Vantage Bar
Hospitality
Building a Two-Storey Bar Inside Auckland Airport
A Sports Bar Built for an International Terminal
Emirates Leisure Retail wanted Vantage Bar to become a major hospitality destination within Auckland Airport’s redeveloped international departure area. The brief called for a modern interpretation of the traditional sports bar that could appeal to an international passenger mix while still giving travellers a strong sense of New Zealand before departure.
The space also presented a significant architectural challenge. A new mezzanine and staircase needed to be introduced within the existing terminal to increase capacity, alongside large-format screens, multiple seating types and clear circulation across both levels. All of this had to work around airport engineering requirements, passenger flow and existing infrastructure while preserving the full-height glazing and views across the runway.
Build Up Without Blocking the View
Greater Group worked closely with Auckland Airport’s structural engineers to integrate the new mezzanine within the existing building and meet aviation and facility requirements. The additional level increased the total floor area to 450 sqm, while a spiral staircase with glass balustrades connects the two levels without creating a heavy visual obstruction. Overhead elements were suspended from the ceiling rather than supported from the floor, helping maintain open sightlines towards the airstrip.
The traditional dark sports bar aesthetic was replaced with a lighter, more contemporary environment informed by New Zealand. Blues, greens and mustard reference the natural landscape, while dark walnut and brass add warmth. Local fern and koru references reinforce the sense of place, while a six-metre-high screen gives major sporting events enough scale to hold the large volume of the space. Greater Group’s scope extended from concept design and 3D visualisation through detailed documentation, specification, procurement support and project management.
More Space Without Losing the Runway
The completed Vantage Bar turns the height of the existing terminal into usable hospitality space, with the new mezzanine expanding the venue to 450 sqm without sacrificing the natural light and runway views that make the location distinctive. The two levels provide greater seating capacity and different ways to use the venue, while the large-format screen creates a focal point capable of bringing travellers together around major sporting events.
The result is a sports bar designed specifically for its airport context rather than transplanted into it. It combines the scale and entertainment expected of an international hospitality venue with a clear connection to New Zealand, creating a stronger final experience for travellers before departure. Vantage Bar also formed part of Auckland Airport’s wider food and beverage redevelopment, which received industry recognition including the 2019 Airport Food and Beverage Offer of the Year award and Silver at the 2020 Melbourne Design Awards for Interior Design, International Hospitality.
"Vantage bar is our third and final site at Auckland airport, and the most challenging. Polly and the team were great to deal with and worked through the complexities of the project with professionalism and logical smart solutions, we would not hesitate to use them again in the future. The finished result exceeded our expectations and created a dramatic wow factor to the food court offerings. The design integrated the digital elements into the floor plan providing a fantastic customer experience."
