Airport Design
How great airport design can boost retail spend
We present highlights of a specially commissioned research project into the effects of airport design on dwell time and average spend in Australia, conducted by Cox Architecture in partnership with The Mercurius Group and TH?NK Global Research.
Investing in good design can boost airport retail spend by up to +27% at domestic terminals and +9% at international terminals – that is among the key findings of a new research study undertaken by Cox Architecture, in partnership with The Mercurius Group and TH?NK Global Research. Results were revealed at the Australian Airports Association Retail & Commercial Forum on 22-24 July via a White Paper distributed to delegates.
Introducing the study, Cox Architecture Aviation Design Lead Matt Findlay said: “The aim was to demonstrate the connection between investing in customer experience and impact on spend and return on that investment at the airport.
“We can show that passengers react positively to quality spaces, dwelling longer and engaging in what is on offer – leading to higher propensity to spend.”
Matt Findlay: Ranking the role of design elements in enhancing customer experience and commercial performance
The study captured a sense of what elements attract (or deter) travellers from engaging with retail at airports
The study featured the views of 250 Australian residents over 18 who have visited an Australian airport in the past two years, via an online survey conducted in May 2024. It then identified the most influential airport design features that impact dwell time and spend; quantified the effect of basic, mid-range and premium design elements and assessed what the ‘ideal’ airport could look like in terms of its design features.
The study identified 11 elements for testing: ceilings; glazing; lighting; light sources; flooring; seating; F&B furniture; device charging; biophilic (green) design; integrated art and activity areas from places for entertainment to rest or relaxation.
Of these, the research uncovered, quiet spaces, biophilic design, observation areas and natural light stood out as most effective in influencing traveller dwell time.
The core findings were as follows:
- 62% of travellers said they would spend more with added dwell time at the airport. Domestic travellers would spend an additional hour if airports implemented their preferred design features, boosting spend by an average +27%. International travellers would spend an added 105 minutes, boosting their spend by +9% on average.
- Of the elements tested, activity spaces were considered the most important, with quiet spaces preferred by a high proportion.
- Travellers want real plants at airports, with large biophilic areas or potted plants among the most popularly identified elements.
- Observation areas are a positive addition to the experience; more than half of travellers indicated a preference for glazing providing light and views.
Findlay commented: “We have all seen children pushing their noses up against the glass looking at aircraft. It’s about the joy of flight. Especially with F&B, being able to get dwell spaces within the retail is important. The engineering costs we know about but people want to see those spaces.”
Natural light was also a highly desirable element when considering airport design.
The report also set out what the preferred airport design looks like, with higher-quality design elements having more of an influence on dwell time than mid-range or lower-quality items.
Crucially, the study also highlighted what the actual Dollar numbers could look like based on the respective increases for domestic and international terminals.
Assessing the balance of these elements, Findlay said: “We know that build costs are rising through a combination of factors and that some of those costs are being stripped out, whether from concept, design, development, documentation or building itself.
“But the message that we are putting out there is that, if you do invest in your customer environment and your finishes, before you throw something out, just assess what value that element might bring to the spend.”
The influence of design elements on propensity to dwell at the airport
Source: Cox Architecture
“You want an airport that people talk about” says Matt Findlay
On the case for implementing great design at airports, Findlay concluded: “There is more emphasis on non-aeronautical activities today, and that is about making money but it’s not only that.
“For airports these are your facilities; they are gateways to your region, your city, your country. So there is a civic responsibility to represent that and embrace everybody that comes into your facility. You want an airport that people talk about. And I think that this symbiotic relationship and partnership with the airports and the retailers is really taking hold in Australia.”
Partner's message
The Moodie Davitt eZine Issue 338 | 27 September 2024
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 14 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com