Creative professionals are so darn creative. Designers deal with Goldy Locks-esque dilemmas daily: this room is too big, too small, has no windows or not enough electrical outlets. It constantly amazes me how designers can turn what a client thinks is a lost cause into a fantastic work of art.
My mouth-open awe of designers skyrocketed last week when I met up with a team of them at the Dallas-basedAssociated Air Center (AAC). This group of interior designers faces design challenges like no other. You see, designers at AAC aren’t just designing the fabulous interior of homes for an elite and very discerning clientele–they’re designing the fabulous interior of airplanes for an elite and very discerning clientele. Talk about close quarters.
AAC’s clients are typically internationally-known individuals, corporations and heads of state that have very high standards and, as you can imagine, expect nothing less than absolutely unique design. In fact, of all the aircraft completed by AAC, no two have ever been the same!
The design team leader Lauri Church explained that her design team has a unique opportunity to push the limits on the use of fabrics, leathers, exotic wood veneers and state-of-the art technology to fulfill the aircraft owner’s vision. The biggest challenge, however, is working within the confines of a fuselage and specifying materials that do not exceed weight limits. Now that’s a new one for Goldy Locks — the bed may be just right, but what if it weighs too much?
To achieve these lofty goals, AAC’s facilities at Dallas Love Field use more than one million square feet of hangar and shop space. Additional backshop space includes a finish department, design department, certification, avionics and electrical department, sheet metal shop, a cabinet department and an upholstery department.
Their engineering department is capable of designing and installing state-of-the-art avionics, entertainment and communications systems. These systems can include everything from fiber optic lighting, to satellite communications and heated massage chairs.
They have even designed thrones that continually face east no matter which way the aircraft is headed. (Okay, I have to admit I more impressed with the fact that an airplane had an actual throne than the fact that it was directionally sensitive!)
With this level of “one-of-a-kind” design, you can only imagine the extensive inventory of materials AAC needs to keep on hand. And these materials are not your run of the mill supplies either. Because they are used in aircraft, regulatory bodies such as the Federal Aviation Administration require stringent controls on quality, burn factors and age of the materials. Thus the materials used in these aircraft are the very best available.
According to AAC Design Coordinator Roxana Castillo, the Dallas Design Center is a purchasing destination of choice for fabrics. “I love the fact that the Dallas Design Center is surrounded by showrooms, workshops, and galleries,” Roxana explains. “Its location makes it very convenient for interior designers to find everything they are looking for in one place. You can go to one showroom for fabric and cross the street for some leather. Then, walk next door to look at hand-crafted furniture.”
LOL Insiders: AAC sometimes finds itself in the position of having too much excess fabric, leather and other upholstering material and needs to reduce its inventory. For more information on the materials available, you can visit www.associated.aero/excessmaterials or call Roxana Castillo at 972.599.7396 or email Roxana.castillo@associated.aero.
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