Lighting in Design Q3 2024

Changi project management team were the most professional that we have worked with to date,” notes Jacqueline Boiffils. “Through constant dialogue, our pursuit of perfection harmonised with the expertise of the Changi team.” A fluid gateway to the Garden City Airport experiences can be daunting as the first step in travel. BOIFFILS Architectures endeavoured to create a serene multi-sensory environment that allows passengers to enjoy the calming effects of nature. The project was designed as a journey across an indoor landscape encompassing minerals, water features, and various forms and densities of lush vegetation. “We wanted the architecture to be a source of emotions and a stimulant of senses through its connections with nature,” says Basile. “As lovers of nature and gardens, we drew those inspirations from vegetation, topography, geology, minerals, ponds, streams, currents, water reflections, and much more to create spaces and forms that blur the boundaries between architecture and landscape.” To humanise the airport experience and keep people connected, BOIFFILS Architectures treated the spaces with design philosophies reminiscent of luxurious hotel complexes, with a welcoming and personalised check-in experience. Rich earth tones, noble materials, and high-tech elements were integrated into an environment traditionally defined by cold and sterile colours. Upon arrival at the departure level, bright, colourful carpeting evokes aerial views of land and sea, with colourful and textured lines representing the sedimentary layers of the earth. Vegetated

visual, auditory, and interactive experiences. The project spans three levels, including Arrival and Departure halls and a mezzanine on Level 3, where food and beverage options are available. The existing terminal architecture was rooted in the traditional airport’s focus on business efficiency rather than comfort and pleasurable user experiences. BOIFFILS Architectures’ idea was to romanticise the airport experience, infusing pleasurable experiences into increasingly stressful travel scenarios through visual, audio, and interactive stimuli intended to soothe the mind, body, and soul. Leveraging their extensive experience in shopping mall design, BOIFFILS Architectures developed efficient circulation patterns and welcoming environments, which were critical components of their vision for the project. Their experience in developing relationships of trust with clients also played a crucial role, and the agency collaborated closely with Changi’s teams. Through monthly presentations and constant requests for approval of materials and creative ideas, the working relationship evolved into a partnership of trust, with the client embracing the agency’s creative visions. “Singapore is a model of perfection, and the

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LiD Q3 - 2024