NEWARK AIRPORT
Challenge
Portland worked with Munich Airport International (MAl) on the commercial vision and development of Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
A key objective of the design brief was to create a strong and unique sense of place for New Jersey that would differentiate it from neighbouring New York.
Approach
After exploring and researching the history and culture of New Jersey, we were surprised to discover that New Jersey is a ‘State of Firsts’. Such as being the first state to have a sea container port, hosting the first organised baseball match and also the first state to open a drive-in movie theatre.
This ‘State of Firsts’ became one of the key drivers of the design strategy and vision which underpinned the commercial proposition that Newark Airport is a ‘Journey of Surprises’. This vision ran through MAI’s commercial tender process and set the tenor of the relationship between retailers and brands looking to take space in the airport.
Results
Our design has enabled ‘A Journey of Surprises’ to show up through key interventions and experiences throughout the customer journey. At the heart of the terminal is a commercial plaza with a wide variety of local ‘hero’ vendors, and locally inspired international brands.
Along the journey passengers will discover boardwalk-inspired furniture in the hold room areas, references to iconic sporting heros in the kids play area, and a series of bold art installations celebrating local talent and creativity, in both analogue and digital formats throughout the terminal. Terminal A opened in 3 phases in 2023, the 1mn sqft new terminal now has capacity for 14mn passengers a year.
