Pearson Lloyd builds a better business class for long-term client Lufthansa
As travellers seek out new experiences, Pearson Lloyd reinvents Lufthansa Business Class to create a series of flexible airborne spaces
![Lufthansa Business Class by Pearson Lloyd](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dD37UTpFsFWnJAEYnnajyP-415-80.jpg)
Business class is booming. As the slice of the fuselage that brings in the most profit per passenger, it’s not surprising that the sector is also the most competitive in terms of experience-building; capture a loyal clientele and an airline’s bottom line is secured. Airlines are also emerging from the pandemic with fleets that are long in the tooth.
Allegris concept for Lufthansa Business Class
Pearson Lloyd’s new Allegris concept for Lufthansa Business Class exemplifies this shift. Launched this spring as part of the airline’s €2bn fleet upgrade, it is the result of an intensive design collaboration with the London-based studio and aviation design specialist Pearson Lloyd.
The new cabin arrangement was created from the ground up, giving Luke Pearson and his team unprecedented freedom to approach this economically crucial class from a fresh angle. The design team built six 1:1 models of aircraft cabins to test their prototypes, and the resulting arrangement comes from the creation of a number of different seat types that can be combined as necessary.
This flexibility acknowledges how business class is changing; it’s no longer a corporate perk with sober stylings to match, but often a way of adding a bit of glamour and relaxation onto each end of a family holiday. There’s also the crowd of perpetual nomads, keen to find a quiet and spacious spot in the sky to catch up on some work.
These diverse use cases were distilled down into three basic elements, Calm, Share, and Focus. As Pearson explains, this ‘allows a passenger to fly while working, private and isolated, or to relax and talk to a colleague in a different seat configuration. It delivers choice beyond simply opting to use a feature or not.’
Pearson Lloyd and Lufthansa have worked together for over 15 years, and the Allegris project includes an entirely new palette of colours, materials and textures. The airline’s signature blue is omnipresent, of course, but surfaces are softer and more accommodating.
Pearson recently wrote that ‘the future of travel must be different – more conscious and considered’, adding, ‘we must stop taking travel for granted. I believe the answer is to “travel better”; to focus once again on the experience of moving from one place to another. The journey should delight us as much as the destination.’
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Pearson Lloyd, PearsonLloyd.com
Lufthansa Business Class, Lufthansa.com
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
The Mercury Prize nominees for 2024 have been revealed
Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons are amongst this year's nominees
By Charlotte Gunn Published