Airports are where the sweetest stories are told, the saddest tears have fallen and a conflux of meetings relationships and acquaintances have formed! A city’s airport is its key hub and can become a jewel in the crown of a country’s infrastructure. India’s populace has increasingly become upwardly mobile with more people opting for air travel over other modes of transport. And while they travel across geographies, they’re looking to collect experiences like never before.

One such experience we at UJ (D)esigns have attempted in our project is to design a luxury lounge in an airport – The Aranya Lounge.

Airport terminals and lounges witness long waiting hours inside large spaces which could become tiresome. With Aranya Lounge we aim to alleviate some bit of this discomfort. With this design, our objective was to transform a cumbersome, annoying wait into that of relaxation, comfort and bliss.

And what better way than to go back to nature for inspiration! The entire lounge is a manifestation of cool fresh greens offset by the warm, cozy textures of wood.

Essentially the lounges’ key objective was to incorporate natural elements into a space that typically looks whitewashed with cushioned chairs. The lounges design is built around a Lotus Pond resplendent with a curved waterfall curtain that doubles up as an ornate, classy background for the bar counter. The glass greenhouse would house indoor sustainable plants that attempt to bring the mighty outdoors inside. With an entire wall and pillar of vertical hanging gardens, the lounge ensures that waiting travellers are refreshed naturally.

Seating being of prime importance at any lounge space, the terminal offers a variety of seating spaces that cater to different moods and needs of travellers. For business travellers, the lounge offers them a Wi-Fi enabled and electric charging zone with comfortable formal seating to work or conduct discussions. A two stepped amphitheatre style seating overlooks the serene lotus pond and flowing water curtain that lifts the mood of fatigued travellers. And those looking to catch a quick snooze can easily store their luggage into the luggage rooms to rest hassle free in comfortable easy chairs.

The design intelligently allows for spaces of relaxation with comfortable seats and private nooks, to rejuvenation and recreation with a high-end food and bar junction, lounge chairs and spa services.

Complementing nature’s greens is thought behind using wood through the entire design. Parametric wood ceilings work perfectly at airports to ensure the right acoustics while sculpting an aura of movement and fluidity. The flooring has been designed in wood to encapsulate the warmth of coming home while being aesthetically supportive of the earthy browns found in nature. Textured wooden surfaces add a touch of luxury to the lounge. The contrasting wood shades are reflective of how no two trees or plants are similar in nature, thus adding a distinct touch of uniqueness to the spaces in the lounge.

With Aranya lounge we have attempted to unify the grace and fluidity of nature with the tenacity and strength of wood, to deliver a space that can be enjoyed by every traveller.