Airport design consultancy The Design Solution has unveiled its transformation of the retail space at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, highlighting how regional airports can adopt local themes to develop a sense of place.
The design program at Toulouse-Blagnac includes the enlargement, reconfiguration and refurbishment of the airport’s commercial areas across a total of 1,800m2 (19,400ft2) of retail space, principally focused on the new 1,700m2 (18,300ft2) walkthrough duty-free store operated by Dufry.
The Design Solution worked closely with both the airport and the retailer on the development, formulating a retail layout that was facilitated by the construction of a new security area, the conversion of an existing check-in area to form the new duty-free shop and the transformation of the old duty-free shops into a retail area.
The main duty-free store provides a multipaced retail experience that offers in-store category destinations tailored to each key customer profile. The store has a central island that anchors the Liquor and Food categories, and radiating from this are the P&C/Beauty and Local Food & Wine categories, giving passengers attractive vistas to each side of the main walkway.
The city’s familiar soft tones of dusty pink and terracotta are subtly echoed across the space, creating modern counterpoints to the backdrop of traditionally styled timber wall panelling that reflect the classic grandeur of the city’s architectural heritage.
Local products are prominent across the categories but particularly in the vibrant Terre d’Occitanie space, where local specialities are celebrated, including cheese, foie gras, olive oils, wine and confectionery. Natural wood tones dominate the space, including the dramatic back wall seemingly made of traditional wine boxes, celebrating the region’s great wines. A classic Citroën van adds a stylish touch of fun and in-store theater.
The walkthrough store also incorporates a number of specialist product zones targeting customer profiles, including a Kids’ Zone, a strong digital focus in the ‘Contentainment’ area and a performance space to add to the lively street market mood.
Nick Taylor, director of The Design Solution, commented, “This exciting development at Toulouse-Blagnac perfectly blends commercial imperatives and innovative design ambitions. Dufry’s retail planning meticulously aligns the commercial offer to the needs of the passenger profile and The Design Solution’s interior design supports this ethos to drive a unique experience for the customer and an optimally effective commercial space for the retailer and the airport.
“Along with a number of other airport locations we’ve worked with – such as Heraklion, Montego Bay, Nice and Wroclaw – I see Toulouse-Blagnac as part of a pioneering wave of ambitious regional and relatively smaller airports committed to matching any major hub in expressing a unique local personality for their airport.”
Click here to see more images of the new retail space.
Interested in the design of airport retail areas? Check out the ‘Commercial Development, Retail, Concessions & Media’ stream at the Passenger Terminal Conference, which takes place during Passenger Terminal Expo, on March 26, 27 and 28, 2019, in London.
The Design Solution will also be exhibiting at the Expo.