Hayama AIAL
Auckland International Airport, New Zealand
The elevated branding allows customers to identify the kiosk across a very crowded food court.
Our long-standing clients, Kiwi Discovery Ltd, approached us to design a new freestanding store in Auckland International Airport’s landside farewell zone more commonly known as the food court. The site presented particular challenges: in addition to being very small for the kitchen and refrigeration equipment required, it lacked many essential services, as it had previously operated as a coffee kiosk.
We broke up the bulk of the space by incorporating large graphic panels, including an illuminated overhead sign, onto which we applied traditional Japanese cherry blossom patterned panelling to balance the natural ash timber used elsewhere. TV screen menus and traditional Japanese teapot displays were introduced to further break up the solid walls and add visual interest to surfaces that would otherwise be plain especially considering that all the products are displayed in refrigerated wells in the counter. The elevated branding allows customers to identify the kiosk across a very crowded food court. Warm-coloured lighting and tonal graphics were selected to enhance the natural timber finishes.
We believe the result successfully reflects the nature of the products on offer and effectively conveys the authenticity of traditional Japanese cuisine especially when contrasted with the more fast food oriented outlets in the food court, such as KFC, McDonald’s, and Nando’s. It also brings an element of food theatre to the environment.
Project
Client: Kiwi Discovery
Location: Auckland International Airport Landside
Status: Completed