Time Travel: Making the most of Airport Hospitality
Sanfords Diner & Loft Bar, London Luton Airport
Designing for airports is just one area of our expertise, having completed projects across 15 UK airports to date with more in development. Learning through experience and ongoing transformations within the airports and travel hubs sector, we’ve evolved a collaborative approach that blends thoughtful, commercially driven design with complex logistical understanding between all partners resulting in vibrant environments that are dynamic, fit for purpose and desirable to spend time in.
Late last year saw Five Guys land airside at Heathrow Terminal 5 followed by another recent refurbishment within the terminal for Wagamama.
Working with Five Guys has been an evolutionary process for us. From supporting to implement high street formats across UK towns and cities to now being a dependable part of the project delivery process adapting UK airport sites to serve passengers practically 24/7. Logistically, that’s no mean feat! with the operation employing no less than 100 staff scheduled to serve and achieve this extended service. Encouraging too that we’re now seeing elements from our design developments at T5 influence future planned schemes for the high street and drive-thru formats.
Five Guys, Heathrow Terminal 5
“Airport infrastructure is a demanding environment to design and build within.
Each project must respond to complex operational requirements from extensive landlord approvals to stringent security protocols. ALL within restricted construction programmes & hit completion schedules! Many are phased alongside specific servicing strategies with the need to optimise and keep spaces operational and open around the clock to prioritise passenger experience” - Jake Flower, Associate / turnerbates studio
Our latest Wagamama project with The Restaurant Group Concessions to open at Birmingham Airport is a special destination to enjoy. A generous open planned restaurant with the best front row seats for viewing the runway action!
Floor to ceiling perimeter glazing floods the space with an abundance of natural light to create an engaging yet relaxing environment that compliments the pure wholesome-ness of the Wagamama experience and hospitality.
Wagamama, Birmingham Airport
“Inspiring to see that these latest openings strengthen the airports’ vision and hospitality mission to give customers experience led dining during their journeys through travel hubs.
Exciting too that the recent acquisition of our long-standing client TRGC with global operator Areas brings more momentum and innovative opportunities with our collaborations for further raising the bar in ‘On the Move’ interiors and travel hospitality experiences - Moni Herdlevaer, Associate / turnerbates studio
A new benchmark for airport dining.
Last summer, our collaboration with TRGC, Sanfords American Diner & Loft Bar was awarded the highly coveted 'European Restaurant Design of the Year' at the 2025 The Airport F&B + Hospitality Conference & Awards (FAB) in Barcelona.
The interior spans 1190 sq.m over two levels within and above London Luton Airport’s Airside departure lounge. It offers 480 covers making it THE largest hospitality space of any UK airport. This bold reimagining of a classic diner and loft bar experience blends a vibrant mix of textured durable materials, graphic surfaces and spirited illuminated visuals creating a leisurely hospitality experience and ideal antidote to the airport ‘hustle & bustle’ of journeys.
With two state-of-the-art kitchens, the Diner innovates with inspired menus of classic favourites created in collaboration with emerging chefs. The interior harnesses the creative skills of our designers for innovative spatial planning and an original concept for this high-volume hospitality interior.
Each level has its own distinct ambience and contrasting identity, yet both are unified through a consistent use of appropriate surface materials and well executed architectural detailing.
Each square metre is carefully considered to optimise customer flow, operational efficiency and the overall guest experience, with zoning used to create a series of distinct spaces within the larger environment. The design evokes an engaging American Diner vibe downstairs, and a sleek mezzanine Loft Bar upstairs; a clever configuration that blends family-friendly design with eye-catching elements.
Each level has its own contrasting identity, yet both are unified through a consistent use of appropriate surface materials and well executed architectural detailing.
Vertical and localised zoning creates social communal areas and practical features to foster comfort, engagement, and hospitality. The spatial design is enhanced and elevated through imaginative integration and relevant material choices to facilitate the desired ambience and great service.
The 3D study showcases the level of design and planning behind a project of this scale.
