BAA Edinburgh Airport departure lounge development

BAA Edinburgh: BAA Edinburgh Airport departure lounge development

How BAA Edinburgh developed its new Departure Lounge

Challenge

As part of a major investment programme, the main terminal at Edinburgh Airport has been redeveloped over a two year period, with the departure lounge being doubled in size. Whilst the work was undertaken all windows and airside facing walls were removed and replaced with a temporary hoarding, meaning there was no longer any natural daylight or external view.

BAA needed a proposal to improve the ambience and journey for travellers affected by the development and a communication programme to explain to passengers and the wider business community what work was being undertaken.

Response

Working within BAA brand and character guidelines and reflecting the ‘Inspiring Capital’ position of Edinburgh City, we completed our largest ever display project, a 250 metre long internal hoarding stretching the full length of the departure lounge. The graphic treatments on the hoarding combined large format landscape photography of the Lothians and evocative images of Edinburgh City centre, combined with passenger information and explanations of development plans.

Designed to create the effect of an external landscape, the hoarding integrated panels for the airport’s main sponsor RBS which were used to indicate temporary departure gates. To support the development, and explain to the wider audiences what was happening, we produced a full range of information material, posters, brochures as well as PR literature to support the press launch of the works.

Result

The hoardings were installed over night-time periods of no passenger activity with minimal disruption and masked the massive changes happening behind them. Passengers were better informed and given calming and engaging backdrop to their travels. Press cover was universally supportive and positive.