Reminiscent of entering the void, the Cathay Pacific Business Lounge in the Foster and Partners-designed Hong Kong International Airport is a haven away from the bustle of the 70.5 million passengers coming through per year. Opened in 2001, the first and business class lounges, and an additional refurbishment of their area ‘The Pier’, re-designed by Ilse Crawford’s studio Studio Ilse, see a marrying of practicality and elegance through various materials. The design concept was based on “imagining the space as a street”, with food and beverage pit-stops (Food Hall, The Noodle Bar, Tea House, Bar) along the way, accompanied by business-inspired areas such as the Solo Chairs (intimate round work-pods) or the Bureau (equipped with desk chairs and iMac computers). With a marble entrance, coffee tables and large central tables also placed at the entrance, they set the tone for the lounge and the clientele and their effortless transition between spaces. Materials such as cherry wood, limestone, bronze, leather and mohair upholstered furniture create an atmosphere of warmth and also are strategically tactile and timeless. Certainly a destination in itself that compliments the beauty of travelling.