Stunning Specimens from the Underappreciated World of Airport Carpet Design

March 26, 2011 • 6:00 am PDT
+ comments
See original
prev next

4 / 4

The sea turtles in the carpet above are an appropriate choice for Lynden Pindling International Airport in the Bahamas (NAS), combining stain resistance with a soothing reference to the island's turquoise waters.

Pendle's reflections on the frequently inoffensive and understated nature of airport carpet patterns reminded me of their aesthetically opposed, yet equally spillage-camouflaging, counterparts in Las Vegas casinos, which are deliberately designed to over-stimulate gamblers into all-night betting sprees.

In any case, visit Icon to enjoy Pendle's article in full—it's well worth a read. And next time you're on the road, look down at the carpet beneath your feet: As Pendle eloquently points out, you will be rewarded with a "knotted kaleidoscope of shapes and colours, a flat-weaved cornucopia of scintillating signs and sigils, a polypropylene sea awash with dark and hidden beauty."

Nicola Twilley
Author of Edible Geography; former Food Editor

See Gallery

Photo credits: (1) Kevin Miyazaki; (2) George Pendle; (3) Dominic Elliot; (4) George Pendle. All photos via Icon.

Posted in: Design

Tags: design,; travel,; icon,; airport,; carpets,; george pendle

More GOOD stuff

Sponsored by University of PhoenixRelated posts

Design
GOOD Design Daily: An Airport Both TSA and Travelers Can Love
SFO's new T2 is designed by San Francisco-based Gensler to calm travelers during what has become a high-stress, high-security period.
by Alissa Walker
Design
GOOD Design Daily: The World's Best-Designed Newspaper
The Society of News Design has named a Portuguese publication as the world's best-designed newspaper. Print has never been so alive.
by Alissa Walker
News
Mukasey Stuns The Senate
Michael Mukasey's clearheaded confirmation hearing before the Senate today was a remarkable contrast to Alberto Gonzales's months of crazy-making...
by Andrew Price
Culture
Intermission: Everynone's Stunning "Symmetry" Video
Here's another brilliant video by the duo called Everynone, made for Radiolab's "Symmetry" show.
by Andrew Price
Design
Behold the Stunning, Spanish Vertical "Spiral Garden"
It's a marvel of public architecture, sustainable design, urban farming, and gorgeousness all at once.
by Siobhan O'Connor
Environment
Shinji Turner-Yamamoto's Stunning "Hanging Garden"
Shinji Turner-Yamamoto's stunning site-specific tree installation is unveiled in an abandoned Cincinatti church.
by Ben Jervey
Design
Design for the First World: The Rest Saving the West
With so many problems of its own, why does the First World think it can solve Third World's problems? A new competition asks if it shouldn't...
by Allison Arieff
Environment
The Plumen: The World's First Designer Low-Energy Bulb
Here's an inconvenient truth: Those low-energy compact fluorescent lightbulbs we're all supposed to use are usually pretty unsightly. As...
by GOOD
Environment
4 Lessons Learned From Designing the World's Greenest Building
Perkins+Will's Atlanta office is the highest-rated LEED building ever constructed. What did the design firm learn from the project?
by Sarah Laskow
Culture
Journalism in the Age of Data, a Visually Stunning Documentary
Geoff McGhee's video "Journalism in the Age of Data," explores the exciting potential and occasional pitfalls of modern data visualization.
by Patrick James
Lifestyle
Video: Game Designer Wants to Save the World
Jane McGonigal, the author of "Reality is Broken: Why Games Make us Better and How They Can Change the World," has lofty goals for video games.
by Ann Marie Gardner
Design
Can Designers Save the World Without Creating More Stuff?
How to redesign the plastic bag without using any materials at all… and other lessons about the power of design.
by Chappell Ellison
Culture
Slow Art: Stunning Pencil Sculptures Take Years to Complete
Brazilian born, Connecticut based carpenter and artist Dalton Ghetti sculpts pencil tips into tiny works of art.
by Kyla Fullenwider
Design
Slideshow of Stunning (and Whimsical) Fractals, in Honor of Benoit Mandelbrot
The founder of fractal geometry, Benoit Mandelbrot, has died. His work allows us to measure things like clouds, and to make some kick ass art!
by Alex Goldmark
Education
LAUSD's New Temporary Classrooms Feature Stunning, Sustainable Architecture
Replacements for the sad, sagging trailers seen on many Los Angeles campuses are vibrant, beautiful structures designed by the city's top architects.
by Alissa Walker
Design
GOOD Design Daily: The World's Simplest Mobile Phone
Behold: John's Phone, the simplest mobile phone in the world.
by Patrick James
Design
GOOD Design Daily: Qatar's World Cup 2022 Stadiums
A look at how Qatar's proposed stadium designs might handle the heat, and what they might do after the World Cup.
by Theresa Avila
Design
What's the World's Most Effective Design of the Last Decade? The Community Answers
by Hillary Newman
Business
Does Manhattan Need an Airport Instead of That Park?
Sure, Central Park is nice...for some of the year, at least. But how convenient would it be to just have an airport there instead. So convenient,...
by Andrew Price
Design
Can Schools Teach Designers How to Solve the World's Problems?
Aspiring designers want to build a brighter future not make more product: Can these new design programs help them realize their dreams?
by ernest beck