With our eight day of the tour penciled in as a travel/recovery day, I initially thought the the blog would be a quick one-liner. However, what follows is a brief reflection on leaving London and arriving in Madrid.
We arrive at London Gatwick airport early in the morning to an array of nondescript stainless steel cargo lifts. After checking in we wind through an extended duty-free shopping zone that stocks the typical international chocolate and perfume brands. A crowded atrium divides the food hall from the concourse, which is intersected by two or three gate arteries. We move through the space shifting from digital screen to digital screen. Halfway down the terminal we realise that the windows are, in fact, not windows at all. They are backlit photos of docked aircraft. I board the plane slightly disoriented and regretting that I turned up the 15£ deal on a box set of oversized Toblerone.
The plane sways a little as it hits the ground and I breathe out as it starts to correct and slow to a crawl. Still a little disoriented I exit the aerobridge expecting the low ceilings of Gatwick and instead find myself within a huge volume immersed in natural light. The long views both within and out of the airport allow me to immediately orientate myself. The high, curved and timber-lined ceiling pulls my shoulders back and straightens my posture. This space returns dignity to the traveller. It invites you to stroll rather than walk, it allows you to stop and breathe rather than search and navigate. The building is calm and regular, but light and fun. It uses a colour gradient as a navigation tool and regular structural modules to divide program.
This is my church, this is my home. Hats of to Richard Rogers Partnership, a truly phenomenal piece of work.
Chris Gilbert, Archier.