Lotte Duty Free, Melbourne
Illuminating Bates Smart’s Architectural Ceiling Design at Lotte Duty Free
Lotte Duty Free at Melbourne Airport features a striking illuminated ceiling solution that enhances the retail experience while responding to the functional demands of a large-format, high-traffic environment. SAS International products were supplied to the project via our distribution partner, MBS Architectural, with SAS International providing in-house design consultation to support system detailing and integration, supporting the delivery of a refined and adaptable ceiling design within the airport precinct.
Designed by Bates Smart, the ceiling incorporates a combination of SAS200 metal ceiling panels and custom SAS330 elements, integrating backlit polycarbonate panels within a bespoke recessed grid arrangement. Designed to function as both an architectural ceiling plane and a primary source of ambient illumination, the systems deliver soft, evenly diffused light that enhances spatial clarity and product presentation across the retail environment.
The custom grid design, envisioned as an “H”-shaped recessed profile, creates a concealed zone above the illuminated ceiling plane, allowing lighting, mechanical and other services to be integrated discreetly. This recessed configuration ensures the ceiling remains visually uninterrupted, reinforcing the clean architectural design and accommodating the technical requirements of a complex airport retail fit-out.
This smart approach provides long-term flexibility, enabling services and lighting to be adapted as retail layouts evolve. Such adaptability is particularly critical in airport retail environments, where tenancy requirements and merchandising strategies are subject to frequent change.
Installed by Rising Star Interiors, the completed ceiling solution combines illumination, structure and flexibility into a cohesive architectural element. The result is a luminous, contemporary retail interior that balances design intent with practical performance, demonstrating the value of bespoke ceiling solutions in complex commercial settings.
Sector:
Transport
Architect:
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Sub Contractor:
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Completion Year:
2025
System Type:
SAS200 & Bespoke SAS330
Region:
Melbourne, Australia
