Page 30 - AAA JULY-AUGUST 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE CHANGI UPGRADE

nearby bar to enable passengers to calm see passengers after they have passed
down as they wait for a flight. all part of through immigration, right up to the
that open, light feel. point of departure – and then watch the
one other, less usual demand from plane take off. More importantly, the
changi management was that the toilets departing travellers can wave back. “The
continue this theme. “not many people new airside view means visitors can not
realise this is a really important part of only see their loved ones as they leave,
an airport,” explains Ralls. it is, he points but watch the planes too,” he says.
out, the place that tense passengers (both however, all the open areas and new
arriving and departing) want to visit first. spacious zones with nooks and crannies
hence his insistence on what he calls to avoid intimidating the passenger
“feature toilets” at the new T1. “if you are pose another headache for the changi
interested in toilets, you have come to the management: security.
right place in changi,” laughs Ralls. “You Juggling safety, security, passenger TOP The viewing Gallery
with a panoramic view
could come here and work on the team!” comfort and costs across this project ABOVE The new ‘Shopping
“it’s the one facility that absolutely was really quite difficult,” says Ralls. “it Street’ for departing
everybody uses. we had to refurbish 25 was certainly a challenge, but it’s one passengers is on view
different sets across the terminal, and we think we have risen to.” now the new below the viewing gallery
made a big effort to move away from upgrade is open for business, it remains
the square cubicle model,” he says. to be seen if it last as long as the previous
The new designs feature curved walls, incarnation. we hope so ...
light-admitting walls, wooden skins
- and because of the way the project
was phased, they also boasts a notable SITTINg cOmfORTAbLy
amount of material recycling. Choosing seats for the terminal’s open and waiting areas was not an
as part of the visual opening up, the easy job, according to Brett Wightman. “We did what you could call
designers constructed a completely a bum test. Lots of seats are great to look at, but we had to ensure
new viewing deck that fronts onto the comfort for passengers over a period of time. It took us two years to
departure gates, and looks down on the choose the final designs, but now we think they will suit most people!”
departures retail section. as Ralls points A good end result.
out, this means relatives and friends can
30 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS JULY / AUGUST 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM