Customer Story Gerald R. Ford International Airport

Capturing the West Michigan Spirit

During the discovery phase of the concourse design process, the Mead and Hunt design team met with airport officials to outline the story they hoped to tell in the space. That story reflects a journey to Grand Rapids—starting from the Great Lakes, moving through sand dunes, woods, farmlands, and into the city. 

As travelers enter the concourse, colors begin with lake water blues that turn to brown sand tones, forest greens, and then purple and other bright colors representing the city. Creative elements, including wall art, hanging installations, and terrazzo floor tiles help define each thematic zone. 

At the end of the concourse is a spectacular art installation experience. By standing on the terrazzo floor medallion and turning toward the large terminal windows, travelers see a large etched map of Michigan on the glass. Clear glass orb lights hang from the ceiling in front of the map, representing regional destinations. A single light has a blue hue to symbolize Grand Rapids.

Concession areas also evoke the core design themes, including a light and airy bar crafted from wood to evoke a canopy of trees (with a few real trees to enhance the enchanting effect). Paths of green tile and a large green living wall guide people along their journey through the forest themed spaces of the concourse.

Creating a Sense of Community

Throughout Concourse A, travelers enjoy access to welcoming community spaces where they can touch down, catch up on work emails, or hang out with family or friends. To create this mix of spaces, the airport challenged the design team to consider the “whole room” to ensure the new layout worked for all types of travelers. 

Research ahead of the design process showed a multitude of travelers enter and use Concourse A every day, with a balance between those traveling for work and those taking pleasure trips. These insights were critical to the project’s success, especially because business and leisure travelers use spaces differently. 

Business travelers are continually in and out of airports and often find more comfort and convenience waiting in community spaces with alternatives to traditional row seating. These frequent flyers often seek out centrally located public spaces with options for getting some work done or relaxing until their flight.  

Within Concourse A, many business travelers are drawn to the bar-height Cultivate tables and their large surface area. Up to eight people can sit at each table, where they can catch up on email or collaborate with coworkers. Convenient access to power in the middle of each Cultivate table is a key feature for business travelers, but these powered tables also offer leisure travelers a spot within the “whole room” design to recharge their devices or chat with others in a space not far from their gate.

Maari sled-base stools complement each Cultivate table, with soft curves and a modern design that makes a refined statement. The upholstered, contoured plastic shells offer comfort, and the lightweight design is easy to move, so all travelers can rearrange them as needed.

Leisure and infrequent travelers often want to be near the gate to hear announcements. While rows of traditional airport seating are available, guests in Concourse A enjoy options. Durably upholstered Orla chairs placed throughout the “whole room”—including many in the immediate gate area—offer guests comfort in a low-profile swivel design that allows easy movement between conversation, people watching, and monitoring boarding times. 

A quiet lounge area within the concourse offers a serene, soothing atmosphere with a lush green wall and abundant natural light—a far cry from traditionally sterile airport settings. Here, Orla in vignettes of three or four offer comfortable seating for people to wait alone or together with family, friends, or colleagues. This makes the space—and the Orla chairs—popular with leisure and business travelers, alike.

Supporting Work Behind the Scenes

When you’re visiting an airport, it’s easy to forget that there are teams of people working to ensure a superior traveling experience for guests. The employees who make an airport tick deserve comfortable, efficient accommodations, too. Design elements and amenities within the workplace create a strong element of attraction and fuel employees’ desire to be there. 

Like any optimized office environment, the airport’s updated administrative spaces feature a mix of settings designed to help people stay connected and do their best work. These include multi-use private offices with ergonomic furnishings, well-equipped conference and training rooms with universal power access, and touchdown spaces where small groups can gather outside the main workspace. The administrative staff also has access to a refresh area with a bar-height table, traditional café table, and booth-style seating options.

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