Butterfly Noho Mokulele by James Lee is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award Kala in Hoʻolālā Kaʻa, Neʻe a me Lawe ʻOhua Competition Category.

KalaKaʻa· 2020

Butterfly Noho Mokulele

by James Lee

Client: Butterfly Flexible Seating Solutions Limited

A' Design Award Kala Winner in Kaʻa Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #88997

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Butterfly Noho Mokulele

ʻO Butterfly he ʻōnaehana noho mokulele maʻalahi e hiki ai ke hoʻololi ma waena o nā noho premium economy a me nā hale moe pālahalaha o ka papa ʻoihana. Aia i loko o kēlā me kēia hale Butterfly ʻelua noho hilinaʻi i hoʻonoho ʻokoʻa ʻia kekahi i kekahi, a ua kūʻai pū ʻia nā noho ʻelua ma ke ʻano premium economy. Hiki i nā limahana o ka ʻea ke hoʻohuli i ka noho puka aniani i mea e hana ai i kahi pūne'e ʻaoʻao, e hana ana i kahi hale papa ʻoihana no hoʻokahi mea holo. ʻO ka hoʻohuli pū ʻana i ka noho alaloa e hana ai i kahi ʻili pālahalaha nui no ka hiamoe. Ke ʻae nei ka ʻōnaehana i nā mea hoʻohana e hoʻoponopono i ka rumi holo e like me ka hoʻololi ʻana o ka koi a e hoʻohana pono i ka wahi papahele.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Kala

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Butterfly Noho Mokulele i ka A' Design Award Kala, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kiʻekiʻe loa, nani a kupaianaha. He mau hana ʻālohilohi loa a hana noʻeau nui nā lanakila Kala e hōʻike ana i ka loea, ka makakoho a me ka ʻoi aku o ka noʻonoʻo o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Butterfly Noho Mokulele he hana kupaianaha, kūlana ʻoi aku, ʻoihana kiʻekiʻe a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Kala he mea hoʻokumu kūpono loa, mahalo ʻia e hāʻawi i ka pōmaikaʻi a hoʻoneʻe i nā palena o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana. He mea i ʻeleu ʻia e nā mea he nui ka hoʻolālā Butterfly Noho Mokulele e hoʻāla i ka makemake, lawe mai i nā manaʻo maikaʻi a hoʻāla i ka kamahaʻo a me ka mahalo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Butterfly is a flexible aircraft seating system that allows instant transformation between premium economy and business class flatbed suites. The concept enables operators to adjust their cabin configuration to real-time market changes, allowing them to make efficient use of valuable floor-space, increase aircraft utilization and reduce business risk. It also gives passengers new ways to configure their own space, whether it is a cosy private retreat or a family-friendly social space.
Tags: Aircraft Seating, Flexibility, Transform, Airline, Business class, Premium Economy
Inspiration: Demand is never constant, yet aircraft configurations are usually fixed. As a passenger, I often noticed wasted space on flights. Sometimes economy class is overbooked but business class is rather empty, sometimes the opposite occurs. And as someone who have once worked in an airline, I reckon the need for an adaptable seat that can react to changing market demand. The implication to the operational efficiency is transformative, much like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.
Project Duration: The project started in 2014 in Hong Kong and is still ongoing.
Operation Flow: Each Butterfly suite is made of two reclining seats staggered relative to each other. When both seats are used, they are sold as premium economy class. Airline crew can flip the window seat over to form a side couch, which turns it into a long-haul business class suite for one passenger. When the aisle seat is flipped over as well, it forms a flat surface continuous with the side couch, which together forms a large sleeping surface long enough for a passenger to lie flat diagonally.
Patents: Patented
Team Members: James Lee
Vincent Tam
Lars Rinne