Homes & Estates Florida Collection May 2016 | Page 11

Had you designed other types of interior spaces before moving your designs to the sky? I came into aviation interior design after years of experience as a aircraft interior certification expert. I studied product design and engineering, and after having been involved on the certification side of VIP aircraft interiors, I decided to create my own design studio and design my own interiors. I felt there was a need to bring a more creative offer to aircraft owners. What is the most significant difference between designing for, say, a home versus a private jet? The environment of an aircraft is very unique and very different from any other kind of space interiors designers typically work on. The living space inside most aircraft is usually rather small with a fixed cylinder shape and limited natural light sources. As a consequence, the initial design requirements for an aircraft are very demanding, because at the end of the design process, the passenger has to feel good within the cabin environment and forget about the very nature of its limitations (for example, we can’t open windows on an airplane to get fresh air, so we have to design in such a way as to get past this limitation). Also, weight limitations, possible flight turbulence and airworthiness regulations have to be taken into consideration during the design process. This leads to technical solutions and material choices that are very demanding and only seen in aviation. What is your personal philosophy when it comes to private jet design? I approach every project from a clean slate in order to create unique, personalized spaces that combine innovation, creativity, airworthiness and safety. and what kind of amenities the client wishes to have. During this interview, I also usually explain the technical limitations of what we can currently do within an aircraft cabin (no bathtub at this time, for example), and the rest of the design process, which includes preliminary design, preliminary design review, final design and technical follow-up. How closely do you work with a client, typically? We meet in person and try to connect in a way that will allow me to truly understand the personality and expectations of the client. The objective is to create a design that will appeal to the client right away without the need for major changes. What are some of the biggest challenges you must solve in your designs? The biggest challenge is usually to ensure that the actual aircraft interior will reflect my drawings and renderings, in terms of craftsmanship quality, finishing details, lighting effects and so on. That is why I place a great deal of importance on communicating effectively with the artisans and suppliers that will create all the bespoke elements that will go into the aircraft interior. How long does it take from start to finish? It all depends on the size of the aircraft and the nature of the interior project (complete or partial refurbishment), but the design phase duration typically varies from two months to up to one year for VIP airliners. In terms of what you do, how do you define luxury? I define luxury in private aviation as a balanced combination of space, comfort, personalization and service on-board. Can you describe your typical design process? Do you come up with a design first, or does a client come to you with a specific vision? Where does the gift of silence — i.e., noise reduction — fit into the design? The typical design process starts with an interview in which the client will explain his or her expectations and desires with regard to the project; what kind of design styles the client likes; Most clients understand the limitations of the current stateof-the-art technology concerning noise reduction. Like everything in this business, we can either go with standard continued Homes & Estates | Florida Collection | 9 CWBIV00055359_[F0008-F0010]_SPRING_FLORIDA_AirJet.indd 9 3/15/16 1:45 PM