Tecno AERIS

 

Grimshaw’s Industrial Design department is celebrating two successful collaborations with a diverse set of products recently launched at Passenger Terminal Expo in Stockholm, Sweden. Architects in the practice’s London studio collaborated with Swiss public furniture company, BURRI public elements, on the GEKKO® magnet series, and in New York, Grimshaw worked with Italian furniture designers, Tecno, on the latest iteration of the Aeris airport seating system.

First launched in 2017, the newest version of Aeris sees a seamless integration with Internet of Things (io.T) technology which can record when the seats are in use to assist with space planning. In acknowledging that airports are no longer solely waiting environments but also active workspaces, the system is designed to offer comfortable support for laptop users as well as access to power units.

Modularity is a key component of Grimshaw’s architectural design history and this extends into the practice’s product offering. Aeris provides a variety of seating options with configurations that include recliners, padded seats, backless benches and specialist seats for passengers with reduced mobility. The product concept permits a high degree of customisation, offering a bespoke solution for the needs of each airport environment.

Assembly is simple and there is a wide variety of compositions that can be reconfigured over time in response to the needs of the airport’s passengers. Importantly, the ergonomic seat design allows the body’s natural posture to be maintained, offering maximum comfort for waiting passengers, even over extended periods of time.

From airport seating to fixtures and wayfinding, Grimshaw’s Industrial Design unit has been busy experimenting, designing and prototyping the GEKKO® magnet series for over a year. The newest collaboration with BURRI was borne out of previous projects involving airport signage and removable bollards, and the two firms are proud to present an ingenious solution for temporary fixtures or more permanent fixings that won’t damage the surface they are adhering to.

GEKKO® is a series of magnets that attach objects to surfaces without any drilling, and with the help of an Allen key a single person can effortlessly attach and remove the magnets with the fastening area confined to the interior. The magnets have an adhesive force of up to 250kg with a family of sizes that work best when securely fixing objects to magnetic metallic walls or ceilings; perfect for most aviation environments. They work with a range of wayfinding elements and services including: signage, cameras, screens, lighting, cable guides, seating, waste systems and speakers.

Martin Burri, President of the Board and Head Design and Development at BURRI said, “We are proud to have worked with Grimshaw on different product ranges over many years. Their Industrial Design unit supported our team during the product development of GEKKO® in many ways, with a collaboration based on a mutual trust and creative cooperation. Both companies share the same understanding of design and a precise eye for detail.”

Grimshaw Deputy Chairman, Andrew Whalley said, “Within the practice’s history, industrial design has been a core consideration within our approach to architecture, and it’s great to see this evolve into finely tuned product design already making its mark in airport environments around the world. Our collaborations with both BURRI and Tecno epitomise Grimshaw’s approach to design with rigorous experimenting and discussion; ultimately we design for people and from furniture to fittings, every detail is just as important as the next.”

 

GEKKO at PTE