Architect Norman Foster has designed the interior and exterior of an aeroplane called Falcon 7X for private jet company NetJets. NetJets Europe is the largest operator of business jets and private jets in Europe.

NetJets describe their project with Foster as followed:

‘What do you get when you connect the legendary aircraft designers of Dassault, the inspired thinking of a celebrated architect, and the renowned ability of NetJets to make flying a natural extension of how you do business?

You get a brand new, once-in-a-lifetime aircraft called the NetJets 7X. Conceived on a computer, controlled by the same fly-by-wire technology used by Dassault jet fighters, the three-engined 7X just may be the most perfect ultra long range aircraft ever created.
It flies faster, higher and farther than any other Falcon, yet it has the highest fuel efficiency in its class, the agility to fly in and out of little airports and a stunning cabin by Lord Norman Foster that Wallpaper calls ‘an exercise in restrained, modern elegance.’‘

The following information is from Foster + Partners:

‘A NEW BLUEPRINT FOR BUSINESS AVIATION

NetJets Europe commissions Lord Norman Foster 
to design its new Falcon 7X fleet.

In an industry first, Europe’s leading business jet operator, NetJets Europe, has recruited Pritzker prize winning architect, Lord Norman Foster, to design the interior and exterior of its newest and most advanced aircraft, the Falcon 7X.

In 2007 NetJets placed the largest order in business aviation history with manufacturer Dassault, which will see 33 Falcon 7X aircraft added to its fleet over the next eight years. To mark this unprecedented $1.5 billion investment, NetJets commissioned architect, pilot and NetJets’ customer, Lord Foster, to create a jet that takes the business aviation experience to a new level. The company believes the selection of Lord Foster will ensure that the NetJets 7X will have an enduring and lasting sensibility.

Lord Foster did a tremendous amount of research for this project. He talked extensively to NetJets’ clients and crew to get a well rounded perspective. The result is an aircraft that is serene on the inside and sleek and striking on the exterior. As an architect, he approached the design from a holistic perspective, and each of the resulting design choices were made to create a superior travel experience.

The interior of the NetJets 7X is thematically zoned into a well-being space for customers and a work space for crew. The passenger cabin is light and tranquil featuring a cream and tan colour scheme and Fiddleback Sycamore wood fittings. Lord Foster redesigned the seating arrangements based on how NetJets owners and passengers use the aircraft, gearing it towards business meetings and an enhanced sleeping and dining experience. In contrast, the work area around the galley has an industrial feel, featuring a grey and black colour scheme, a marked contrast from generic aircraft design. Foster uses robust materials such as carbon fibre for the galley and crew areas.

Although not originally commissioned to consider the exterior of the jet, Lord Foster evolved his design to include the aircraft’s livery. His design of a bold, dark blue horizontal stripe unifies the windows of the cockpit and cabin, giving the aircraft a sleeker form. NetJets Europe has elected to introduce Foster’s design as its new livery across its entire 160-strong fleet.

Commenting on the project, Lord Foster said, ‘The NetJets 7X is a major aviation milestone in terms of the sheer size of the order. It’s literally a fleet within the NetJets fleet and therefore I felt that this significance should manifest visually both internally and externally.’

‘Working on a jet was a new challenge for me and one that I accepted unhesitatingly when NetJets approached me. It presented the opportunity to apply my professional expertise, my passion for aviation and my experience as a NetJets customer to one of the world’s most exciting aircraft.’

Mark Booth, Executive Chairman, NetJets Europe said: ‘Design is an area that has been given precious little attention in the world of business aviation. Whether a NetJets owner wants their journey across Europe or the Atlantic to be peaceful or productive, the personal and intuitive touches added by Lord Foster to the Falcon 7X will meet their needs in a way never seen before in aviation.’

The Falcon 7X is one of the aviation industry’s most anticipated aircraft, featuring increased fuel efficiency, the most advanced flight control system currently in use and the ability to fly long range, linking virtually all of the most desired city pairs including London to New York and Paris to Tokyo.

The NetJets 7X will be available on the NetJets Europe Owner Programme which is based on the concept of fractional ownership. The scheme allows Owners to buy a share of an aircraft equal to the anticipated number of hours flying each year, starting with as little as 1/16th of an aircraft (50 hours).’

For further information visit: www.netjetseurope.com.

For more pictures visit: www.wallpaper.com.