Alaska Airlines Lounge at SFO Harvey Milk Terminal 1
WDA | William Duff Architects designed the new 11,000 square foot SFO Alaska Airlines Lounge in San Francisco, creating a welcoming and sophisticated space that incorporates unique design elements.
Located in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 (T1), the new SFO Alaska Lounge from William Duff Architects (WDA) features clean lines combined with the inviting warmth and comfort of a hotel, across 11,000 square feet. The result is a welcoming, dynamic, and sophisticated environment that pairs well with the newly renovated world-class terminal.
Alaska Airlines has positioned itself as the largest carrier at T1, where they currently serve approximately 5 million passengers annually.
The San Francisco-based architecture and interiors firm’s portfolio of projects at SFO has included shops for luxury brands such as Gucci, Hermes, Burberry, Coach, and DFS Galleria, as well as dining and lounge amenities for Air France and British Airways.
Jonathan Tsurui led the WDA project team tasked with meeting an accelerated design and construction timeline, as well as realizing Alaska Airlines’ goals, which included increasing seating capacity.
To maximize the floor plan, WDA created distinct areas bathed in natural light while incorporating Alaska’s established lounge zones—featuring spaces to “Come In,” “Take a Breath,” “Help Yourself,” and “Cut Loose”—and ensuring seamless transitions and the maintenance of a cohesive visual narrative. Each area is visually distinguished through the use of unique ceiling treatments and furniture arrangements, with curves softening the space and uniting the sections. By providing six different seating types—ranging from comfy banquettes to room for a laptop or the privacy of a phone booth—WDA exceeded the head count goal.
WDA also created a design statement featuring something uniquely San Francisco —the Golden Gate Bridge enveloped in fog. Located centrally as a buffer between “Help Yourself” and the active bar area, the 40-foot, laser-cut metal acoustic wall serves both as a focal point and a functional element.
Through multiple design iterations, WDA ensured that the new lounge was precisely aligned with Alaska Airlines’ vision.
Design: WDA | William Duff Architects
Photography: Matthew Millman
