Revolutionizing aircraft design without sacrificing sustainability

Johannes Lampela, the director of industrial design at the creative design company Designworks Los Angeles, offers his insights on current commercial aircraft interior design trends.

Aerospace Manufacturing and Design (AM&D): What are the core trends Designworks sees in commercial aircraft interior design?

Johannes Lampela:

• Sustainability & Circular Design: Airlines and manufacturers are prioritizing materials that are lightweight, eco-friendly, and regenerative. Our work on the BMW M Visionary Materials Seat exemplifies how bio-based, flame-retardant materials can lower CO₂ emissions and enhance sustainability.
• Technology-Enhanced Passenger Experiences: We believe technology will play a pivotal role in delivering more premium experiences in aircraft cabins within a similar footprint. By incorporating immersive entertainment and enhancing every physical interaction with an interactive digital layer, technology can redefine the passenger experience. As time is the ultimate luxury, future advancements should empower passengers with more choices, allowing them to use their time in ways that are most meaningful to their individual needs.
• Hospitality-Driven Design: Airlines are moving beyond corporate branding and leaning into warm, inviting color palettes and cultural narratives that create a unique sense of place. This is reflected in projects like STARLUX Airlines, where the design fosters a sense of "home in the air."
• Space Optimization for Passenger Wellbeing: More space has always been synonymous with a more premium cabin experience in aircraft. A first-class passenger typically enjoys roughly six times the space of an economy passenger. However, in the automotive world, the difference in space between a luxury car and an economy car is relatively small. What truly sets them apart is the quality of materials, attention to detail, and the comfort and features of the seats – factors that directly influence how a passenger feels at the end of their journey.

AM&D: What’s different about designing aircraft passenger experiences compared to automotive or other settings?

Johannes Lampela:The biggest distinction is that aircraft cabins are public, shared environments for long duration, whereas automobiles are often more private spaces for more frequent shorter distances. This means aircraft seats must accommodate multiple activities – dining, working, relaxing, and sleeping – while ensuring privacy, service, stowage, and comfort. The extended lifespan of aircraft interiors (typically 10+ years) also means that designs must be timeless and durable, whereas automotive design can evolve more rapidly, and allows for faster innovation. This makes for an interesting cross-industry design experience, as we can draw insights from what passengers have come to expect in the car – freedom of choice, premium materials, and embedded tech, and apply those to future aircraft cabin designs to maximize passenger comfort and well-being.

AM&D: How do you go from defining passenger needs and wants, which the passenger may or may not be able to articulate?

Johannes Lampela: Our process starts with human-centered research, identifying passenger behaviors, pain points, and unarticulated needs. We then translate these insights into design strategies that optimize space, interaction, and amenities. For EVA Air, this meant crafting an environment that minimized disruption while enhancing service flow, privacy, and personalized experiences. Every detail, from lighting to seat form, was designed to create a seamless and intuitive journey.

AM&D: How does this process mesh with the airline’s branding and unique selling proposition?

Johannes Lampela: Designworks ensures that each airline’s DNA is embedded into the experience, not just through logos but through a deep integration of brand values. For example, STARLUX Airlines’ design evokes Taiwanese hospitality with seasonally inspired lighting and regional influences. By tailoring elements like materials, layout, and digital interfaces, we create unique environments that enhance brand loyalty while delivering a premium passenger experience – ensuring passengers associate their journeys with comfort, quality, and a sense of place.

AM&D: At what stage do you interact with the airplane manufacturers and equipment suppliers as well as airlines?

Johannes Lampela: We engage with all stakeholders – airlines, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and suppliers – throughout the design process. In the early stages, we collaborate with airline partners to define their vision, ensuring alignment with emerging technologies and regulatory requirements. We also work closely with equipment manufacturers to integrate the latest innovations in connectivity, safety, and structural design.

When developing seating concepts, we coordinate with suppliers to push for new design solutions while maintaining compliance with aviation standards. This collaboration allows us to create bespoke seating experiences while ensuring feasibility for production and integration within aircraft cabins.

AM&D: Do you work with seating designers to create custom solutions, or do you rely on seating manufacturers and others to generate the product features that you later choose to incorporate? 

Johannes Lampela: We take a dual approach – both collaborating with seat manufacturers and developing custom innovations. For highly differentiated airline experiences, we work with seat suppliers to tailor existing seating platforms to a brand’s unique needs. Leading airlines invest in more customized seating, integrating distinctive form factors and exclusive features.

For broader applications, we help develop innovative seating platforms that multiple airlines can adopt, allowing them to refine the experience through color, materials, and finish choices.

AM&D: How do your passenger considerations change when designing for business class vs. economy or economy plus?

Johannes Lampela: Each cabin class is carefully designed to meet distinct passenger expectations. Business class prioritizes privacy, comfort, and premium service, while economy plus offers a middle ground – enhancing space and amenities for a more refined experience. Economy class, on the other hand, is about smartly balancing efficiency and accessibility, ensuring affordability without compromising on essential comfort.

Far from being overlooked, economy passengers are central to our design approach. Our role as designers is to optimize the experience for every traveler, adapting solutions to different needs rather than diminishing them.

AM&D: How do you manage seat pitch expectations between airlines and passengers?

Johannes Lampela: Passenger expectations for more legroom without added cost pose a challenge. Designworks helps airlines optimize pitch and space perception through ergonomic improvements, innovative storage solutions, and staggered seating layouts that enhance comfort without requiring additional space.

AM&D: How does developing automotive products such as the BMW M Visionary Materials seat influence airline seating? How much do they have in common and how are they different?

Johannes Lampela: The BMW M seat explores lightweight, high-performance materials that can be adapted for aviation. By incorporating bio-based, regenerative materials like AmpliTex™, we reduce weight without compromising strength, a crucial factor in aircraft efficiency. The transition from automotive to aviation seating involves refining these materials for aviation standards, but the underlying innovation – sustainability without sacrificing luxury – remains consistent.

AM&D: How do you measure the reductions in CO₂?

Johannes Lampela: We evaluate CO₂ impact through life-cycle analysis (LCA), considering material sourcing, weight reduction, energy consumption, and end-of-life recyclability. By integrating natural fiber composites like AmpliTex, we reduce material weight and carbon footprint while maintaining performance.

AM&D: For the BMW M seat, the website acknowledges the role of partners contributing their collective know-how. How does collaboration come about and how does it work in real terms?

Johannes Lampela: For projects like the BMW M Visionary Materials Seat, Designworks leads the creative vision while collaborating with specialized experts in materials, engineering, and sustainability. Each partner – such as Gradel Light Weight Sàrl and Bcomp Ltd – contributes technical innovations, while Designworks ensures seamless integration into the final product. This iterative process blends design, engineering, and strategic foresight into one cohesive outcome.

AM&D: What will be the needs of business-class airline passengers of the future?

Johannes Lampela: Tomorrow’s business class will be defined by flexibility, personalization, and digital integration. We foresee:

• Adaptive environments that shift between work, relaxation, and sleep modes
• Seamless connectivity for uninterrupted digital workflows
• Wellness-driven design, including air quality monitoring and sleep-enhancing features
• Personalized service through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered interaction and smart cabin technology
• Future advancements will allow business travelers to maximize their time in flight – whether for work, rest, or entertainment – ensuring that luxury travel is not just about space but about meaningful, high-value experiences.

 Designworks