High-class waiting areas

The showpiece of a prestigious UK company specialising in airport transfers and airport lounges, the No. 1 Traveller lounge at London’s Gatwick Airport is a sophisticated, brightly lit space that not only caters for business class travellers but is open to all passengers who choose to book the service.
As London’s second largest airport after Heathrow, Gatwick handles an enormous volume of traffic with flights operated by over fifty airlines. Amongst the stress of connections and transits, the No. 1 Traveller lounge is an oasis of peace where passengers can take time out to relax between flights. For this purpose it offers the highest level of design. The practice Inside Out Architecture has fully met its client’s brief, creating a space of outstanding comfort where passengers can benefit from a range of services, including a spa where they can shower, enjoy a relaxing massage or get a last-minute haircut.
The architectural design of the lounge, which received an honourable mention at the annual Priority Pass Lounge of the Year Awards, stands out for its exceptional spatial distribution which combines a high level of acoustic insulation with a clean, sophisticated design.
The floor and wall tiles are an important part of the project. Consisting of the Marmi and Bianchi porcelain tile collections from Rex (in colour Calacatta), they are inspired by industrially produced materials of European and Asian origin. The selected tiles reproduce the textures and appeal of a sophisticated white marble, using pale tones in different sizes to achieve highly effective plays of colour. One notable solution is the juxtaposition of large-format linear surfaces with the mosaics used on the curved walls. The pleasant sense of continuity created by the colour and the homogeneous veins of the floors and walls is playfully interrupted by 3D mosaics in a matt-gloss alternation. This gives the spaces an elegant cadence and allows for highly flexible interior design choices. The effective juxtaposition with wood, whose warm tones are reflected in the fabrics used on the seats, creates a pleasantly sixties flavour, especially when combined with the technological solutions adopted in the lounge. Additional features include a large corner space devoted to newspapers and magazines, a bar renowned for its cocktails and a light restaurant, while the numerous staff are impeccably efficient and courteous.