Seymourpowell Introduces the Aircruise - a Clipper in the Clouds

    LONDON, February 3 /PRNewswire/ --

    - Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP15Vgt55Gk
    - Images at
      http://www.flickr.com/photos/seymourpowell/sets/72157623175424001/
    - Full technical details at
      http://www.seymourpowell.com/aircruise/aircruise-press-release.html

Leading design and innovation company Seymourpowell is today introducing full details of its visionary transportation concept, Aircruise - a giant, vertical airship powered by natural energy and designed to carry travellers in style and luxury.

Originally a self-generated project, Seymourpowell's Aircruise is the concept design for a hotel in the sky, with low passenger numbers and huge internal spaces offering room for living, dining and relaxing, as well as scope for dramatic and inspirational public spaces. The initial design proposes a bar/lounge zone, four duplex apartments, a penthouse and five smaller apartments.

The concept subsequently captured the imagination of Korean giant Samsung Construction and Trading (C&T). Driven by its interest in new materials for building, Samsung C&T appointed Seymourpowell to refine the idea and produce a detailed computer animation of the proposed experience to illustrate this visionary approach to the future.

Seymourpowell's Aircruise concept presents an alternative take on the future, suggesting 'slow is the new fast'. Nick Talbot, design director at Seymourpowell explains, "The Aircruise concept questions whether the future of luxury travel should be based around space-constrained, resource hungry, and all too often stressful airline travel. A more serene transport experience will appeal to people looking for a more reflective journey, where the experience of travel itself is more important than getting from A to B quickly."

On Aircruise, it is the very abundance of time and space that defines the luxury experience. In a world where speed is an almost universal obsession, the idea of making a leisurely journey in comfort is a welcome contrast. Talbot explains, "The physics of the airship requires a gigantic volume of lifting gas, yet simultaneously demands a relatively limited amount of weight. This allows for a potentially large amount of space with relatively few people onboard - a luxury for any traveller."

Lifted by hydrogen and powered by solar energy, the Aircruise concept also has obvious environmental benefits. Seung Min Kim, design director at Samsung C&T commented, "This was a dream concept project for us, helping to realise a future of sustainable buildings combined with innovative and luxury lifestyle. In an age when environmental impact is a key consideration for architecture, we are keen to extend this vision of the future by searching for solutions that can be realised by 2015 - the year that many futurologists foresee as the turning point for the future."

Although only a conceptual proposal, Seymourpowell developed detailed and achievable technical specification for the craft. Full technical details at http://www.seymourpowell.com/aircruise/aircruise-press-release.html

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Seymourpowell - the shape of things to come

Seymourpowell is one of the world's leading design and innovation companies. Founded in 1984 by Richard Seymour and Dick Powell, the London-based group of award-winning designers has produced some of the 'milestone' products of the last two decades. The company is now part of the Loewy Group. Specialisms include design innovation, transportation design, ethnographic user research, strategy and new product development (NPD), trends and forecasting, product design and development, 3D structural design and 2D graphic design. See http://www.seymourpowell.com

    For further information contact:
    Tim Duncan, Seymourpowell
    Email: [email protected]
    Tel: +44(0)20-7386-2369
    Full case study available at
    http://www.seymourpowell.com/#/case_studies/34/

SOURCE Seymourpowell