Nadi International Airport 2010-2018 Redevelopment, Fiji
Woods Bagot
Architectural and Interior design for the FJ$75 million major renovation of the departures and arrival halls at Nadi International airport.
Client brief
- Increase the size of the departures lounge by 50% and provide world class passenger experience with new food and beverage offerings, more specialty retail and additional dining and lounge seating.
- Duty free stores to be re-design to integrate more fully with the passenger lounge area
- designated kids play area with parent seating
- New larger prayer rooms for all religious beliefs and upgraded amenities
- Additional VIP lounge areas for premium airlines
Nadi Airport was built by the American forces in the seventies and had not been renovated to any great degree since. Our brief was to create a contemporary Fiji departure experience for travelers leaving Fiji with the aim to remind tourists of the great holiday they had and to return again soon.
The departure lounge will be doubled in size and the views to spectacular mountains will be seen by the departing guests. The existing design had those walls closed in with the retail shops so we proposed relocating all the retail to the rear side and opening up the lounge to the great views instead.
Fiji native patterns were integrated into the departure lounge furniture, soft furnishings and decorative wall paneling. Columns were also clad with timber and screens to bring warmth to the interior design. Timber slatted ceilings provided imagery similar to slatted huts and also provided the much needed acoustic damping to keep the noise levels down.
Fabric wall panels in local Fiji designs also assisted with the acoustic treatment of the spaces. The new food court provided additional seating and also different styles of seating including quick dining, bar stool casual dining, lounge style seating for longer waiting times.
Carolyn McLean worked on Fiji Airport initial redevelopment when working for Woods Bagot prior to setting up CM Architects’ All photos and images related to that part of the project courtesy of Woods Bagot