Aspire WestJet Garden Lounge by MRDK: A Tranquil Airport Retreat in Calgary

Nestled within the Transborder terminal of Calgary International Airport, the Aspire WestJet Garden Lounge by MRDK Architects offers travelers a serene escape before flights. Completed in 2025, this 2,800 ft² lounge reimagines airport waiting areas, blending luxury, comfort, and biophilic design into a cohesive, restorative environment.

The concept for the lounge began with a simple yet poetic idea: walking from the main lounge into a lush garden space. By carving a new opening into the existing lounge wall, guests flow effortlessly into the garden addition. Soaring 40-foot ceilings, expansive skylights, and a full-height curtain wall amplify the sense of openness, flooding the interior with natural light.

A major design challenge involved integrating charging stations for every seat without coring into the concrete floor. MRDK solved this elegantly through a network of raised planter boxes that conceal electrical cabling and outlets. These planters not only bring verdant greenery and texture into the space but also guide circulation and define seating zones, creating a natural rhythm throughout the lounge.

The lounge layout unfolds in carefully curated zones. Upon entry, travelers encounter residential-scaled seating areas, each featuring a two-seater couch and lounge chairs that evoke the comfort of a living room. A rhombus-shaped island bar, adorned with cascading planters and elevated shelving, serves as a visual anchor, while adjacent two-person booths and planters create a dynamic flow of compression and release as guests move through the space.

Custom steel tables cantilever from the planters, elegantly supporting soft-glow table lamps at each seat. Along the eastern edge, a green banquette snakes along the wall, punctuated by bespoke wood and steel café tables. In a sculptural touch, half-round niches carved into the east planter feature upholstered banquettes, transforming them into cozy dining alcoves for intimate meals or quiet work.

The material palette draws inspiration from nature, with warm earth tones, muted greens, rich browns, and soft neutrals complementing the lush greenery. Layered, soft lighting enhances the tranquil, garden-like atmosphere, making the lounge a sanctuary for rest and rejuvenation.

Visible from down the terminal concourse, the lush vegetation and a glowing Aspire sign act as both a beacon and an invitation, welcoming travelers into this garden oasis. Every detail—from seating arrangements to greenery and lighting—has been carefully considered to create a recharging environment, both physically and mentally, for weary passengers.

All photographs are works of David Dworkind