Our ambition was to design a high-performance restaurant that feels effortless, and immersive and create a contemporary destination that captures the Pan-Americana fusion and ‘spirit of place’ of the brand.
Triangulated ceiling structures and articulated forms convey an understated architectural style fit for purpose in response to the location within the core shell of the lounge structure, services and compliancy of London Luton Airport.
The impact of neon glow from the exterior elevation is a welcome invite to escape the airport for a intriguing destination to discover. What lies beyond is a refreshing pause for the nervous system and a welcome ‘creative feed ‘for rejuvenating the senses and wellbeing. Designed in response to fulfil a diversity of user needs and mindset; be it social spaces or calmer areas to work and focus in; all are effectively planned to optimise covers and service over both floors.
Sanfords Diner & Loft Bar, London Luton Airport
Stepping away from the brightness of the concourse; the ground floor hosts the atmospheric illuminated diner concept offering harmonious areas to choose from a landscape of mixed seating configurations. Durable leather and upholstered textile banquettes and booths for family friendly and social groups to gather plus more adaptable tables and chairs for individual preferences.
Deep tones envelop the diner spaces interspersed with unique custom hand painted art installations, dynamic textured graphics and iconic neon ambient messaging. Pure pops of colour from a broad palette of hard working, functional materials and surfaces that all layer and collide stylishly together. An evocative visual narrative all set in a low level of illumination that creates abstract and ambient fragments of diffused and refracted light and shadows that splash across glass, tiles and terrazzo surfaces.
Sanfords Diner & Loft Bar, London Luton Airport
In contrast to the enveloping vibe of the downstairs diner, a light-filled lobby connects you with the mezzanine level presenting an ambient and naturally lit Loft Bar, a relaxing beverage-focused space where passengers can enjoy entertainment amenities including a shuffleboard table, or just chill and hang out in varying booths and seating arrangements while awaiting departure.
Sanfords Diner & Loft Bar, London Luton Airport
This integrated use of classic natural materials; timber, glass, ceramic, terrazzo, colour coated metalwork feature again through the Mezzanine Loft Bar to form a contrastingly open, honest and more naturally lit environment. The graphic composition and layering of ceiling structures, façade cladding and back illuminated signage and mix of integrated surfaces and atmospheric scene set lighting all contribute to achieving a comfortable public space.
“We wanted to achieve consistency in the design of forms and material surfaces throughout however, the experience across both the levels is one of subtle ever evolving contrasts where the refreshing change of engagement, atmospheric light and play of shadows are in motion to compliment around the interior 24/7 “ – Moni Herdlevaer, Associate / turnerbates studio
Like any good recipe, the mix and quality of ingredients and making is everything.
There is both functionality and warmth. Many of the materials are elevated and given added focus through their compositions and formed structures or expressed through skilled setting out of flooring, wall tiles and panelling and articulated tiles to the bar for added durability and dynamic surfaces.
Considering all the logistics of the brief, critical compliancy certifications required and constraints of a footprint embedded within the airport infrastructure, Sanford’s is a well-executed leisure destination. Nearly two years in the making this hard-working project champions the workmanship of contractors and bespoke joiners all elevating the ‘everyday’ to make and craft a genuinely refreshing interior space to be.
Our client TRGC manage strict environmental policies and programmes, so our practice and responsibility for sourcing and specifying ethical materials and circular material processes for projects we design and deliver is critical.
LLA Airport is committed to net-zero and sustainability by 2040 with a Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation which influences terminal operations and infrastructure that the restaurant uses. Our design includes 30 metres of window glazing optimising and maintaining natural light to the Mezzanine level which enabled us to minimise the use of direct artificial lighting loads, improving environment quality to create a calm, and atmospheric interior suitable for longer dwell times.
The project’s successful completion is not just about architectural innovation but also reflects the strategic vision to meet the airport’s future intentions to better accommodate passenger capacity with a focus for enhancing the customer journey and optimising spaces for hospitality at the centre of that transformation.
Modern, immersive design that captures ‘the spirit of place’ for brands that resonate with today’s contemporary traveller. Something for everyone; this one’s worth checking in for.
