BRIEF: Design a public smoking lounge with the premium values of a business lounge in Johannesburg’s newly refurbished Terminal 1. The space had to be comfortable for both smokers and non-smokers alike and was to have a full food and beverage service.

The ‘D Lounge’ occupies a space of 420 m² and is the airport’s only public smoking area. Both Dunhill and their client ACSA wanted the lounge to compete for custom with the various airline business lounges and so the levels of design and execution had to be world class.

The space has a very awkward dog leg shape to it and so the major design challenge was to tie the area together to give it a sense of unity and a natural flow. Dunhill is positioned as a super premium brand and our job was to reflect this in the design and specifications of the space. Innovation, workmanship, materials and finishes all had to be of the highest order. Design and implementation was carried out over eight months and the Lounge had to be ready for the 2010 South African FIFA World Cup. The deadline was met and the client expectations exceeded.

SOLUTION: To create a sense of unity and natural flow within the space we introduced a sweeping perimeter wall feature that leads people into the lounge and round towards the Chill Out area at the rear. The space is further unified by a very large double sided bespoke red sofa and a bar height red counter which dominates the open plan layout.

The space is loosely divided into zones that cater for the different types of visitor to the space; single travellers, small groups, couples etc. There is the Chill Out zone for people wanting to relax in a calm atmosphere, the large red sweeping sofa is ideal for people travelling alone or in pairs and the high counter is great for small groups. The style of furniture and cabinetry is eclectic but complimentary and lives within the parameters of the Dunhill brand architecture guidelines. The dominant materials are stone, wood, glass and polished lacquered surfaces.

Specifications are extremely high and so customers are left with the impression that this is a premium space and by implication that Dunhill is a super premium brand. The lighting is a crucial part of the design and one of the key elements is a series of very large back-lit graphics. These provide a soft ambient illumination and add colour to counterbalance the brand colours of red, white and black. Johannesburg is a strategic airport for BAT in the AME region and this lounge blazes a trail for others to follow.