Harmonies Magazine

Middle East Airlines: aircraft interior fittings. Interview with designer Joe Farah

by
November 5, 2020

Three new MEA planes landed recently, at Beirut Airport, making people forget, for a period of time, the economic and health crisis that has plagued Lebanon for a while. Middle East Airlines (MEA), whose Lebanese flag is proudly displayed, has taken over 13 new Airbus A321 neo. Six of them will arrive in the coming months and will also land, like the first three, on the tarmac of Beirut International Airport. Evaluation with designer Joe Farah, who has volunteered for over 18 years, designing MEA aircraft.

Tell us about the Airbus A321 that you have designed?

The Airbus A321 is part of the A320 family, which also includes A319, A320 and A321 models. Powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1100G-JM geared turbofans, the new MEA jet is configured in 2 zones with 28 seats in Business class and 132 seats in Economy class. Panasonic Avionics has been selected by the MEA to provide in-flight entertainment and connectivity (infotainment) solutions. One of the MEA planes carries the number 10,000, a very rare and highly prized number in its category.

What are the particularities of this aircraft in terms of design?

The Airbus A321 is a very avant-garde and extremely modern version: the seats are dark in color, the cabin is rather bright, and a LED light appears in night mode. The noise caused by the machines is practically non-existent, which offers optimal comfort to passengers. Noise pollution is eliminated by 50%, and kerosene consumption reduced by 20%. The Internet is accessible to all passengers, and the very thin LED screens are also accessible to all in the seats.

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You are also responsible for the design of the next A330. What can you tell us about this?

This is correct. The A330 acquisition deadline, scheduled for December 2020, will unfortunately be postponed to 2023, given the international economic situation. The A330 planes are real gems, featuring individual shell seats in Business Class, worthy of first-class comfort, and unparalleled luxury.

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joe-farah-interview-mea-321-neo-cabin-image

What process do you follow to design an airplane?

Designing the space of an airplane is the primary concern of a designer. The plane, as such, is a small space, and the profitability for the airline should be guaranteed by fitting it out, moreover MEA. Once the spatial planning is completed, the designer turns to the study of dimensions, materials of manufacture, colors, safety standards, accessibility, without forgetting the cabin baggage space located above the seats. Then, he goes to the technical areas that make up the interior of the aircraft: changing rooms, service areas, meal preparation, toilets…

The main concern of the designer being:

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Contemporary concept, sober and elegant lines, colors and muted tones resolutely in tune with the times, noble and quality materials… The multiple creations designed and sculpted by Terry Dwan have everything to seduce us. Take a look at this outstanding talent. An architect and designer at the same time, Terry Dawn has, for a long time, established his notoriety on the international scene, thanks to his remarkable style. Based in Milan, this native American but adopted Italian uses a language of her own. Born in 1957, in Santa Monica, California, United States, she began her career after studying engineering and architecture at Rice University, Houston, in addition to training in Fine Arts at Studio Arts Center International (SACI) in Florence, Italy. The designer, who won the Fulbright Fellowship to study the architecture of cemeteries and war monuments in Italy, graduated from Yale University in Architecture in 1984. After an experience alongside Antonio Citterio, with whom she collaborated from 1985 to 1996 and founded the Citterio/Dwan office, working on several projects and residential complexes, fairs and exhibitions, notably in Switzerland, Japan, Germany and Italy, she opened her own design agency in 1992 and got involved in great designs, whether in architecture or decoration. A book entitled Antonio Citterio & Terry Dwan: Ten years of Architecture and Design, signed by Pippo Ciorra, was published on the occasion of the exhibition that the duo organized in Bordeaux in 1993. At the same time, it multiplies design projects for the biggest publishers and won numerous awards at international competitions. In 1996, she began by developing industrial design plans for firms such as Sawaya and Moroni, Electrolux, San Lorenzo and Driade. An accomplished designer, she juggles with forms, materials and concepts, questions obvious codes, experiments and explores eclectic universes: from the architecture of private residences, public buildings and interior decoration, through the design and the from salon and exhibition design to furniture and porcelain or silver objects, she is interested in everything and comes out with flying colors. Marrying current vision with everyday functionality, some of her works are part of the permanent collection of the Design Museum at the Milan Triennale. Passionate, her career is marked by numerous explorations of the material where wood, her material of choice, occupies a privileged place. She enjoys working with it revealing its multiple aesthetic qualities, through several everyday basics, many models of which have become emblematic, such as Maui, seat in scented cedar wood, edited by Riva 1920, and the Napa armchair, object oscillating between functional piece of furniture and biomorphic sculpture, or even Implement, a desk composed of two juxtaposed and misaligned wooden boards. Her collaboration with Driade is crowned by the timeless Burgos and Bedda sofas. A sought-after speaker around the world, Terry Dwan has taught architecture at SACI, Florence, and co-taught architectural heritage conservation at the University of Milan. Since 2006, she has been Dean of the Council of the School of Architecture at Yale University and a member of the SACI Board of Trustees.
Terry Dwan, multifaceted designer
  • The choice of seats: upholstery, functions, pockets, etc. Passengers have everything they need close to them.
  • The choice of colors: Airbus offers 2 versions; one whose walls are cold colors (white) used for hot countries, and the other whose colors are beige (rather “warm”) used for cold countries.
  • The choice of wallpaper and floor covering: color, products, carpets, vinyl.
  • Cabin lighting in the various flight modes.

This accomplished work is done entirely in compliance with safety standards, and is subject to the control of Airbus, which, following each choice, undertakes a simulation of the aircraft with its various components.

joe-farah-interview-mea-321-neo-cabin-image
joe-farah-interview-mea-321-neo-cabin-image

What are the main constraints that you seek to combine design, comfort and safety?

Pleasing passengers is not really a constraint, but rather a ‘‘must”. Thousands of passengers take these planes daily. My main objective is to ensure their comfort and satisfaction, to encourage them to resume MEA flights. However, there might be some dissatisfied people, but the percentage is minimal. Once the plane is completed, nothing can be changed, as stopping a plane is a huge loss in millions of dollars. The real constraint, however, is that of weight. Every element, every material, and every color overlay should be as light as possible.

joe-farah-interview-mea-321-neo-cabin-image
joe-farah-interview-mea-321-neo-cabin-image
joe-farah-interview-mea-321-neo-cabin-image

What would be your last word for our readers?

The MEA is very important to Airbus. MEA’s contracts with this aviation giant are not as large as those with other countries. However, the Lebanese benefit from a know-how that should not be neglected in terms of human and emotional contact, which favors relations with the Airbus team and consolidates their agreements.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Mr. Mohammed el-Hout, President and CEO of MEA, for the confidence he has placed in me in order to be able to carry out this exceptional project.

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