[ 54 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE and ceiling-hung toilet partitions don’t require components to be mounted on the floor, allowing for easy floor cleaning. It’s the combination of all these small design details that make a big difference. EASY ORIENTATION AND WAYFINDING Views of the sea and coastal landscapes is a unique selling proposition when choosing the ferry over the Channel Tunnel. Both OSK Design’s naval and interior architects went to great lengths to get the most out of the sea vistas. But in order not to lose the views, it was not just a matter of using panoramic windows alone. As always in shipboard design, the devil was in the detail with centrally positioned high-back seating and low-back seats at the windows as well as the use of see-through dividers guaranteeing a sea view from even the most remote corner. Notable is the general arrangement of the passenger decks, Decks 8 and 9, with Deck 8 following a symmetrical plan while Deck 9 is somewhat asymmetrical as it holds the ‘destination venues’, including the commercial drivers’ facilities, the plush Club Lounge, the Pet Lounge, the quiet lounges and The Kitchen, the ship’s secondary restaurant. As the sea journey takes just 90 minutes and all passengers return to their vehicles concurrently, only a few minutes before unloading starts, wayfinding plus smooth lateral and vertical passenger flows were key elements in the interior design. There are no ‘hidden’ stairs or corners, with the two main lobbies holding all passenger stairs. Large, back-lit deck numbers are clearly displayed in the lobbies with large TV screens showing deck plans. The colour-coded signage further eases navigation, clearly an example of best practice in wayfinding. “ Both OSK Design’s naval architects and interior architects went to great lengths to get the most out of the sea vistas. But in order not to lose the views, it was not just a matter of using panoramic windows alone”
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