Since the year 2000 Warja Borges has been dedicated with empathy, distinguished taste and technical know-how to create beautiful aircraft interiors. Warja has worked on many different aircraft types and projects sized up to the 747-400 and a concept for an A380 VIP interior. Please tell us a little about your background… Born and grown up in Munich, I love to travel, to learn about foreign cultures, lifestyle and history. Designs and colors from all over the world inspire me. Since I was young I was always creative in many ways which logically lead to the decision to study design. In Germany, Interior Architecture is an engineering study combined with design elements. This background fits very good with the VIP aviation industry which is as well a combination of engineering and design. After 4 years of studying interior architecture and some years of practice creating interiors for residences and offices I got the chance to work with Reiner Heim Aircraft Interior Design, based in Munich. For ten years I was part of his team designing bespoke interiors for various customers and aircraft types in cooperation with well-known completion center. After many fruitful years gaining experiencing with Reiner Heim I decided to raise my own business and become an independent designer. Since 2010 Unique Aircraft has been designing high-end VIP aircraft interiors for clients and aviation facilities worldwide. Tell us about your company and what you do…
business flights for 2 – 10 passengers and crew (when the atmosphere on board is very important for your wellbeing) and to design a look representing a high-class VIP interior for the BBJ demonstrator. The goal was to combine both under one roof. Thinking of passengers traveling to important meetings and needing to concentrate and get prepared or after a stressful day needing to relax or recharge, I wanted to create a surrounding giving energy and tranquility - not bothering with disharmony but supporting with serenity. With the first step on board I wanted those feelings to be present. Therefore, I put a lot of thought into the front area to create an open and inviting space, a real ‘welcome on board’ but also integrating all required functionalities. With all design elements like shapes, patterns, materials, colors and details used in repeat through the cabin I created a “one piece” clean design. One’s eyes shouldn’t get caught on any interruption/ disharmony/ mismatch but pleasantly wander around guided by the “endless” metal trims embracing the cabin volume. This core design idea isn’t really compliant with a “glamorous” touch one would maybe expect in a VIP interior of a demonstrator. But to accomplish this aspect we focused on sophisticated design details, such as the seat backrest and armrest design, floor lamps, magnetic cup-holders, hidden details and special features … to show the high-end quality of a bespoke VIP interior deviating from a normal “business jet”. The combination of these two aspects resulted in a cabin interior of “elegant simplicity”.
We design ‘unique’ aircraft cabins with a fresh, innovative, luxurious, individual, timeless and elegant spirit. With a team of professionals, we create full cabin interiors as well as single components of design packages, for example, layout development, elevation drawings, material / colour concepts, decorative parts, ornamental details, carpet designs and exterior liveries for all aircraft types.
What would you name as the main factor that separates you as a designer/company from your peers?
Our underlying aim and passion is to make visions come true and create beautiful aircraft interior cabins for ones´ well-being and comfort on board. With our expertise we guarantee full satisfaction regarding the functionality and durability under the respect of all technical requirements and aircraft industry regulations. We supervise our projects until the aircraft delivery to ensure our client´s satisfaction. A close cooperation with the completion centre and the customer´s representative is one key of our success. Our performance is based on innovation and intimate knowledge of aeronautical design. With our high-quality solutions and professional approach our design team develops and finalises all projects through to the finest details. This is a safe guarantee for a truly professional attendance and realisation of each project.
You must work with such a wide array of key suppliers in your field; do you have any favourite materials and products that you prefer to work with?
Tell us a bit about recent and current projects that you have been working on, along with any favourite design elements from these schemes. My most important project completed in Spring 2017 was the BBJ Demonstrator. The brief for this aircraft was to create a comfortable cabin for long-distance
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There aren´t many designers specialised on VIP aviation and each of us has a unique talent. Being a business woman in an industry mainly occupied by men might give me the opportunity to have a different perspective and approach.
There are no preferences I just love different materials; every material has its beauty and sometimes inspire the entire interior look. But it is not only the look that is important, the touch can influence the passenger’s wellbeing on board so much. Please describe any relevant technological advancements that may have influenced/affected your work in recent years. OLED monitors will have a big impact on the aviation interior design. Always limited in space this technology will give so much more options to place the monitor in the cabin. On board connectivity has become very important in our lifestyle nowadays. The technology available in this sector is growing fast and as a designer the challenge is to implement it into the design nicely.