AIRPORT LOUNGE

Auckland, New Zealand

POST PANDEMIC HAS INCREASED TOURISM IN NEW ZEALAND WHICH MEANS MORE TRAVELERS WILL BE NAVIGATING THE AIRPORT IN AUCKLAND. OUR LOUNGE SPACE IS NAMED FOR KIA ORA (KEY-OR-AH), A FORM OF WELCOME IN THE MAORI NATIVE LANGUAGE. TRAVELERS WILL BE WELCOMED INTO THE RELAXING ATMOSPHERE OF THE LOUNGE WHICH WILL INSTILL A SENSE OF CALM. THE DESIGN CONCEPT IS TO CONVEY A FEELING OF RESTORATION. IN KIA ORA THE MAORI RENDITION OF RESTORATION, WHAKAHOU, IS APPLICABLE TO DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF A SPACE BOTH ARCHITECTURALLY AND TEXTURALLY. THIS NONPROFIT AIRPORT LOUNGE, FUNDED BY THE TOURISM INDUSTRY OF NEW ZEALAND, IS ACCESSIBLE TO ANY TRAVELER WITHOUT PAYMENT. THE DESIGN CONTAINS THE HUMBLE QUALITIES OF AUCKLAND WHILE PAYING HOMAGE TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE CULTURE, WITH ITS CALMING FEATURES AND FOCUS ON NATURAL BEAUTY. INTEGRATING SPACES SUCH AS A MEDITATION ROOM, NAPPING ROOM, AND SPA ROOM WILL ENHANCE THE TRAVELERS' EXPERIENCE AND CREATE HARMONY. TO CREATE A SENSE OF PEACE OF KNOWLEDGE THE DESIGN CONVEYS KNOWLEDGEABLE RESTORATION FOR THE MIND TO WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE LOST AND PROVIDE INFORMATION TO GUIDE THEM TO A CONFIDENCE IN THEIR TRAVEL PLANS. THE LAST KEY PIECE OF THE RESTORATIVE PROCESS IS TO BE NUTRITIONALLY REFRESHED BY INCORPORATING INTO THE DESIGN AN AREA FOR SMALL BITES, FREE REFRESHMENTS. AND STEAMED TOWELS LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE SPACE.