Stansted Airport

OUR CLIENT'S CHALLENGE

Transformation of an existing information and booking desk in the International Arrivals Hall of Stansted Airport. The commercial team at Abellio Greater Anglia wanted to convert the existing facility at this prime retail location from a hotels and resorts information and booking desk into a ticket sales desk for the Stansted Express rail link to London.  

WHAT WE DID 

Using our experience and knowledge of ticket office design, we quickly identified that a conventional ticket desk approach would not work. In the location, it wasn’t possible to accommodate factors such as safety, security and ergonomics. After this feedback, we were commissioned to develop initial design concepts for an alternative approach for a ‘ticketing and information island’. This type of facility matched our client’s desire to move away from a conventional enclosed counter design by creating an open plan space without any screening. This enabled Stansted Express staff to engage with their customers at an early stage and reflected the importance of customer contact and communication to our client. Presentation of our initial design concepts helped the client to identify other marketing opportunities and changes to the retail operation. Our more detailed designs were then developed to incorporate easily recognisable totems, key marketing messages and opportunities, queue management and a hosting area concept. Material specificaitons and working practices were specific to an airport location. 

THE OUTCOME

A number of design options were developed and presented, including animated walk-throughs to demonstrate how the new ‘ticketing and information island’ would be viewed by travellers entering the International Arrivals Hall. A key factor of the design was to ensure that the easily recognisable National Rail sign was seen soon after entering the busy retail environment of the Arrivals Hall. Rail track, graphic vinyls applied to the floor was another novel idea to guide customer to the ticketing facility. 

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