2025

Portfolio

James Woodington, Senior Industrial Designer

My goal as a designer is to enhance
everyday user experiences through
both innovative thinking and the
thoughtful improvement of existing
solutions. I focus on creating intuitive,
functional designs that add meaningful
value to daily life.

• Rhinoceros (Grasshopper & Sub-D)

• CATIA

• Solidworks

• V-Ray for Rhino

• Blender

• Keyshot

• Adobe Creative Cloud

• Senior Industrial Designer & Safran
  Passenger Experience Expert

Safran Seats, Cwmbran (2019-present)

• Industrial Designer

Safran Seats, Cwmbran (2014-2019)

• Graduate Engineer

Safran Seats, Cwmbran (2013-2014)

Versa Business Class

05.

Sustainability Demonstrator (Circle)

07.

Personal Projects

Aim: The generation of a new business class concept that incorporates the traits of both the
staggered (forward facing) and herringbone (angled facing) layouts, with the latest technology
and features.

Herringbone LOPA

• 
  

• Increased bed length

• Wide living space in lie flat (mid body)

• Equal passenger experience

• Part commonality

Staggered LOPA

• 
  

• Wide living space in upright

• Enhanced companion travel

• Simplified certification

Layout Ideation: The project first started by exploring 2D layouts by merging both staggered
and herringbone layouts.

Below you can see a few examples from many explorations.

Prototyping: Physical mock ups built from foam and wood to evaluate the space, in both
seated and sleeping positions.

Aesthetics: With the initial geometry
and styling inspiration, the next step was
to apply pen to paper to map the chosen
styling onto the concept.

Modelling: Conceptual level CAD was generated in Rhino from the hand sketching, the CAD
is mature enough to be rendered and animated. This was then presented to clients as a
conceptual base to build upon during a collaborative project (co-creations).

Project: Using the Ciwb concept as a
base to develop upon. 170,000 hours of
collaboration between Safran and Air
New Zealand resulted in a new product
offering called Fantail.

Known in the market as Premier Luxe

The seat was developed in collaboration between Safran Seats Advanced Concepts Team in
Cwmbran and Air New Zealand’s innovation team located in Auckland, Hanger 22.

We set out to produce the best sleeping experience in the sky and an overall premium
experience, that boasts a number of market leading features and dimensions including the
largest IFE screen on a B787.

During the collaborative (co-creations) stages of the project, a number changes were made to the
original Ciwb concept after several workshops with frequent flyers, setup by Air New Zealand.

• Increased seat angle from 18 to 24 degrees

• Business first integration (front row)

• Increased monitor from 21" to 24"

• Adjustable aisle privacy divider

• Styling to represent New Zealands heritage

• Adjustable lowering armrest

• Tiered stowage solution

• Companion travel experiences

The business and first class seats provide the latest technologies and features within the
market, including an active backrest solution patented by Safran Seats.

Proposal: Below is the final concept that was used as a base for the collaboration with Qantas and
their chosen design agency CAON, who was tasked with producing a new identity for Qantas.

Styling: Designers at CAON implemented their initial styling onto the Module concept, then
with support from two Safran industrial designers (myself and another). We started to mature
this vision into A-Surface data shown on the right image.

Testing: During the maturity of the A-Surface data, I continued to review the details in 1:1
scale through foamboard and 3D printing (using my personal SLA printer), the images above
show some of the details that were validated.

Project: The expanded range and
capabilities of single-aisle aircraft, like the
A320 and B737, have created a new
market segment within business class.

As a result, Safran Seats needed to
develop a new platform product for this
segment.

Brief: Safran Seats launched an internal competition to design a new business class seat for
single-aisle aircraft. The primary requirements were to maintain cabin density, ensure the seat
could accommodate a suite door, whilst keeping it lightweight.

Twenty designers from the broader advanced concepts team were divided into five groups,
each consisting of a visualizer, modeler, engineer, and team lead. I was given the responsibility
of leading one of these teams.

Ideation: Multiple 2D layouts were created, including forward- and rear-facing seats, with
angles varying from 45 to 90 degrees. The designs also explored cabin height to overlap
footwells, to optimize pitch whilst providing an enhanced passenger experience.

Preliminary Styling: After internal presentations to senior stakeholders, we continued the
development of two concepts Maven & Kvell (Vue). Investigating physical form and aesthetics
of the concepts.

Concept Proposal: Kvell (Vue) was presented and proposed to the Safran executive
committee, using a spatial prototype accompanied by concept visuals and short pitch.

The pitch of Kvell was successful and agreed to be developed further into a catalogue offering
by Safran Seats.

Development: Building on the internal presentation, feedback and design adjustments were
incorporated into an updated spatial prototype and 3D model before finalizing the A-surface.

For instance, we identified new placements for passenger control units, charging outlets, and
improved overall passenger comfort.

Vue: Once Kvell was awarded as Safran’s single aisle business class, the concept was
remodeled into A-surface data ahead of a product launch and rebranding to Vue.

Project: The R&T department required a
display stand to replace a show seat,
which not often available due to exhibits
and sales activities.

The stand is linked to Safran's Connected
Cabin, toggling on/off seat features such
as deploying an armrest will update in
real-time within the Connected Cabin
system.

Usecase: Metallic switches on both sides of display are each assigned a seat feature, when
turned on or off. The Connected Cabin system will update telling cabin crew what is currently
activated, which is shown on the image on the right.

Features: As well as the seat feature switches, the stand comes with an integrated 10" HD
touchscreen to show additional information within Connected System or act as an
independent display.

Seat Class Selection: The graphic boards are designed to be removeable which allows the
user to change through the seat classes.

Continuation: This project continued in
2024/5 with a new design which was
used to present the Connected Cabin
technology to the Crystal Cabin’s judging
panel.

Which was a success with the Connected
Cabin, being awarded a Crystal Cabin
trophy.

Project: Safran needed a demonstrator
showcasing 15 innovative solutions
aimed at improving both sustainability
and performance.

Research: Before developing the demonstrator, a comprehensive benchmarking study was
conducted on similar initiatives in related industries. This included visits to local museums and
showrooms to explore various methods of presenting technologies and information.

Ideation: Following the research phase, several concepts were developed to effectively
showcase the 15 distinct sustainable technologies. These concepts included options ranging
from informational displays to physical demonstrators.

Concept A: Similar experience to
museums, each technology would
contain information and tactile
elements for each technology.

Concept B: A frame silhouette of
one of our business class seats,
where each technology is integrated
in the correct context.

Concept C: A demonstrator that has
each technology integrated in a
conceptual vehicle.

Development: Concept C was selected as the direction for the demonstrator and has since
been further refined to incorporate 15 different technologies and materials.

Circle: The final design was unveiled at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, where it
attracted significant interest from airlines, suppliers, and journalists alike.

Project: One of my first projects within
aircraft interiors was the development of
an existing concept called Z500 a
premium economy seat.

Working with a small team of designers,
I was assigned a number of features to
design and generate A-surface for a
show seat.

Console: The console was required
to integrate various electronic
equipment to power the lighting, and
in-flight entertainment.

Additionally, the requirement of two
water bottles.

Reading Light: Working with an
external supplier, myself and another
designer collaborated to design a
rigid reading light. Too overcome the
issues of a traditional flexible ‘snake’
lights.

Enhanced Privacy: Z500 lacked
privacy from neighboring
passengers, which led to designing
an optional center privacy wing.

Visualization: Z500 was the first opportunity to use V-Ray for Rhino, which I used to generate
sets of studio and cabin renders, in a range of airline trim & finish.