Aviation Projects

Airport design is at a high worldwide. There is a beautiful new airport in Montevideo, Uruguay designed by Rafael Viñoly that has a beautiful curved roof and fully glazed mezzanine welcoming in passengers upon their arrival. In Norway, architects Narud Stokke Wiig of Norway and Haptic of London, are working on a new international airport just outside the Arctic Circle. The design of this airport emulates the local geography-towering peaks of the mountains of Træna. This airport very well may become a destination of its own as it features breathtaking views of the midnight sun and the Northern Lights.

Here in Atlanta, we have our very own new terminal at the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. The world’s busiest airport opened the Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal on May 16, 2012. AGD, a joint venture of architects designed the building with Tim Hudson and Tom Hellwig spearheading the initiative. The design is clean and streamlined with a bit of a European feel. The city invested approximately $5M in the artwork alone. Passengers are greeted with high curved ceilings and glowing blue LED lights. As they pass through security and enter the concourse, a custom made crystal chandelier delicately hangs from the deck. Further down the concourse, translucent discs strategically hang from the ceiling and waves of light wash over them to simulate a jet taking off the runway.

The terminal has twelve gates designed to house wide body planes making the Atlanta airport more even accessible for international flights. Additionally, arriving passengers are now able to collect their baggage directly from customs instead of having to clear customs, and check their bags again for pick up in the domestic terminal eliminating 45 minutes to an hour of time. Additionally, passengers can quickly access the underground train providing quick access to any other concourse at the airport making the international gates much easier to get to than they were before the terminal opened.

The new terminal also features several new restaurants and high end retail shops. The main atrium resembles a high end mall more than it does your standard airport. Also, Delta Air Lines, Inc. opened a beautiful new 12,000sq ft luxury airline lounge in the space. This club is as high end as you can get. There are spa showers and agents can provide any toiletry items passengers may require. The bar stocks a wide variety of high end liquor and some wines. Gourmet chocolates from Dean & DeLuca may be purchased for a nominal fee. Even Dr. Dre got in on the action and there is a Beats Headphone lounge within the Sky Club. Travelers have a fantastic view of the runway thanks to a 32’ high curtain wall of windows, complete with a mezzanine seating area and a custom airplane sculpture fabricated by Atlanta’s own Andrew Crawford.

In the spring, Delta will open one of two of it’s first airline lounge patios adjacent to the club at the international terminal here in Atlanta. The patio is a joint labor of love for ASD and Thom Filicia. Sky Club guests will be able to sit out in the warm sun and enjoy a drink from the bar while waiting on their flights. The second patio, a rooftop space, will open at Delta’s flagship club at New York’s JFK airport later this summer.

At Futimis, we have been privileged to work extensively in Delta’s airline clubs and in the public areas of the Atlanta airport. Please contact us if you would like to discuss how we can help with your airport project.