Tallinn Airport has been called the world’s homeliest airport, and it has been crowned the best European airport of the ones of its size on a several occasions. To improve passenger comfort, the business class lounge underwent a makeover, with the new interior designed by KAMP Architects in collaboration with Velvet design agency, which won an invited competition.
The lounge’s interior architecture mainly relies on materials of local origin, which represented a conscious vision and choice of the architects from the very start of the project. The walls are coated with domestic lime plaster, the furniture and wall panels were made of heat-treated timber enhanced in Estonia, and limestone quarried at Väo not far from the airport has also been incorporated into the interior. The quintessentially Estonian materials not only underscore the identity of the airport but help reduce the construction footprint.
The new interior offers a more spacious and comfortable use of space. The internal logistics are more streamlined, supported by the rounded walls and furniture in the same style. A fun accent comes from bird-shaped lights designed by Umut Yamac, which have a narrative nature that gibes well with the personality of the airport. Besides areas for rest, work and eating, passengers also have access to wash rooms and there’s also a stretching wall ready to use after a long plane trip.
The new lounge is cosy, peaceful and sufficiently discreet where one can quietly prepare for a flight: The refined nature of the interior brings back the feeling of great expectations conjured up by travel, and the tasteful interior reflects the high calibre of Estonian interior architecture, worthy of welcoming foreign visitors at the gateway to the country.