Every element of Sheremetyevo International Airport TB’s design and its interchange stations is in line with this 20th century, avant-garde philosophy — the palette and patterns used on the floor and the ceiling, the graphics on the walls and the design of the columns. The latter, for instance, are covered by a decorative grille inspired by the drawings of the Constructivist artist Chernikov.
Textile patterns and oil paintings created by Lybov Popova have been reproduced on the walls of the north station and in the arrival area, while Alexander Rodchenko’s Dobrolet and his Portrait of Mayakovsky — a photo montage created for the back cover of the book ‘Conversations with a Tax Collector About Poetry’ — have been adapted to decorate the walls of Terminal B’s departure area.
Just like an airport connects cities far away, Russian Constructivism fast became the fil rouge, transforming the travel experience into a symbolic journey into Russia’s culture and traditions.
From the airport to aerotropolis — the ultimate travel experience
It’s a fact — airports are transforming the transportation industry. While their primary goal is to move millions of people every day, airports are increasingly becoming more than just a transportation hub. They are places of commerce, work, trade and leisure which cannot afford to lag behind.
Several airports worldwide have started to increase and diversify their non-aeronautical offer as well, using big data and digital technologies to offer a new type of travel experience to their passengers. Cinemas, ice-skating rinks, Michelin-starred restaurants, delivery-to-gate services and even chapels for wedding ceremonies are just a few examples of how airports are growing into what is now being dubbed as aerotropoli (or airport cities).
As such, airports are evolving into the place in between — the missing link between a city and the rest of the world. Airport architecture and interior design can consecrate this role by reinforcing and conveying the idea of a nation’s cultural identity without compromising the airport’s technological advancement.
The future of the passenger’s journey is going to be high tech, that’s for sure, but it’s important to make sure that this includes cultural experiences, too. As designers, we need to ensure that we are travelling in the right direction.
Do you see a correlation between the design of airports and passengers’ travel experience? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
