Caelus

Project Overview

Caelus is one part of Envisage Concept Design and Engineering ‘Air’ series of projects that explores transportation futures.

‘Air’ outlines our advanced vision of progress in the Aerospace, Rail and Marine transport sectors.

Our innovative design challenges the established ideas that package people in isolation. Caelus developed from a need to increase feelings of space, purpose and social value; it outlines the potential for more humanistic design that places the ability for natural interactions to occur within the environment as the definition of a new class. Relax with friends and chat face to face, sit around a media table for an important business meeting, or watch movies on panoramic screens as if in your own private cinema, This is what can be experienced in our multi-modal spaces, this is definitely no ordinary flight experience.

Challenges Faced

Our investigations into spatial arrangement presented a few challenges, but ultimately directed us towards the possibility of creating cluster arrangements that could be configured in multiple ways. By increasing the array of relationships available; firstly within a couple, and secondly within a multi-couple clusters, spaces could be opened up to a multitude of uses and cater for groups. Two latched pivots allow the coupled seats to be reoriented, eventually turning to face one another. A third, connected to a rail system, allows couples to be spaced apart or brought together in different arrangements.

Our Solutions

Caelus’ interior has been designed to increase the feeling of lightness, space and speed in a way that correlates directly with the experience of flight. The strikingly modern interior is arranged over two floors in the typical first class location at the front of A380. The Symposium occupies the lower floor with a Sky Lounge and bar situated above. The two floors offer very different spatial environments and functionality. The Symposium features built in cinema screens and privacy blinds that close down the space for additional privacy. The service areas, located either side of the stairwell, lower down during boarding to reduce visual clutter and maximise the feeling of open space. This floor can be tailored to the needs of larger groups; a unique arrangement of eight is achievable by facing all seats inwards around the centre making the space available to corporate uses such as board meetings.

The Symposium can also be split down to two cinemas, each with four viewers, and split further still by isolating each seating couple from any cluster arrangement. On the floor above the arrangement of seats is along the outer walls affording an accelerated view towards the bar space at the back. The Sky Lounge can cater for individual privacy as well as groups of two, three or four passengers. The undulating lit ceiling panels give an ambient glow and temperature to the environment. A packaging concept that presides on both floors is low level storage located along the perimeter walls. Whilst being more accessible it is also a more elegant than having to place bags above your head.

A circular control and display on the seats console is used for controlling all passenger functions, seat movements and advanced interactions; such as the linking of devices to enable multi-person media and audio zones. Individuals lighting, located in the armature, can also be merged to further enhance the cohesion of cluster spaces. The top of the console slides back allowing the table to lift from inside its cavity towards the passengers lap. It can be used for dining but also in a more sophisticated guise; its backlit, touch sensitive keyboard and screen can completely transform its capabilities. All seats will have internet access and be linked to onboard media. Storage within the console has been designed with closed circuit wireless functionality allowing the users stored laptop and devices to also be accessed on the seats integrated media tables.

The lightweight seats most noticeable feature is its curling, single skin form. By working with future materials we have achieved a cleaner aesthetic vision. The seat moves from upright to sleeper in a single movement that passes through zero-g, the kinematics calculated to ensure the smoothest and most natural transition possible.

Results & Achievements

Caelus is a niche, low volume experience that certainly commands a high price point. By offering customisable spaces with broader uses we hope to draw customers away from the use of private, corporate travel. By fusing the personally customisable layouts of private aircraft with the expectations of commercial first class customers