"We wanted to warm up and give residential character [to the area]," said Design Principal Dennis LaFrance, AIA, of Architectural Alliance in Minneapolis, MN. The airport itself is full of high energy and crowds of people as well as being high-tech looking. "We wanted a real contrast to that," said LaFrance. "We wanted more of an area of refuge, so the scale and materials are more residential, and the color palette focuses on warmer colors."
Continuing, the designer explained that Northwest had a definite concept in mind. "The original club that they call the ?Generation 2 Club? is a much more open plan --the food service is more cafeteria style. It?s a much more casual atmosphere. [Northwest] wanted much more intimate spaces. They were particularly interested in developing a place where business travelers can work. They wanted it to be a more upscale quality and really be a classy atmosphere."