British Airways Lounge at SFO

WDA | William Duff Architects builds on its portfolio of projects at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with dining and lounge amenities for clients that range from one of the travel industry’s most iconic brands, British Airways, and espresso innovator, illycaffé, to San Francisco Bay Area home-grown businesses like Amy’s Drive Thru and San Francisco’s oldest continuously operating company, Boudin Bakery. Since WDA began working at SFO nearly 15 years ago–mainly for DFS North America and its roster of luxury brands such as Gucci, Hermes, Burberry, Coach and DFS Galleria–founder William S. Duff, Jr., retail practice head Jonathan Tsurui and the WDA team have worked on projects totaling more than 60,000 square feet across all four terminals with more than half of that total at the international terminal.

On average, project schedules are fast-paced, running from a few months to a year, while project life spans can range from 10-15 years, depending on the client and type of amenities. Having overseen WDA projects at SFO for nearly a decade, Mr. Tsurui navigates well the challenges presented by working at SFO, from maximizing limited real estate available for passenger amenities to designing around existing building conditions and complex building systems, to ensuring timely project completion.

Design: WDA | William Duff Architects
Photography: Eric Rorer