After carrying out several consumer studies, Dublin Airport Travel Services tasked Nineyards with the uplifting several elements of the Terminal 1 Executive Lounge. While the existing lounge design and layout was suitable for the original lounge traffic, increased number of partner airlines and venue marketing campaigns had placed a strain on all areas; including the various seating layout options and several passenger touch points.

Nineyards approached this from several different fronts to maximise the impact of every piece. It was vital that costs were kept to a minimum and therefore the existing infrastructure was to be considered at each stage. Not only did the new interiors palette need to resonate with current design trends, there also needed to be a level of connection to Dublin Airport as a brand.

A new, overarching brand palette was created for the T1 Lounge with the final direction being to separate the dining area from the rest and relax area. This rest and relax area became the main focal point within the T1 Lounge with the walls being panelled and treated to add a level of warmth and homeliness to the overall area.

The existing barista area was reviewed next and the decision was made to re-clad the feature surfaces with rich, mosaic tiles which, while connecting to the Irish landscape, bought a level of richness to the area and pushed the space to be the feature.

Once these aesthetic elements were taken care of, attentions were turned to the seating and floor layout of the rest and relax section in the lounge.

Aiming to strategically target the key lounge demographic, Nineyards settled on several different seating options including a large, high, communal table, high laptop shelf, low level work benches, bespoke divider screens and unique, individual hush stations. Each of these pieces were designed and build in-house and incorporated USB power sockets throughout. The final layer of finishing was added by the inclusion of a custom newspaper stand and custom bookshelves which also included loose dressing.

The works were carried out in phases over a year to ensure minimal disruption to lounge traffic and to ensure regular check-ins to track and monitor all alterations.

“It isn’t often that you are able to find a true partner on a project. Working with Nineyards has always been such an enjoyable experience. The team made significant effort to understand the objectives of the space, the Dublin Airport brand and our vision. Not only that, their attention to detail, creativity, knowledge of material and furnishing left us with a finished space that exceeded our expectations.”
– Laura Groves, Head of Dublin Airport Travel Services, Dublin Airport Authority