In the promised land beyond airport security, frequent fliers and vacationers aren’t rushing to their gate: airports now offer more than a quick bite or a last-minute purchase: contemporary airport design rivals top tier restaurants and boutique hotels, providing a memorable place before departure.
For travellers making their way through Calgary and Edmonton’s international airports, two additions to these hub’s F&B offerings are pairing hospitality chic with transport grade durability, making the time between arrival and departure a welcome and relaxing experience.
Aspire WestJet Garden Lounge YYC
One of the top five busiest airports in Canada, Calgary International Airport (YYC) is continually evolving, including its expansion of the Aspire WestJet Garden Lounge, accessible to passengers travelling to the United States. The Aspire sign can be seen from afar, seemingly floating above the greenery, a lodestone for a traveller seeking pre-departure sanctuary.
This transborder space is not merely a weigh station for passengers before going to the gate: this airport club offers a variety of seating, additional workspaces for individuals and groups featuring charging ports, small plate menu items reflecting time of day and a lounge bordered by lush tropical plants.
Helmed by MRDK, a Montréal-based architecture and design firm, this lush and bright 2,700-sq.-ft. project was an addition to the existing Aspire WestJet Lounge (MRDK has previously worked on two projects at YUL Montréal airport). “The main difference between other hospitality projects and ones in airports is the red tape associated with building in an airport,” explains David Dworkind of MRDK. “Few environments experience as much continuous use as an airport, where traffic flows through 24/7. This makes durability essential, thoughtful detailing key and to ensure the space feels inviting and continues to perform and age gracefully.”
The project took one year from inception to completion, said Dworkind. “We were fortunate to be working with Ledcor, an excellent general contractor with lots of experience working in airports which helped expedite the build.”
The firm’s first challenge was to solve the issue of additional electrical needs without the ability to drill in concrete floors. The solution? MRDK chose a natural option — plants — which took centre stage. The greenery helped to delineate pathways and create calming natural barriers, while the raised planter boxes concealed electrical cables and plugs, providing a savvy and simple cover to provide plugs and ports demanded by today’s traveller. “We were very lucky to have a flexible client who was open to how we envisioned the future of Aspire’s physical spaces,” says Dworkind. “We were not constrained by the past and open to explore new materials, colours and textures.”
A new entry was created, highlighting the lofty 40-ft. ceilings and skylights, welcoming guests to choose from a myriad of seating zones, reminiscent of modern living rooms with a two-person couch and two lounge chairs to foster a laid-back atmosphere, a row of co-working spaces and curved booths with tables for meeting or dining. Soft seating was sourced from Design Within Reach, Kit Interiors and Suite 22, a specialist in Italian furnishings based in Ontario.
A palette of earth tones is found throughout this oasis, the collection of numerous plants highlighted by muted shades of green, brown and cream. Louis Poulsen provided 1970s-style low lighting with the Panthella table lamps, designed by Verner Panton, placed within niches between seating, while the row of PH5 pendant lamps above add a soft glow.
A rhombus-shaped bar in the centre of the space is ringed with stools, while nearby two-person booths add to the rhythmic flow between seating and space in the lounge. This was the first design MRDK completed with Swissport, and its success has led to the studio currently working on future projects with this international aviation services company.
OEB Kitchen & Bar YEG
The dream of Chef Mauro Martina became a reality, as OEB Breakfast Co. has established itself as a favoured breakfast and brunch restaurant. Since 2009, Martina has opened locations in OEB’s homebase of Calgary and from Victoria to Toronto in nine Canadian cities as well as south of the border in Arizona and California.
Launching its first airport location in December 2024, OEB Breakfast Co. worked with Edmonton-based CKDesign Associates Inc., well-known for its numerous hospitality creations throughout Edmonton including The Canadian Brewhouse and Avalon, located at Edmonton International Airport (YEG).
Tasked with creating a design reflecting OEB’s established persona and its metamorphosis at YEG into a full-service, all-day restaurant, CKDesign focused on lighting, materials and seating. “The objective was to completely mitigate the inherent ‘breakfast restaurant’ aesthetic in favor of a sophisticated, durable, and comfortable all-day/late-night dining environment, “explains president and founder, Chris Kourouniotis.
Tapping into their three decades of hospitality design, including several airport creations, CKDesign worked with longtime partner ECG Ventures (formerly ECG II Restaurant Group). The planning and construction were a tight turnaround and successfully completed in less than six months.
Core brand elements of OEB Breakfast Co. featured at this location include the mid-century modern palette and custom millwork such as the farm table design. Additional elements were incorporated such as OEB’s recognizable semi-circular “egg” booths, and oversized service stations featuring open pantry shelving for an aesthetic display of curated items and dry goods reflecting the brand’s farm-to-table philosophy, and a notable use of visual merchandising within the dining area.
A key element distinguishing this airport location design is lighting: within the restaurant CKDesign chose architectural accent lighting, task lighting and dimmable fixtures. Custom lighting was designed with forms reflecting motion, altitude and historic aviation shapes. For materials, Kourouniotis and his team selected textured options for furniture and decor, avoiding the stereotypical choices of breakfast-focused restaurants such as bright tiles or laminate. Darker woods, warm metals such as copper and brass and upholstery in jewel tones or leather all make for a warm and welcoming environment at any time of the day. “These choices absorb light and enhance the intimate, sophisticated feel,” says Kourouniotis.
The OEB YEG design also includes areas which typically wouldn’t be featured in a breakfast restaurant, such as a prominent bar area, communal tables and lounge-style seating, encouraging guests to linger. “The intentional creation of a darker ambient environment serves to encourage and support evening trade, specifically the sale of alcoholic beverages, wine and dinner items,” says Kourouniotis.
The focal bar is an aesthetic anchor, a primary visual drawing the guest’s eye and conveying the restaurant’s use as an all-day space. It’s a space for patrons to seek a happy hour cocktail or a late-night beverage as much as the beloved breakfast and brunch items of OEB Breakfast Co. The restaurant also features a custom art program reflecting the city of Edmonton and its transportation location.
Both projects reflect a successful balance of airport hospitality, welcoming environments and the evolution of two brands wanting to offer a world-class experience within these busy transportation hubs.
As featured in the January-February 2026 issue of Canadian Interiors magazine.