The Square Terminal 1, Melbourne Airport

Conceived as a piazza, The Square — a food and beverage precinct inside Melbourne Airport, Australia puts the traveller experience at its heart.

Designed with a warm, generous spirit, our design team set out to craft a new dining precinct within Melbourne Airport’s Terminal 1 (T1) on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country that would showcase retail, reduce the anxiety of air travel and create an engaging place people simply enjoy.

Guided by a deep understanding of different travellers’ varied needs we aimed to transform a busy airport arrival experience into an intuitive and enjoyable place for passengers waiting for their flights. 

The antithesis of a food court, The Square is planned with a clear walkway around a central lounge. Every element elevates the traveller experience and provides a beautiful backdrop, allowing the 12 new food and beverage outlets along the perimeter to be the hero.

The redesigned space now offers unobstructed views of the airfield, allowing everyone to take in the scenery. Seating options are varied, providing travellers with multiple ways to relax while they wait. Materials used throughout the space are deliberately local and textural, incorporating spotted gum timber, regional granite, and Melbourne bluestone, with furniture crafted by local designers.

An ode to the airport’s original 1970s interior, a custom-illuminated ceiling provides an acoustic sense of calm and bathes the whole space in a soft, warm glow, creating visual cohesion. 

A centrally located mirrored ceiling creates an impact upon arrival, amplifies the space’s original volume, and serves as a frame around the shared lounge and café area.

The Square at T1, with its distinctively Melbourne character, warmly welcomes and accommodates all travellers passing through the terminal.