Marc Newson

First Class Lounge Melbourne
First Class Lounge Melbourne
First Class Lounge Melbourne
First Class Lounge Melbourne
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First Class Lounge Melbourne

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Marc designed the Qantas First Class lounges in the Sydney and Melbourne international terminals in tandem with his development of the interiors of the Qantas A380 aircraft.

The concept behind the development of the lounges was to reintroduce some of the style and glamour of the early years of aviation. The Melbourne lounge, much smaller than its Sydney counterpart, also offers breath-taking views of the airport’s runway and shares the same furniture and decorative elements, including Patrick Blanc’s green wall.

Like in Sydney, the lounge in Melbourne had to be capable of accommodating hundreds of people at peak times. Marc used sculptural wooden dividers made from European oak to separate the long space into open, bay-like sections, giving definition to the entire space whilst creating a sense of intimacy by dividing the space into smaller areas. Marc designed all the furniture throughout the lounge, including easy chairs, sofas, dining tables and chairs, bar stools and lighting.  The colour palette of dark red, ochre, and subdued warm tones was inspired by the Australian landscape. Instead of a computer read-out for the departure information, Marc chose a retro split-flap, ‘Solari’ display board. A now rare artefact, seen more in museums than in working airports, the distinctive sound of the flaps turning when new information is posted reminds visitors of bygone days of travel, adding another nostalgic element to the overall design.

Client

Qantas Airways Ltd

Year

2007

Sector

Interiors

Location

Melbourne, Australia