smow in Milan: Airport culture

Only the best for smow - Aircraft from the former DDR Airline

Firstly apologies for the small delay… the internet connections in Milan aren’t all they could be :)

Sir Norman Foster's "Airline" system for Vitra as public seating at Munich Airport

A couple of months ago we mentioned the Terminal trade fair and introduced Vitra’s range of public seating solutions. And so it was with a particular joy to experience the chairs in action this morning at both Munich and Leipzig airports.
Wheres in Munich we just saw Sir Norman Foster’s “Airline” system, in Leipzig we saw both the “Airline” and .03 from Maartin Van Severen.
Both airports have been using the system longer than we have been writing this blog – and in both the inevitable consequences of the millions of travellers was all to evident.
That said, in both airports the chairs not only looked good, but were fulfilling their function with aplomb.

System USM Haller in use at Leipzig Airport

A double joy awaited us in Leipzig, however, as we headed towards departures…namely a system USM Haller construction in use as a welcome desk. Smow have designed several such desk systems as, for example, receptions in lawyers and doctors offices. Aside from the flexibility of the system, the particular advantage of the USM Haller system is that it is possible to leave the back “open” and so custom create storage space.
Sadly for “operational reasons” we were not allowed to photograph the desk from behind, and so you will have to take our word for it that it looked good.

Milan Malpensa Airport - A dream in granite and tiling

And then came Milan airport. They may favour a different type of seating here, and although a tick less impressive than Banesa Airport in Bucharest – a location that in itself is worth the trip – the graceful “neo-romantic-Bauhaus” form and functionality of Malpensa airport has really put us in the mood for the coming week.