Airbus experiments with 3D design for cabin interiors

Business class mock-up cabin at Airbus design center

On one of my visits to Airbus' Toulouse HQ I had the chance to see the aircraft interior design center, that is the place where airlines come to choose the decor of their aicraft.

Your can think of it as a sort of furniture showroom, not unlike the more mundane ones where people go to choose the decor for their homes.

Colour schemes for Thai Airways passenger cabin

There are cabin mock ups in different styles, as well as a whole range of materials, colours and textures to choose from. So many combinations that it can be somehow overwhelming.

Just like any other showroom...

But Airbus is experimenting with new technologies to make the whole process a lot more efficient. In particular, 3D imagery seems to be suited for this task. It makes sense, as it provides an immersive experience with which you can visualize how the cabin would look like.

You can easily switch from one configuration and style to the next without the costs associated to building a physical mock-up or the level of abstraction required to imagine it from a catalogue (and there are thousands of possible combinations!)

It is not unthinkable that you may see the same thing soon at your local IKEA!