Avolta, a global travel retailer and restaurant operator with operations in 64 countries, and Harrison, creative and strategic hospitality design partners, have collaborated to create an innovative and exceptional air-side food hall in the Arlanda Airport in Stockholm – SAMLA City Kitchens. The culmination of the two-year project saw Harrison work with Avolta from initial concept through to finaldesign to deliver an accessible, stylish and contemporary food court hosting five different concepts and tying together terminals four and five.

Food halls are an increasingly popular way to bring together a melting pot of cuisines and cultures, with cities around the globe embracing them, from Eataly in London to the international Time Out Markets – all offering a communal dining experience with choice in a vibrant, buzzy, and engaging setting. The creation of SAMLA City Kitchens draws on inspiration from these global powerhouse brands, coupled with Harrison’s rich experience in working with both airports and leisure spaces for 35 years, all resulting in a characterful 850msq space where travellers can discover and engage the senses before take-off.

A USP of Harrison’s overarching strategy for clients includes drawing inspiration from any concept’s surroundings. For SAMLA City Kitchens, Harrison has incorporated Swedish traditions into the design.

For example, incorporating the feeling of ‘allemansträtten’ – the right to roam in any wood, meadow, or field to forage. This can be felt in the warm timber floor, recycled wood pulp panels, and bright, light, and airy spaces thanks to the seven-meter-high floor-to-ceiling windows and a full panoramic view of the outside. ‘Skönhet för alla’ (beauty for all), creates a stylish environment harmonising contemporary design principles to the rawness of nature and the elements. All are intertwined with modern accents and finishing touches to reflect the look and feel of downtown Stockholm such as oxidised copper finishes, concrete panels, and metal frameworks.

SAMLA City Kitchens has been inspired by the word sökare – a modern interpretation of the Swedish spirit to hunt and unearth. Key design features include:

• Three full-time food counters will offer modern global cuisine, including burgers (Bun Meat Bun), Mexican (La Neta), and Middle-Eastern (Baba Grill), with two additional pop-up counters to bring a variety of different options to the food hall every six months.
• Ample seating will be available throughout, split into unique zones to tailor for different travellers. For example, different seating spaces will include a variety of high-level sharing tables, an intimate space with a lounge look and feel, and booth seating options.
• As an added touch, a 360-degree satellite bar will provide a panoramic view of the runway as well as the perfect spot for customers to grab a drink before boarding their plane.
• A walkway in the centre of the food hall separates the seating area from the food counters, allowing for the flow of the airport.
• Customers will be able to order either via the counters directly or through a QR code to allow solo travellers to stay with their luggage or those speaking different languages to communicate their order.

Sarah Acres, Senior Interior Designer at Harrison, adds: “We know food halls are popular globally. They cater to the modern desire for choice, flexibility, and a vibrant dining environment, and we wanted to ensure SAMLA City Kitchens was a true embodiment of this and not a drab or uninspiring airport offering. We wanted to bring the personality of Stockholm and the Swedish culture and traditions to life, whilst providing passengers with a calm oasis away from the stress and often hectic feel of airports.

“What’s particularly challenging about an airport setting when it comes to hospitality is the number of different people and personalities you need to cater for. Those travelling with small children, for example, are likely to be looking for something completely different to those travelling solo for business. To try and overcome this in a unified space means creating different zones to provide for as many different requirements as possible. From the satellite bar to the full-time counters offering global cuisine and even working in two counter spaces specifically for ‘pop up’ operators to ensure the food hall always feels fresh and exciting for our frequent flyers – offering a tranquil moment before takeoff. It’s two years in the making, and we can’t wait to see it turned into reality.”

The inspiration behind the design nods to the Swedish landscape, using natural, recycled, and sustainable materials wherever possible, with key design details including:

• Natural features, such as warm distressed herringbone timber floors, combined with an urban edge, including concrete tiles and geometric flooring. These uniquely configured patterns represent Stockholm’s challenging environment and terrains.
• Acoustic baffles with integrated lighting in varied thicknesses, colours, and heights above the seating areas to reflect the changing terrain heights of the Swedish landscape.
• Recycled wood pulp formed into Baux acoustic panels to form a canopy over other seating areas. To help manage sound levels within a busy airport environment, providing a calmer space to enjoy a meal and a moment of calm before passenger’s flight.
• The food counters consist of sensa granite worktops with aged effect front tile’s, accompanied by blackened steel panelling, a metal framework with mesh panels to form a gantry over the counters, displaying each of the counter’s signage and menu displays.
• Embracing the four elements (earth, water, fire, air) by incorporating materials such as warm earthy bricks to the bar counter, made from recycled building materials. Reindeer moss providing a natural backdrop and bringing in a small part of the beautiful Swedish landscapes. Along with reclaimed pine planks with pyrography, the art of wood burning, are positioned throughout the food hall and the playful feature baffled ceiling represents the movement and expansion of air.
• A sustainably sourced fallen tree, sawn into planks and re-purposed to become a feature with an illuminated centre. Preserving and admiring its natural beauty.
• Industrial elements like concrete tiling subtly nod to the quirky and edgy ‘downtown’ Stockholm image.

Arlanda Airport is the larger of Stockholm’s two airports and acts as a major gateway to international air travel.