The business of managing airport terminal buildings has undergone dramatic change during the 1990s. Tight budgets and rapidly evolving passenger needs have caused airport facility managers to batten down the hatches to reduce costs while expanding airport retail offerings. Not only do airports exist to provide links to other geographic destinations, but they are now expected to become mini-destinations in themselves. The challenge to the industry is no small one.
Lighting is one infrastructure item under close scrutiny by airports.
We hoped to make the airport a place to remember. All world-class cities have had outstanding train stations as the dominant entry point into the city. In many airports, the excitement of arrival is missing, and the city misses a good opportunity to make a good first impression. Although it's important to create a warm, welcoming ambience in every public terminus, lighting today must also contribute to the building's effectiveness in other ways. There's clearly a tension in terminal lighting design between creating an inspiring atmosphere that will excite travelers about visiting a city, encouraging them to take time to stop at airport retail shops, and helping them see their way through unfamiliar surroundings-and all this must be done while saving money on the airport's lighting energy bill.