Private Sanctuary Defining the Evolution of Luxury with an Ultra-Flexible and Calming Space Onboard a Widebody Private Aircraft

The Private Studio at transport design consultancy PriestmanGoode has created a new interior concept at the rear of a private A350 aircraft that maximises space and elevates the passenger experience.

PriestmanGoode has worked in aviation for over 25 years and is the consultancy that has completed the most private interiors on widebody aircraft as well as private jets. PriestmanGoode’s Private Studio is part of a world-leading multidisciplinary design company pioneering innovative designs and curating visionary experiences.

The concept emerged from a workshop on the evolution of luxury hosted by PriestmanGoode at the RedCabin Business Jet and VIP Interior Innovation Summit in Montréal in 2024. Based around the needs of four different personas representing different client needs, the workshop brought together insights and thoughts on the role of technology as part of the onboard experience, wellness, personalisation and the ways that conscious material choices can support sustainability.

Expanding on the outputs of the workshop, the Private Studio team applied their extensive knowledge in designing small, adaptive spaces, to present an interior concept that provides a unique level of comfort and nature-inspired finishes.

The interior includes four spaces: starting with a luxurious adaptive living area that transforms from a social space where the passenger would relax with family and friends, to a cocooning cinema space, to a workout gym using a live-screen to connect with the user’s regular coach. Transformation of the space is achieved through moveable seats and panels, lighting and discrete storage.

Next to the living space is a more private space that also adapts to provide the perfect place for either work, therapy or meditation. The design features a floating desk within a lit alcove, soft and dark finishes; also benefiting from integrated storage.

Moving further towards the rear of the A350, the full-width bedroom and dressing room, wonderfully restorative places to sleep and dress, achieved through bespoke materials and surface finishes. As the full width of the aircraft is included, there’s no hallway, therefore windows on both sides, which really allows for an expansive, luxurious space.

Finally, beyond the bedroom is a bathroom that combines both high tech and holistic wellness through a darker, more emotive environment and unique features including a rippled glass shower enclosure.

To create a really calm and relaxing space many of the materials developed for the interior are inspired by nature. PriestmanGoode has partnered with four artisan material suppliers with whom they have collaborated on previous projects:

These include F/Lab who created a customised Aenigma material used on several panels in the interior. The material is a great example of how sustainability and conscious materiality can sit completely at ease within a luxury interior.

London Embroidery Studio who are known for really striking couture embroideries started with a two-dimensional pattern from PriestmanGoode which was then interpreted into a more three-dimensional stitch design, heavily influenced by antique tapestries.

Parisian art lacquer and interior decoration specialists Atelier Midavaine and their partner Nusom created two colourways for a ginkgo leaf motif that features on wall panels. The leaves used in the samples were gathered from the artist’s own garden and were carefully dried between pages of a book before being applied to a lacquered background.

Nature Squared also shares the same commitment to up-cycle organic waste into radical new forms. They contributed to the interior with a really beautiful surface that incorporates waste feathers from the food industry. The completely natural material that can be applied on any substrate features on the desk surface in the office space.

Ben Rowan, Director of PriestmanGoode says:

“One of the main motivations for this concept was taking our learnings from commercial aviation and our understanding of how to maximize small spaces and bringing those to our work in private aviation. We have made sure that the space can really change and modulate, depending on the actual requirements of the user. Whether that’s working, sleeping, lounging, watching a film or using it as a gym.

Utilising the back of an A350 cabin has demonstrated how we can create a private sanctuary separate from the more public spaces further forward in the aircraft. The overall architecture and bold forms takes the user into something quite different and not what they might expect onboard an aircraft.”

Chris Haslam, Senior Design Lead for the project adds:

“This concept defines the direction that we see the luxury cabin experience evolving. Our clients often want to replicate the same level of luxury from home, work, automotive or hospitality onboard, but this project demonstrates how design for an adaptive living space can bring so much more to the experience.”

Kate Montgomery, CMF Creative Lead for the Private Studio added:

“As designers that collaborate with private aircraft manufacturers, engineers, completion centres, materials suppliers and crafts people, we have a collective responsibility to ensure that we are delivering solutions with reduced impact on the planet, without compromising on quality and performance. Through the wider scope of possibilities in private aviation, particularly in the exploration of new materials, we have also been successful in bringing more sustainable materials to commercial aviation.”