Processing information is the main activity, and clear signage is desired, unlike most other environments. Twenty-six of McCarran's gates were completed in 1998. Thirteen more will be completed later this year, with the remaining 13 gates slated for renovation within the next few years. Current trends encourage better retail options and food choices, and provide potentially colorful signs and graphics, a departure from previous trends, Hunt says. What I call the humanizing of airport environments makes travelers seem more at home.
Airports are a gateway that provides an important first impression for visitors.
The concourse's crowning glory is the Airstrip, a retail and gaming area that offers visitors a taste of what the city has to offer. A dimensional cabinet sign with a propeller advertises a dinette. This is not your neighborhood mall's distributor of gooey, fat-packed confections. Hunt's design team even had some fun with the airport's ancillary signage. The smoker's lounge and children's play feature exposed neon signage.