Transportation

Swiss Luxury

For most people, flying ranks only slightly above a trip to the dentist. But Swiss International Air Line’s first class seats put the friendly—actually, let’s make that luxury—back into the skies. “Swiss is a very, very strong brand,” says Ben Rowan, senior designer at Priestmangoode. “The idea was to translate that to a plane environment.”

"This approach is evident in the clarity, simplicity and quality of detail in the new first-class environment. It actually looks like someplace you might voluntarily spend time—and even be able to relax. “Everything is done in a very sophisticated way,” says judge Gary Braddock. “Everything is very appropriate to a first-class experience.” If you’re lucky enough to score an upgrade, be sure to enjoy the air-cushion comfort system, which lets you adjust the softness of your seat through a touch screen.

Project websites: www.swiss.com and www.priestmangoode.com

Description: The vision outlined to Priestmangoode was to design a first class seat that would be unmistakably Swiss. We created a product that aligns with the brand, which has been developed uniformly across all other mediums, to create a consistent passenger experience.

Design firm: Priestmangoode
Client: Swiss International Air Lines Ltd
Director: Nigel Goode
Senior designer: Ben Rowan

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“It’s about the whole experience rather than just the part in the water. When you fold it all up, it looks like a very acceptable piece of luggage.” --Judge Stewart Reed

Design firm: Civil Twilight

Description: Oru is a foldable origami kayak, which collapses into its own portable case.

Website: www.civiltwilightcollective.com
Product design: Anton Willis
Studio photographs: Erin Kunkel
Outdoor photographs and graphic layout: Kate Lydon
Client: Oru

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“Visually, it’s just so refined and simple. The basic motion is so elegant.” --Judge Stewart Reed

Description: The Townie Sport 105 blends high-end performance road gearing and 700c wheels into Electra’s innovative upright, forward-pedaling Flat Foot Technology frame geometry to create a light, fast and comfortable road and fitness solution.

Design firm: Electra Bicycle Company
Website: electrabike.com
Co-founder and product design manager: Benno Baenziger

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Website: www.advancedelements.com/airfusion.html

Description: The AirFusion Kayak’s unique design is a fusion of aluminum alloy frame poles and pressurized air tubes that result in a high performance kayak.

Firm: Advanced Elements, Inc.
Website: www.advancedelements.com
Designers and founders: Charles Hall, Clay Haller
Designer: Ryan Pugh

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Description: The design of the Cruiser 55 places the emphasis on the highest level of functionality and performance with the silhouette reflecting a maximum degree of lucidity and clarity. The deck dispenses with all superfluity, all functions are extremely well-organized and oriented towards a sheer sailing experience that takes on a completely new dimension.

Design firm: BMW Group DesignworksUSA, Munich Studio
Website: www.designworksUSA.com
Client: BAVARIA Yachtbau GmbH

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Design firm: BMW Group Design
Website:www.bmwgroup.com

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Description: The CMYK ELEKTRIC is a folding electric bicycle for short commutes. This electric bike has the ability to make people smile and help make a greener world.

Design firm: Manuelsaez & Partners
Website: www.manuelsaez.com
Creative director: Manuel Saez
Product designer: Jordi Borras
Graphic designer: Andrea Plenter
Team member: Jason Lin
Client: BRKLYNESS

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Description: A new bike share system for Copenhagen: The bicycle’s design follows the same form principles that we know from shopping trolleys and thereby achieves an optimal utilization of space in the urban landscape, just as the docking stations capacity is, in principle, unlimited.

Design firm: T.A.K Studio
Sr. industrial designer: Junggeun Tak
Sr. user experience designer: Shinhyun Kang
Client: City of Copenhagen

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