In an ambitious collaboration, industrial design studio PriestmanGoode has redefined the design vocabulary of a next-generation airline—Riyadh Air. Unshackled by legacy constraints, the airline’s debut cabin design is a declaration of intent, fusing architectural inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s capital with a forward-thinking passenger experience.
Designing Without Precedent: The Creative Freedom of a New Airline
With no prior brand lineage to follow, PriestmanGoode approached the project with both liberation and responsibility. “Creating a design identity from scratch meant we could write a new visual language,” noted director Ben Rowan. This blank canvas allowed the team to shape a narrative that would be both culturally grounded and globally appealing.
Canopy Twist: An Architectural Language Translated into Form
The cabin’s signature design motif—dubbed the “Canopy Twist”—consists of interwoven, tensile triangular forms that recur throughout the interior. These patterns aren’t mere decoration; they form a spatial and emotional geometry reminiscent of the architectural expressions found in Riyadh’s evolving skyline and historic sites.
Local Influence Meets Global Elegance
Drawing influence from Riyadh landmarks like Al Diriyah, Masmak Fortress, and the KAFD district, the design is infused with architectural memory. The sweeping curves and interlocking surfaces of the business-class pods echo urban textures while providing a sense of privacy akin to architectural alcoves.
Integrated Lightscapes: A Cabin that Glows Like a City
The lighting design is subtle yet expressive. Concealed fixtures dramatize the geometry of the ceiling and partitions, creating a luminous effect akin to the glow of Riyadh’s financial district at night. It’s a poetic nod to the cityscape—transformed into a passenger experience.
A Sensory Experience Through Materiality
Material choices in the cabin go beyond aesthetics—they orchestrate a multisensory experience. Marble textures in premium sections offer visual solidity, while custom-designed pearlescent paints and iridescent textiles reflect shifting light, adding dimensionality and visual intrigue.
Color as Identity: Indigo, Peach, and Lavender
The cabin’s palette—an original composition of indigo, peach, and lavender—is not just branding; it’s atmospheric design. These tones reflect the gradients of desert sunsets and the urban hues of Riyadh, forming a subtle chromatic dialogue between interior and exterior identity.
Crafting Comfort in a Spatially Constrained Environment
PriestmanGoode collaborated with specialized suppliers to engineer each seat from concept to detail, including ergonomic mock-ups and bespoke toppers. The result is a highly optimized layout that maximizes comfort without compromising design integrity—a rare architectural feat in the limited real estate of commercial aircraft.
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Brand Identity as Spatial Strategy
The studio’s role extended to shaping the entire brand identity. From seat typography to livery graphics, every element of the visual language reinforces Riyadh Air’s commitment to elegance, cultural authenticity, and futuristic ambition.
Beyond the Boeing 787: Expanding a Design Legacy
Following the success of the B787-9 interiors, PriestmanGoode is now tasked with the interiors of up to 60 Airbus A321Neo aircraft. The challenge? Scaling a bespoke design language across different aircraft models while maintaining design fidelity—a task well-suited to a studio deeply embedded in transportation innovation.
