Marc Newson is known for his funky, futuristic, but technically rigorous approach to design. From furniture to cars as well as private jets, he has designed everything. The latest on his agenda is the interiors of space jet, Astrium. Newson has always been enthralled by space and it has been his dream to design a space station. However, the Astrium project was tricky as he had to design for a plane that features both jet and rocket engines and offers weightless flight. Keeping the interiors simple, in terms of style and content, he emphasized on a design that will let the Astrium’s space tourists enjoy the breathtaking views of Earth. To accomplish this, a number of windows were installed and the volume of the cabin was maximized to add to the experience of zero gravity.
One of the toughest design challenges were the seats, which he made compact, light, and comfortable whether the spaceplane is moving at a conventional angle as an airliner or near-vertically as a rocket. Newson has shown his love for bright colors by coloring the seats canary yellow. He has also given finishing touch to the exteriors of the plane by designing the livery in a palette of yellow, gray, and white. The Astrium will take people into space for three hours and passengers will be charged up to $265,000 for a ticket when commercial flights start in 2012.
