In the last decade, a great deal of excitement has been generated around the architecture of contemporary airports. It is, however, the inside rather than the outside of airport terminals that have undergone the most substantial design revolution. With increased security, passengers spend an increasing amount of time in airports airside awaiting flights. Airport operators have capitalised on this captive audience, becoming increasingly sophisticated in their provision of facilities, as suppliers of much more than essential amenities and mini shopping malls. Airlines also seek to express their competitive advantage through their lounges and adjacent spaces; and retailers and food and beverage providers are producing attractive, often localised spaces for visitors. The operators are keen to differentiate the quality of their terminals whether it is through pitching at a luxury goods market, with top name brands, or endowing their interior spaces with a unique sense of place. This book is not only one of the first titles to focus on airports’ interior design, but also to realise for both a design and business readership the financial and strategic importance of airport interior design.

Airport Interiorsfeatures exemplary case studies from all over the world, including: the Malaysian luxury-goods retailer Valiram; duty-free retail in Bangkok’s Suvarnbhumi Airport; the UK restaurant chain Giraffe; leading lounge concepts from Virgin Atlantic; and the innovative airport retail outlets of Chinese brand Shanghai Tang. While providing designers with a unique understanding of business needs, the book also highlights to operators and retailers how high the design bar is set in this competitive field.

This volume looks at a variety of airport interior designs, with case studies from around the world of signage, seating and lighting design, shops, food and beverage areas, leisure and well-being lounges, and luxury brands. Copenhagen International Airport, Barcelona Airport, and Bristol International Airport are singled out for their overall design. Many color photos accompany descriptions. Thomas-Emberson contributes to architecture and design publications and airport industry trade magazines. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Airport Interiorsprovides essential background into the development of the airport business and the design of its interior spaces, whether it is through the masterplanning of circulation spaces or interior finishes. The book explains how the global airport market developed and why; who the main architectural influences are; and how interiors have made a commercial difference to how airports are regarded by their operators. The book also explains the financial effects of post 9/11 on today’s airports in the USA, Europe and the Far East, and why airport operators are looking to the internal spaces as their greatest business asset. Lusciously illustrated Airport Interiorsis highly attractive to anyone interested in design.

Steve Thomas-Embersonhas been writing on architecture, design and communications since 1986. Prior to that he was Head of Corporate Development at the Carter Design Group. His first book The Future of Packagingwas published by The Financial Timesin 2001, this was followed by the publication Bar Futuresin 2003. He has contributed to several architecture and design publications, as well as writing for some of the airport industry’s leading trade magazines. He lives in Leicestershire with his daughter.

Passengers and Airports.

Passengers, Meeters and Greeters.

International Hub Airports.

Major National Airports.

The Rise of Regional Airports.

Architecture and Design.

Airport Signage.

Sense of Place Design.

Architectural Enhancement.

Seating Design.

Lighting Design.

Ceiling Design.

Retail.

Airport Branding.

Retail and Commercial Masterplanning.

Developing The Retail Mix.

Airport Shop Design and Retail Practices.

Transferring the Grand.

Duty Free.

The Role of the Airport Operator.

Food and Beverage.

Designing for the Airport Food Market.

From High Street to Airport.

Airport Bar Design.

Embedding a Braded Bar Design.

Leisure and Wellbeing.

Wellbeing: An Airline's Answer.

Branding and Design of Wellbeing Clinics.

Design for Business Lounges.

Luxury Brands.

Projecting and Enhancing a Luxury Brand.

The Luxury Brands Shopping Center.

A Truly English Luxury Brands.

A Chinese Luxury Brand.

Securing Luxury.

Listings.

Select Biography.