Bombardier wins Van de Velde award for M7 train design

Mobility technology leader Bombardier Transportation and the Yellow Window industrial design agency received the Gold Public award at the Van de Velde Award ceremony held January 29th in Brussels. The award recognizes both organizations’ innovative design of the M7 double-deck commuter rail cars being built for Belgium National Railways (SNCB). 

“Yellow Window’s unique design lends SNCB’s M7 trains an iconic style while providing passengers with a new level of travel comfort. Thanks to a skillful design that blends with the existing M6 trains’ interiors, passengers will eventually enjoy traveling on an entirely harmonized and modernized fleet,” said Laurent Bouyer, President of Bombardier Transportation France and Benelux.

Under the direction of acclaimed Belgian industrial designer Axel Enthoven, Yellow Window designed the new Bombardier M7 double-decker train to offer SNCB’s passengers a premium travel experience. As with the M6, passengers will enjoy a noticeably spacious interior area achieved through the use of back-to-back seating and a new LED lighting concept that further emphasizes its sense of space.

The redesigned seats will provide better ergonomic support and include an improved backrest complimented by personal reading lights and large tables that fold away for more space and accessibility. Expanded legroom between the face-to-face seats will improve comfort for passengers sitting opposite each other without reducing the corresponding luggage space. A pair of these new seats were featured in the award ceremony and will be on display until March 24th at Brussel’s BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts.

On top of the physical and visual innovations, the new M7 train  design is perfectly compatible with the current M6 trains, meaning SNCB will be able to upgrade the M6 fleet to the M7 fleet configuration with a minimum effort and cost. The new seats, luggage racks and tables, as well as the semi-indirect lighting, are all compatible with the M6 carriage thanks to identical interfaces. From a technical standpoint, this requirement offers SNCB flexibility in train composition, maintenance and spare part requirements.

Named after the renown Belgian architect, and founding member of the Art Nouveau movement, the Henry van Velde award recognizes Flemish and international designers, projects and products that solve a specific problem while making a positive contribution to the economy and society as a whole.

See the award-wining M7 design on the Henry van de Velde website.

About Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation is a global leader in rail technology and offers the broadest portfolio in the industry. It covers the full spectrum of rail solutions, ranging from trains to sub-systems and signalling. The company also provides complete transport systems, e-mobility technology and maintenance services. As an innovation driver, Bombardier Transportation continuously breaks new ground in sustainable mobility. It provides integrated solutions that create substantial benefits for operators, passengers and the environment. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Bombardier Transportation employs around 39,850 people and its products and services operate in over 60 countries.