Revolutionary seat design offers new possibilities

Lufthansa has introduced an innovative business class seat, the result of five years of development by design agency PearsonLloyd.

PearsonLloyd has decided to move away from the conventional technique of placing seats in different directions to allow reclining and has opted to arrange the seats in a ‘V' formation.

This does not mean there is any invasion of personal space – far from it, as when passengers lie down their seat's consoles hide their heads. This approach also gives passengers additional legroom with separated footrests, while the beds recline to just less than two meters in length.

The seat functions and materials used on the Lufthansa seats are also designed for the luxury market. The lower lumbar adjustments have been given massage functions, while the custom seat textile features flecks of yellow amongst a silver sheen.

Although we at Car Design News do not normally cover aviation design, PearsonLloyd's design could make car designers reconsider interior plans. With the pioneering design of the new Lufthansa business class seats, the possibilities for car design are there, especially in the luxury sector.

The Chinese luxury market is increasing rapidly, with a growing demand for cars that offer space, comfort and premium features, and automakers may well draw inspiration from this kind of design.

By Rufus Thompson