In the modern age, airports are the gateways to our cities. They are the physical entry points for many people. But beyond their role in the literal intake of people, airports serve a critical civic function in the way they establish the tone and expression for a city. Airport architecture and interior design merge an expression of civic identity with the onerous safety requirements and the necessary drive for convenient traffic flow.
We see these priorities as the base of competent and sufficient design, the minimal requirements. We believe that designing an airport offers an opportunity to transcend these requirements and tell a story of a locale, a moment in time and convey a sense of mindfulness.
Designing an airport ideally conveys a joy of travel, celebrates the best of the specific locale, communicates safety to the occupants and does all of this in an intuitive and comfortable way that is not overwhelming.
In our work, we are driven to create narrative through design. We understand that every design tells a story intentionally or unintentionally. We approach this proactively and work to craft a narrative. As the setting for very defined moments punctuated by strict times and activities with the opportunity for so much serendipitous experience, airports are the perfect environment to create an unexpected moment for delight and discovery.
In our design for Virgin Atlantic JFK Clubhouse, we designed playful custom wallpaper in the restaurant that looks like a classic NYC black and white pattern from afar but upon inspection reveals itself to be the Chrystler Building and Empire State repeated and reflected.
From our experience designing award-winning lounges and interiors, we believe that airport interior design blends the best of retail interior design, hospitality interior design and restaurant interior design.
While airport interiors share commonalities with these other typologies, there are critical unique attributes that are specific to airport spaces: the highly directional flow of visitors (the drive to the gates or the exit), the cyclic nature of the occupancy peaks, the heterogeneity of the user group (business travel, vacation travel, family groups, diverse ethnic and demographic groups), the compressed time frame of the typical user visit (and the stress of being prompt), the overwhelming need for convenience, the requirement for the strictest security.
The major stressors at airports are typically the inability to control ones environment or understand what’s expected at the airport, the stress of meeting the time, and the generic stress of the crowds and noise. Good design can ameliorate all these issues.
From our experience designing in airports as well as working across typologies that resonate with the design challenges at the airport, we find that best practices for transcending the purely adequate airport interior design and are grouped across three major priorities: mindfulness, diversity and inclusion, convenience.
BEST PRACTICES FOR DESIGN OF AIRPORT INTERIORS
Foster mindfulness and sense of place—avoid the feeling of “Anywhere, USA”
Authenticity: Create authentic airport interiors that reflect the airport’s identity, purpose, and history. This could include using materials that are unique to the location or incorporating local architecture and design elements.
Sense of Local: Incorporate elements of the local culture and traditions into the airport design to create a sense of place. This could include local art, music, or cuisine.
At LAX VAA Clubhouse, we designed the VIP section of the lounge restaurant with a sky blue ombre banquette which resonates with a local artist’s video installation of a sunny California scene.
Biophilia: Biophilic design is an essential aspect of airport design, as it helps create a sense of calm and relaxation by bringing in familiar elements. Incorporate natural patterning, plants, materials, textures. By working with the senses elements of the outdoors typically evoke a feeling of calm.
In this proposal for a typical terminal holdroom, we designed a varied environment which evokes the outdoors, incorporates planting and natural wood finish while creating a seating offering which is varied and offers choice.
Sustainability: Consider the environment when designing an airport interior. Use sustainable materials, reduce energy consumption, incorporate natural lighting, and ensure proper waste management. This is critical for good design. The airport is also a powerful moment to create a didactic moment to reach a large population with the message of sustainable design and opportunities to incorporate best practices in our own lives.
Joy of Travel: Design airport interiors that embrace the sense of adventure and excitement that comes with traveling. This could include incorporating fun, interactive elements like digital displays, games, and interactive art installations.
At the entrance of our VAA Clubhouse for Newark Airport, LED lights interspersed with penny tile remind the visitor of a starry sky and a downtown NYC nightclub-simultaneously.
Design for diversity and inclusion
Diverse user groups: Airport populations are thrown together across a wide range of cultures, socio economic groups, personal needs and abilities. The environment must be designed to be flexible and durable. It must meet the needs of the travelling family, elderly tourist, returning soldier, special needs traveler, group of school children, unaccompanied minor, honeymooner, just to name a few. Inclusivity and respect for cultures and specific needs must be designed in for hospitality but also because if it is not proactively catered for, there will be unintended consequences as items are used in ways they are not fit for.
Varied seating environments in our design at the JFK Clubhouse allow visitors to select the setting that suits them best—from lively and social to quiet and reflective with everything in between.
Diverse activities: A wide variety of environments should be available at the airport considering the 24 hour operating schedule. Quiet lounges, lively bars, restful nooks, interesting shopping, active play areas, comfortable areas to gather. The mindset and activities desired for visitors differ drastically by the time of day, the time of year, and even personal or cultural events which are entirely idiosyncratic. The environment must be designed to flex for this variation. While the variation specifics are unpredictable, the fact that there is a wide variation is entirely predictable and should be incorporated into the design.
Self directed opportunities: Create opportunities for users to choose their environment. Too often, a visitor must be in a specific location for the next step in their journey and their environment is completely homogenous-often just a sea of the same seat as if every person in the group at that moment is the same size with the same needs and the same travelling group. In good design, there should be a variety of furniture environments and activites along the entire journey through the airport. One of the primary stressors in airports is the loss of control that visitors feel. By designing to provide a more varied offering for activites and environments along the journey, we can provide visitors the opportunity to select their own path and have more agency.
Design for uncomplicated, intuitive convenience that incorporates safety and security seamlessly
Navigation: Ensure that the airport interior design is straightforward and intuitive, making it easy for travelers to navigate the airport. Use clear signage, sight lines, wayfinding systems, and intuitive layouts to simplify the travel experience.
Straightforward paths with clear sightlines reduce stress for visitors
User Experience: Place a strong focus on the user experience, with an emphasis on ease of navigation, accessibility, and comfort. This could include incorporating natural light, comfortable seating, and generous space for passengers for moving around.
In this design for an airport retail hub, we created an airy environment that recalls the outdoors, brings in tremendous natural light and allows visitors to orient themselves with clear sight lines. Visitors get a fuller sense of the voluminous space because the upper mezzanine level is delineated with screens in lieu of opaque sheetrock walls .
Technology: Incorporate technology throughout the airport to improve the user experience, such as interactive kiosks for check-in, digital signage, and automated baggage handling systems. Ensure that technology is incorporated in a natural way with a detailed consideration of ergonomics and flow. Avoid bottlenecks in flow or complicated, obscure directions for users.
Designing an effective, sustainable and intentional airport has many considerations.