Very high profile buildings such as this (a Richard Rogers designed Stirling Prize winner) tend to get large amounts of coverage in the media, as such because we've all seen the photos there is often little 'surprise and delight' left in an actual visit.
The reviews and critiques ment I knew what to expect before I arrived - a cavernous space punctuated by beautifully coloured Y-shaped supports and topped with an undulating wooden ceiling. All of which created a pleasant, visually enaging journey through the airport.
However, the thing that really caught my imagination were the 'wok' lights used in the baggage reclaim area, they effectivly lower the ceiling and hide all the cabling and services from view (while keeping them accesible for maintenance).
A grid of these fittings, custom designed for the job, strech out over a vast area, creating beautiful regular vistas and lining up to produce patterns and shapes that unfold as you walk through the space - a bit like the experience of driving past a perfectly planted orchard.
As I'd not seen or heard anything about this particular feature of the building it made 'discovering' them for myself all the more enjoyable - I guess it's a lesson in the power of holding a little something back…
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