Ever since it was launched in London in 1986, Andrew Winch Designs has been one of the world’s leading specialists in the arena of yacht design. Widely recognised as one of the most innovative and technically competent design teams in the world, Andrew Winch and his staff have designed some of the most spectacular award winning sail and motor yachts. Indeed, the International Superyacht Society, the sole organisation serving and representing the large yacht industry worldwide, has bestowed upon Winch many prestigious awards for his leadership and dedication to raising the standards of yacht design.
Yet this creative team’s aim is simply “to give the client their dream.” So whether that dream is a yacht, a house or even a jet, they aim to deliver over and beyond the expectations of the customer. In fact, the first time Andrew Winch Designs entered the private sector of the aviation industry was seven years ago when, in coordination with Lufthansa Technic, it overhauled the interior of a Boeing Business Jet 2. The result of this original partnership between the two companies was such a success of understated sophistication that it encouraged them to collaborate on further projects.
So far they have cooperated on the interiors of quite a number of private aviation projects, from the smallest to the very biggest jets including the reigning king of the skies – the flying palace A380. Probably the most outstanding design scheme to date is the Andrew Winch Designs VIP interior concept for the Boeing 787.
"Our creative team and Lufthansa Technik's designers want to show that the possibilities for a cabin are endless,” said Andrew Winch, “Whether the client's requirement is personal, corporate or governmental. No one should feel their choices are limited to that which exists today."
A basic 787 Dreamliner will seat 210 to 330 passengers as a commercial airliner and it will cost about 150 million USD. But after receiving its total makeover by the Andrew Winch Designs and Lufthansa Technic teams, the jet will have a mere 32 seat, most of which can also be used as single lie-flat seats, and nine of which are classified as double-beds. The price of converting the jet depends on the specs you opt for but clients normally spend around 20 million USD.
The overall layout of the 787 includes a massive master bedroom that has its own private office, a large guest bedroom, two further bedrooms, a galley, a dining room, a movie theatre and another sitting room that can even be arranged majlis style. One particular luxury is that every bedroom onboard has its own en-suite bathroom but definitely the most unusual idea was the dining room. It is a prime feature of the design and serves a dual purpose as both a dining and a conference room for business meetings in the skies. The room can be shut off from the entrance hall and forward sitting room by sliding the solid doors. There is seating for ten and every imaginable piece of communication equipment has been installed including a 42" plasma screen that rises up from the credenza to the aft of the room.
The space on board the 787 is certainly large but every square metre of this Dreamliner has been optimised in order to create the feeling of even more space. Gone are the usual overhead lockers, tiny seats, miniature televisions, microscopic meals, narrow aisles and cheap fabrics. Instead every feature of the aircraft fulfils the wish list of the prospective owner, captain and passengers providing the latest technology, audio, video and communications equipment while retaining a discrete and relaxing atmosphere. Simply class and comfort are the intentions here.
With the design stage complete and order books already filling, the first of these 787s is due to arrive at completion centres around mid-2010. The lucky owners must be biding their time. With so much anticipation around this most amazing of private jets, even Andrew Winch wants to get aboard. “We are delighted to be working on the Boeing 787 design with Lufthansa Technik, and cannot wait to see her take to the skies." Neither can we.
