat traditionally has a stripped-down, engineered look, with tall seat backs that block the view in the cabin. Jongerius introduced a more personal design, with inviting textures and a comfortable appearance. The woollen basket-weave fabric for the seat cover features a pattern of KLM blue dots woven from bright blue yarn against a dark blue background. The dots create a pleasant feel, and the woven pattern shows close attention to visual detail. Through the technique of colour blocking, the long lines of the seat backs are interrupted to make the cabin view more dynamic. These large colour fields in the upholstery also serve a practical purpose, showing which economy seats are in the comfort zone. The embroidered zigzag line on the back of each seat is a bright and tactile detail that creates visual unity.
Air travellers often feel like insignificant cogs in a well-oiled machine, where every seat is identical except for the number. Jongerius focused on improving the passenger experience, by creating a homelike environment with warm, varied colours and replacing plastic with other materials that have more appealing textures. She strove for aesthetic unity, avoiding conflicting signals and offering a fresh, contemporary look.

Contemporary forms combined with tactile surfaces and warm colours add a human touch and evoke the sense of a comfortable home in the sky in the business class cabin.
A seat with cushioned ‘ears’ for snuggling up against the cocoon-like business-class seats offer dynamic cabin views. The soft padded ‘ears’ are a contemporary interpretation of upholstered residential furniture, helping travellers to feel at home in a luxurious private space. The dot, which has become part of Jongerius’s signature style, recurs in many elements of the interior, creating a soft, diffuse look. Passengers can adjust the sides to varying positions, breaking up the uniformity of the cabin and creating a lively atmosphere.

The business-class seats have cupboards that provide personal storage space while doubling as seat dividers. Besides offering plenty of room for personal belongings, each cupboard holds a specially designed mirror for checking your hair after a sound sleep in the full-flat seats. When opened, the brushed aluminium door functions as a seat divider for greater privacy.

KLM World Business Class cabin interior – Carpet
            Year: 2013
            Material: Sheep's wool, recycled yarn from old uniforms
            Dimensions: Various
            Commission: KLM
            Production: Desso
            Category: Industrial production
A sustainable concept was developed for the carpet in close collaboration with Desso, a Dutch cradle-to-cradle carpet producer. Since 2010, KLM stewards and stewardesses have worn new uniforms designed by Mart Visser. The old uniforms were used to spin new yarn, incorporated into the blue details of the carpet. The old carpets still in the aircraft will be returned to the manufacturer for reuse. Furthermore, the new carpets are made with sheep’s wool that was treated as waste until recently, because the sheep in question were bred primarily for the meat industry.
Even when a carpet has to be repaired, sustainability is guaranteed. The pattern – a scene of the Milky Way with blue uniform dots in the role of stars – will always match up, and the dirt mask will camouflage any stains.
This is the first cradle-to-cradle carpet in the aviation industry and a perfect match for the vision of KLM, which has now been recognized as the most sustainable airline for eight consecutive years.

Vimeo Cradle to Cradle –Carpet
This is the first cradle-to-cradle carpet in the aviation industry and a perfect match for the vision of KLM, which has now been recognized as the most sustainable airline for eight consecutive years.
A sustainable concept was developed for the carpet in close collaboration with Desso, a Dutch cradle-to-cradle carpet producer. Since 2010, KLM stewards and stewardesses have worn new uniforms designed by Mart Visser. The old uniforms were used to spin new yarn, incorporated into the blue details of the carpet. The old carpets still in the aircraft will be returned to the manufacturer for reuse. Furthermore, the new carpets are made with sheep’s wool that was treated as waste until recently, because the sheep in question were bred primarily for the meat industry.

Even when a carpet has to be repaired, sustainability is guaranteed. The pattern – a scene of the Milky Way with blue uniform dots in the role of stars – will always match up, and the dirt mask will camouflage any stains.

More information:
HELLA JONGERIUS/ JONGERIUSLAB
Gruttersdijk 22
3514 BG Utrecht
The Netherlands
+31 (0)30-320 0533
info (at) jongeriuslab.com
 
 
STUDIO IN BERLIN
Hella Jongerius/ Jongeriuslab
Zehdenicker Strasse 3
Hinterhof
10119 Berlin
Germany
+49 (0)30-440 13 183
info (at) jongeriuslab.com
http://www.jongeriuslab.com