California-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Archer Aviation has won the MUSE Design Awards Transportation Design of the Year award for its Midnight aircraft.
‘Midnight is poised to unlock freedom of movement within and around cities on an entirely new level. Our design team focused on creating a travel experience that will enrich people’s lives through an inspiring future Archer world,’ said Julien Montousse, former head of design at Mazda North America. ‘After spending most of my life designing cars, I saw from a distance that technology breakthroughs were happening in aerospace and that they would unlock new aircraft architectures. When developing a product in a completely new space like eVTOL aircraft, it’s important to instil confidence and earn the trust of consumers.’
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Unlike in the automotive industry, the skin of an eVTOL aircraft can’t be designed alone – the entire aircraft must be designed collectively with engineering and industrial design teams working hand in hand to achieve a final product that is visually stunning while meeting the strict aerodynamics and weight demands required for the aircraft to perform at the level required.
‘When setting out to design Midnight, we focused on creating a powerful aircraft design that forged an emotional connection between passenger and aircraft,’ said Montousse. ‘Midnight combines high function with high emotion, delivering a travel experience unlike any other. From the moment you lay eyes on the aircraft to the experience of gazing down at the community you live in, Midnight’s design delivers an unparalleled sense of connection to the world around you, creating a sense of inspiration like nothing else.’
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The MUSE Design Awards is an international design competition dedicated to recognising excellent and original design work from around the world. Its mission is to honour and celebrate outstanding design innovators, while inspiring others to elevate the standards of the design world.