Textron Aviation have been shortlisted for Private Jet Design Award & Interior Design/VIP Completion Award in  The International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2023. Read more about the Supervisor of Industrial Design, Matthew Harrell, below:

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Name: Matthew Harrell    

Company: Textron Aviation

Position within company: Supervisor of Industrial Design

Website: https://txtav.com/

Tell us a little about your background in design:
I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and have always loved aviation and art.  My brother and I spent our weekends flying with my father in a Cessna 182 seaplane delivering parts to barges and oil rigs.  We would also go flying up and down the Mississippi River in my grandfather’s Cessna 182.  Growing up with a pilot for a father and a grandfather meant we were always around airplanes. 

I spent my childhood and teenage years constantly drawing instead of doing the things I was supposed to be doing; like studying or paying attention in class.  In my senior year of high school, my art teacher handed me a course catalog for an art college to push me toward choosing an artistic path in life.  I quickly flipped through the pages looking at courses like oil painting, graphic design, and sculpture.  I stopped dead in my tracks on a photograph of a very striking yellow three-wheel motorcycle.  The words “Industrial Design” were printed at the top of the page, and I knew what I was going to be.  I got my bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from the University of Louisiana Lafayette, and a master’s degree in Industrial Design from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  After graduate school, I interned at Techtronic Industries, the makers of Ryobi, Ridgid, and Craftsman power tools.  From there I joined Textron Aviation (formally Cessna Aviation) and have been designing aircraft interiors for 15 years. 

How would you describe your personal design style? 
My personal design style falls more into the realm of Contemporary Industrial Design with some qualities of Modernism and Post Modernism.  I attended college in the early 2000’s and Michael Graves, Phillipe Stark, and Jonathan Ive were big names and huge inspirations at the time. They still inspire me today.  Being in the luxury aircraft industry, I strive for clean lines and gentle curves that intersect with just the right amount of sharpness. 

Where does your design inspiration come from? 
We look for inspiration everywhere.  We start every project with a mood board and an inspiration board.  All the designers participate by bringing their unique inspiration and ideas to the table.  Mood boards are more abstract and tend to be shapes, textures, materials and even abstract artwork.  Inspiration boards are made with examples from aircraft, automotive, architecture, interiors, yachts and products; inspiration really can come from anywhere. 

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense? 
I believe design is moving in a more purposeful direction.  To me, that means design is no longer just aesthetics or making something look cool.  It is a design that has meaning behind it, that solves a problem or incorporates new technologies.  It’s no longer just covering up structures and components in interesting forms but working together to design those structures and components.  It’s not “form follows function” or “function follows form” but a union where form and function can coexist as equals. 

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2023 and beyond. 
I think that sustainability is currently the main theme to consider and will be even more important moving forward.   Connectivity will also be a main driver of design; seamless cabin management system, internet of things, and integrated technology.   As a significant portion of our population ages, accessibility will become more and more important.  Empathy, really understanding how people are using the products we make and what they truly want.  Another theme to consider is a bespoke design, offering customers ways to truly customize their products and make them their own. 

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design schemes, what would it be? 
Strive for diversity in your designs, make each scheme unique, and try to span from mild to wild.  In the end, I don’t get to make the final selection, but I do get to influence the options that are presented.  And having a set of unique options will let the customers choose what suits them best. 

What was your favourite project to work on and why? 
My favorite project is the Citation XLS Gen2 because it was the first project that I got to lead for the Industrial Design department.  I got to talk with the customers about how they used their jets, and what they would like to see in the next iteration of a product they loved.  Being my first time leading a project, I managed the design team, collaborated on the engineering schedule and ensured the voice of the customer was not lost.  But I think, for me, the best part of the Cessna Citation XLS Gen2 is that I got to influence and guide the design into an interior that the customers love. 

What was your most challenging project to work on and why? 
I think the most challenging project I have worked on was the Cessna Citation Latitude, as it was the first real project I worked on as a designer early in my career.  Not only was I learning the 3D software, but I was also learning the dynamics of the company, how to work with the engineers and how to find my voice. 

Which products/services could you not live without when designing? 
I don’t think I could live without Alias Surface and KeyShot.  Alias Surface is the 3D modeling software that lets us create the amazing shapes and surfaces that make up our interiors.  KeyShot is a standalone 3D rendering software package that allows us to create near-photo-realistic renderings very quickly.  We can render in a few hours what it used to take us days to set up and render.  Both are invaluable in creating and presenting our designs, both internally and externally.

How important are The International Yacht & Aviation Awards? 
I think the International Yacht and Aviation Awards are very important.  It showcases all the new and exciting advancements that various industries are adopting, and provides a roadmap to where the future is headed.  It also lets us celebrate our successes and share our ideas with the larger design community.

What projects are you currently working on? 
Being in new product development means that I really can’t share what I am currently working on, but we look forward to delivering the best aviation experience for our customers.

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months? 
My goals for the next twelve months are to further develop my team, drive innovation and design in our ongoing projects, and design the best aircraft interiors in the industry. 

Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself and your daily inspirations:

Your most treasured possession? 
My most treasured possession is an old wooden carpenter’s folding ruler from my late Grandfather.  He was a craftsman who helped everyone in the family maintain and renovate their houses.  I have used that ruler since I was a little kid, often getting in trouble for playing with it. 

Your favourite holiday destination?
My favorite holiday destination is anywhere outdoors.  I love going on adventures; whether it’s biking down a volcano in Hawaii, skiing the slopes in Colorado, white water rafting in Tennessee, snorkeling in Grand Cayman or water skiing the local lakes.   

Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar? 
My favorite hotel is the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.  It is truly awe-inspiring to stand in the lobby and look up at the 47 floors of balconies that line the inside of the tower.  It has been used in a few films, most recently as the Time Variance Authority headquarters in the Loki series.  My favorite restaurant is Kobe, a local hibachi restaurant that my family dines at for special occasions.  I just love the atmosphere of all the cooks swinging their knives and spatulas, the burst of fire, the corny jokes and especially the food.   

Your favourite book, film & song? 
I am a huge science fiction fan, and “The Expanse” book series is my most recent favorite.  It is a nine-book series that depicts humans in the far-off future where we have colonized Mars and the asteroid belt.  The depiction of space travel technology, geopolitics, and diverse characters are what make this series my favorite. 

Your favourite food and drink? 
My favorite food would have to be the beignets from Café Du Monde in the New Orleans French Quarter.  They are square donuts, deep fried, and covered in powdered sugar.  While extremely tasty, I think my fondness for beignets is more attributed to the memories that they evoke. As a child, my family would always stop there as a treat when we visited the quarter.  We would have a blast pretending to sneeze and blowing powdered sugar all over my parents across the table.  My entire family would be covered in powdered sugar by the time we left. 

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon? 
My favorite way to spend an afternoon is building Legos with my seven-year-old son.  It’s a great way to spend time, teach him, develop his skills, and watch his creativity unfold.  

If you weren’t a designer, what would you be? 
If I was not an Industrial Designer, I would probably be sad.  In all seriousness though, I would probably be in a similar profession, like an architect or sculptor.  Design and art have always been a part of my life so it is hard to fathom that I would stray from that too far. 

Textron Aviation have been shortlisted for Private Jet Design Award & Interior Design/VIP Completion Award in  The International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2023.

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