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Inflite Private Jet Centre

Uttlesford

Project Details

£1m to £1.99M

Practice

Tooley Foster 1892

Warwick House , 116 Palmerston Road , Buckhurst Hill , Essex , IG9 5LQ , United Kingdom

Inflite built a new terminal for their private jet service in preparation for the Olympics. This was designed to cope with the larger volume of passenger traffic expected and it was achieved by revamping and substantially increasing the size of their existing terminal whilst it remained in service. The terminal now has the capacity to handle 200 seat passenger planes whilst retaining the efficient, corporate, yet individual and personal nature of Inflite's service. The project involved the phased demolition, replacement and enlargement of the existing building, with internal improvement of the retained areas. We created larger, modern and more comfortable departure lounges, improved passenger processing and screening facilities, offices, a new operations room, and crew accommodation, lounges and a gym. The Jet Centre is a transient space where passengers spend only moments in preparation for their flight and we wanted to make it as light and airy as possible. The idea that the whole building could be shrouded by a light mesh evolved from the need to provide shading and allowed flexibility for the shape of space that was needed within. The remodeling demanded a much larger footprint on ground floor than upper floors. Mesh panels within a slender steel structure were developed to give a sleek appearance that reflects Inflite's engineering company roots. The existing site entrance will be transformed by a prominent new gate feature with a banner sign that will clearly advertise the Jet Centre and by doing away with the existing Security Hut, passengers will drive and be met at the entrance by a receptionist; all-in-all a much more inviting greeting for arriving passengers.