The new Barn’s Café at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, which faces the spectacular aquarium, enchants travelers with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and soothes the eyes with an arresting decor of light greens and pinks, making it the ideal environment for a latte and a spot of relaxation.
“This recently opened café, designed by altavia.odg, offers a one-of-a-kind coffee experience, welcoming travelers to the Kingdom with a captivating setting dedicated to the good things in life. But why did KAIA select altavia.odg in the first place? We posed the question to Eng. Omar Bahakim, who responded immediately: “It was based on trust and existing projects carried out by the firm; we trusted in its creativity and ability to create a design that fits the brand.”
Awaken the Senses
The design is inspired by the destination of Jeddah on the Red Sea, with altavia.odg aspiring to reflect this sense of place through the use of design elements. The curves of the facade and the interiors are inspired by the waves of the sea, creating a sense of movement and fluidity in the space. This design concept aims to generate a calming and relaxing atmosphere for travelers, reflecting the tranquil atmosphere of this coastal city.
“At Barn’s, we care about enhancing the customer journey, and altavia.odg designed an interior that creates a superior experience, paying attention to the ambiance, visual merchandising, and seating areas, as well as all of those small details that are often overlooked.
“Being located in the arrivals hall is a great challenge because you become a part of the initial image that visitors to the city form, and we all know how important first impressions are. As a result, everything must be textbook in every detail, from the quality of service through to visual appearance,” Eng. Omar says.
This design concept aims to generate a calming and relaxing atmosphere for travelers, reflecting the tranquil atmosphere of this coastal city
Representing Barn’s Personality
When designing the space, altavia.odg faced challenges that differed greatly from those encountered in a city store, where, as designers, altavia.odg has the freedom to create a unique and memorable experience for customers while paying close attention to the brand. The interior design should represent the café’s personality while also generating a sense of community and belonging. It must be inviting, comfortable, visually appealing and memorable. This can be accomplished by utilizing unique materials, lighting, graphics and a distinct color palette.
At an airport, in addition to the strict regulations found there, the design also needs to focus on accommodating travelers who have limited time and are always on the move.
The café needs to be easily accessible and quick to navigate. Consideration has to be given to the overall aesthetic and cultural context while at the same time blending them with the brand values.
Surprising and Delighting Customers
When altavia.odg received the brief, they discovered that the client expressly requested that they depart from the regular design and feel of Barn’s in its main branches in Jeddah and produce something unusual that gets the attention of travelers as soon as they exit the arrival gates. As a result, the creative team produced an environment that reflects the sense of warmth and quiet needed after a long journey, utilizing pastel colors and curving spaces. The company also had to keep in mind that people nowadays enjoy taking images and posting them on social media. To meet this demand, they ensured that the walls, as well as the FF&E selection, would surprise and delight customers, many of whom would be unfamiliar with the brand.
“The idea was to choose a color that conveys a sense of comfort, calmness, and relaxation, given that all travelers are concerned with comfort and fun, so light green and light pink were chosen. What the traveler needs when exiting the plane has also been considered, comfortable seats and common tables equipped for the use of electronic devices,” explains Eng. Omar. “We find that altavia.odg’s designs are always appealing to a wide range of people; they have their own unique style, and their solutions are always appropriate to the location and event.”
Different, but Unmistakably a Barn’s Café
While providing the same high quality and warm welcome, Barn’s Café at KAIA is unmistakably different from its other branches in the Kingdom. The altavia.odg team recognized that Saudi Arabia has a strong ‘coffee culture,’ particularly among young people who are well-traveled and have a great appreciation of art and design. They keep up with the current trends and are tough judges when it comes to interior design in their own country’s cafés.
Consequently, in keeping with Barn’s strategy, the company wanted to ensure that, while the materiality and features of each branch differ, there is a connecting line among all of them, what are known as design vernaculars, which make each branch unique yet unmistakably a Barn’s Café. This was especially true at KAIA.
While providing the same high quality and warm welcome, Barn’s Café at KAIA is unmistakably different from its other branches in the Kingdom
“We intended to be different from other branches and wanted to provide an exceptional experience for our customers,” Eng. Omar said. “As you know, the airport is the main gate for many pilgrims and serves more than 41 million passengers annually, so Barn’s very much needed to take all of this into account and respond accordingly. It is a different but just as extraordinary an experience as all of our other branches.”
Working with Barn’s is obviously a feather in the cap for Altavia.odg, especially when it comes to Saudi clients. The brand is well-established and one of the earliest domestic Saudi specialty coffee brands in the Kingdom, having a nationwide network. The firm is therefore particularly proud of this partnership, which extends beyond the business aspect, with altavia.odg considering itself a part of the Barn’s team. Indeed, it is looking forward to a long, creative, and mutually beneficial collaboration for many years to come.
“At Barn’s, we care about enhancing the customer journey, and altavia.odg designed an interior that creates a superior experience”
Eng. Omar is equally happy with the relationship, concluding: “We have received many accolades and a great deal of positive feedback from both our customers and Barn’s personnel. We are delighted with the outcome.”
Altavia.odg