Airport Interior Solutions - Airport Furniture, Check-in Desks, Airport Security Furniture

Bakerbellfield’s brief was to develop security compliance furniture for BAA's Heathrow Terminal 3.  The prototype furniture had already been conceptually designed, but needed extensive development work before the designs could hit the shopfloor.

Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) were keen to see the furniture installed before the end of the Olympics and before the peak departures day; so, from receipt of order to install there was a period of 6 weeks.  This allowed virtually no time to develop new processes and meant the pressure was on!

The furniture was designed in modular form, the intention being that the client would be able to "mix and match" modules to suit the different requirements of the terminals going forward.

The modules were installed to make either a Single or Double Island Unit, generally consisting of:-

• Monolith
• Segregated Waste
• Bag Dispenser
• Bag Rest
• Infill

All materials were chosen by HAL to marry with their existing branding. Some features included:-

• Solidsurface to all customer interfaces
• FRMDF Class 0
• 8mm toughened glass panels displaying HAL graphics
• LED lighting to all display boxes

Following on from the success of the T3 prototype security compliance furniture, Bakerbellfield were asked to undertake a rigorous program of design upgrades, manufacture and install of compliance furniture in T1, T4 & T5.

One of the concerns stemming from the T3 prototype furniture was the temperature levels within the Segregated Waste modules when FID screens had been installed.  The solution:-

We modified the design of the doors to incorporate a laser cut stainless panel at the base to draw air into the module.

A series of cut outs were then provided throughout the unit to mirror the airspace created at the base.

The top capping profile was redesigned with perforated mesh to allow the air to escape.

These measures proved successful in keeping the temperature within the units within the recommended guidelines. The same principles were adopted for the Monolith ventilation.

The demanding program called for installation out of hours which gave the fitting teams a window of between 5 and 6 hours before the terminal reopened for departures.  Although pressured, both factory and fitting teams worked perilously to deliver the project in all 3 terminals within 30 days.