Billund Airport appoints The Design Solution for major project

The Design Solution says the result will be a “world class walk-through store”


DENMARK. Billund Airport has appointed The Design Solution (TDS) to design its new tax and duty free store. The move is part of a major investment that includes a re-location of security and master planning of the airside commercial area.

TDS’ designs have resulted in an increase of 500sq m of commercial space – to a total of 1,850sq m – including a re-configuration of the zone. Of this, 700sq m is to be dedicated to a walk-through duty free store. This has been in response to growth in international traffic which, in total, is expected to increase from about 2.7 million currently to nearly 3.5 million in 2016.

“The masterplan was conceived in early 2011 and is a radical move for the airport,” explained Graeme Johns, the project’s Planning Director. “Security has been moved from the departures level down to the check-in hall level, thus freeing up space for the walk-through store in its place. Specialist retail will be relocated into the main departures holding space, and an existing mezzanine level is being converted into a food & beverage area with multiple offers.”

Nick Taylor, TDS’ Project Director for the store design, added: “What will strike you first of all is what we have termed “˜The Northern Lights’. This is a dramatic baffled ceiling which creates a powerful entrance to the store, and undulates along its length above the walkway.

“The store design retains the airport’s timber floor as the link between security and the IDL space to define the walkway, either side of which, polished white stone floors provide a pristine, bright back drop for merchandising displays.

“We wanted to condense the finishes down to a simple, refined palette which would visually weave into the airport’s fabric and create focus on the product. Walls are finished in a vertically ribbed, white lacquered texture giving the displays set within them fantastic standout and presence.”

“We want to deliver Billund with a world class walk-through, which maximises both passenger penetration and spend per head in an environment that has a subtle sense of place, and we believe this design will do exactly that,” concluded Taylor.

The store is due for completion in May 2012.

About The Design Solution
The Design Solution specialises in retail planning and design for airport terminals, as well as in creating store designs for the tax and duty free industry.

The project is part of a masterplan that will increase airside commercial space substantially


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