Qantas Business Lounge, Adelaide Airport

Working closely with key stakeholders, HI Lighting delivered products that aligned with the project’s strong South Australian design narrative while meeting key performance, durability, and aesthetic requirements.

Design Inspiration & Brief

The Adelaide Lounge Precinct redevelopment forms part of Qantas’ broader $100 million investment in its global lounge network. The project reimagines the airline’s Adelaide presence with a cohesive, experience‑led environment inspired by the landscapes, culture, and craftsmanship of South Australia.

The new Domestic Business Lounge spans 1,016 square metres with capacity for 190 guests, draws from iconic local destinations including the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Central Market, and Kangaroo Island’s Flinders Chase National Park. Across the precinct, locally sourced materials, bespoke furniture, curated light fittings, and First Nations artwork reinforce a sense of place.

Across the precinct, the use of locally sourced materials, bespoke furniture, curated decorative lighting and First Nations artwork reinforces a strong sense of place. Lighting was required to complement these elements, supporting the architectural language, enhancing warmth and intimacy, and ensuring efficient day‑to‑day operation.

Lighting Design

Lighting plays a key role in shaping the overall ambience of the lounge precinct, guiding passenger movement and enhancing the journey from arrival through to departure. HI Lighting’s approach balanced feature‑driven visual moments with high‑performance functional solutions suited to continuous airport use.

A standout feature is the starry sky ceiling detail within the check‑in and arrival zone. Designed to reference South Australia’s expansive night sky and horizon, it creates a memorable first impression and sets the tone for the premium lounge experience.

Anchoring this space is a large format feature luminaire above the check‑in desk. Acting as both a visual focal point and a practical task light, its generous scale, refined detailing and even light distribution reinforce a clear sense of arrival while supporting staff operations and customer interaction.

High performance, energy efficient LED downlights were used consistently throughout the precinct. Selected for their visual comfort, glare control and colour consistency, these fittings create a relaxed environment for guests while maintaining lighting uniformity across different lounge zones. Robust construction and long-life performance were essential to meet airport maintenance and operational requirements.

Back‑of‑house areas were supported by durable, fit‑for‑purpose lighting solutions that prioritise functionality, safety and efficiency without compromising overall design consistency.

Project Outcome

The Qantas Adelaide Lounge Precinct redevelopment demonstrates how thoughtful design, local inspiration, and technical expertise can come together to create a premium travel environment. HI Lighting’s involvement played a crucial role in creating this vision, delivering lighting solutions that enhanced both the functionality and the local character of the space, helping shape a precinct that is warm, efficient, and unmistakably South Australian. The completed project stands as a testament to the value of collaborative design and the impact of well‑considered lighting in elevating the customer experience.