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BMW Designworks Drives EVA Air Business Class Toward a Luxurious Finish

10.05.18 | By
BMW Designworks Drives EVA Air Business Class Toward a Luxurious Finish

Squint your eyes just a little bit while looking over the appointments and finish of EVA Air’s newly unveiled business class seats, and the automotive design versed might astutely recognize the hand of Bayerische Motoren Werke’s in the design. In fact, the Taiwanese air carrier did partner with BMW, but via the company’s dedicated global aviation team, Designworks, to reimagine the business class experience.

As you can see, the partnership has resulted in a highly tailored and contemporary cabin referencing architecture and furniture design. Unlike all too many airline seats – even up in business class – Designworks has done a commendable job of muted sophistication creating a cabin styled in finishes and textures which should age gracefully. Rich natural leather detailed, lie-flat seating complements the warm color palette of wool carpeting, a design scheme extending to the colors of uniforms worn by flight attendants during meal service.

The newly redesigned seats in 1-2-1 layout is being rolled out with EVA Air’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, an experience supplemented with adjustable privacy panels and a newly upgraded  In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) systems with a very expansive 18-inch HD touchscreen screen and paired with noise-canceling headphones.

“We wanted EVA’s business class experience to be fresh and memorable for passengers and to make service, design and brand all work together,” said Design Director Johannes Lampela from Designworks’ LA Studio. “Our goal was to take a proven seat platform and make it unique to EVA. From privacy, service, interaction, stowage and amenities, we explored the holistic passenger experience.”

The aim to lure business flyers is strengthened by the seat’s extra-large fold-out tables for dining or work, and a slew of auxiliary outlets and USB ports for staying connected and productive while traveling over oceans. Aesthetically speaking, EVA Air has done well in trusting Designworks to reimagine flying with the some of the same luxurious appointments of a 7 Series sedan.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.