Espacio Iberia Aeroconsciente

Can we make the world a more responsible place? How can we reduce waste production? Which is the relationship between food weight and sustainability? Can we make flying an act of awareness? It is precisely these questions that Iberia invites the public to reflect on at the Sala de Columnas of the Conde Duque Centre, as part of Madrid Design Festival. Geo-design, food design and experiential design make up the proposal that can be seen until February 16 in the centre of the capital.

The exhibit is part of Iberia’s Talento a bordo initiative, aimed at supporting Spanish talent within different disciplines, and comes from Iberia’s commitment to its sustainability goals. Conceived by Viernes and Lo Mínimo, it includes the collaboration of artists Elsa Yranzo, Hyper Studio and Joel Blanco; as well as DJ and electronic music producer LANOCHE (who have created the soundtrack for the space), together with the architectural office Plutarco.

Hyper Studio’s digital privacy

The route around the three installations starts with Intimidad digital [Digital Privacy], a proposal by Hyper Studio, a pair of young designers from Madrid, known for creating interactive experiences that combine physical and virtual reality. Inspired by the digitalisation process performed by Iberia to reduce its use of paper and other materials, Hyper Studio focuses on how digital environments are part of all the aspects of our life, helping us to reduce our impact. The installation, consisting of three screens between which the visitor’s “face” seems to float uncontrollably once it has been captured and integrated into the system, reconceptualises our relationship with digital processes; how they are built and are part of our privacy. Therefore, the installation allows the public to experience technology in a personal and interactive way and with greater emotional involvement.

Joel Blanco’s zero waste journey

The second stop on this tour takes the audience inside Placego, a proposal by Joel Blanco. In this installation, the artist and context designer surprises the audience with a set of four photocalls, together with a box with selfie sticks and an intense artificial popcorn scent, which makes the audience feel playful and relaxed. Following the concept that Iberia already develops in LIFE+Zero Cabin Waste regarding waste management, Blanco invites the audience, with his typical sense of humour and irony, to travel to a series of imaginary places, full of odd, fun pink and blue creatures, with a clear goal: to reduce waste production to zero on a trip where the only souvenirs that matter are the pictures.

Elsa Yranzo and the lightness habit

At the third and final stop, we find Hábito de la levedad [Lightness Habit], by food designer and art director Elsa Yranzo, one of the creators of the Food and Femininity collective. Her proposal is based on the airline reducing the weight of the elements that make up the cabin. This time, beyond the most common objects already reduced on flights, we experiment with an exercise that makes us think about the weight and density of food. For this, Yranzo’s research focuses on how salt loses its flavour at high altitude (specifically 30%). Through an installation consisting of four tubes with salt inside, and according to different variables, the audience can discover the kilos of salt that are “lost” during an Airbus A350 flight. In other words: the weight that could be saved in the meals in each journey.

Three installations including art, experience and research aimed at bringing the key factors in the company’s strategy to the forefront: making our flights more sustainable.