Cathay Pacific's new Hong Kong airport lounge: less macho, more 'human-friendly'

A flight delay at Hong Kong International Airport might have just become an appealing prospect - if you are flying Cathay Pacific first class and have access to the carrier's new lounge, created by London-based design firm Studioilse.

"We asked ourselves, 'Why would a passenger go into a lounge when some are like being in the office with school dinners attached?'" says studio founder Ilse Crawford, who spent time at airport lounges studying travellers and staff. "Some use the space for 20 minutes, others for hours," she says.

Crawford made her name in 1989 as the founding editor of British Elle Decoration before going on to launch Donna Karan Home in New York. She established Studioilse in 2001 and has since worked on a series of high-profile interiors, including the Ett Hem hotel in Stockholm, Duddell's restaurant-art gallery in Hong Kong, and a line of craft-inspired furniture for Ikea.

For The Pier, Crawford drew on her experience of home design to arrange the 2,000 square metre space around the idea of a private apartment, with a spacious entrance that leads to a lounge, dining room and cosy library. The layout is so intuitive Crawford says signage is almost superfluous.

"We have just gone through a century where everything is about measurable things like time and functionality. I wanted to bring the immeasurable things back into the mix so you get a sense of place again."

That probably includes things like feeling just right: the lounge features a wellness area, where head and foot massages are offered. Passengers can also retreat to a walnut-clad private room complete with a day bed, reading lamp and views of the runway.

"We thought about ways to add status like replacing rows of food on a table with a restaurant, adding a collection of Asian art, and a really good cocktail bar," Crawford says.