How the colour of the FLOOR at Heathrow is used to help passengers navigate the airport
The colour of the tiles change when passengers are expected to move faster
THERE are many things that can make an airport memorable but what's on the floor is unlikely to be one of them.
But as Barry Weekes, Heathrow's head of design, reveals, the busy London hub actually holds a lot of secrets.
One incredible fact you may not know about Heathrow is that the colour of the tiles covering the floor is actually used to signal to passengers.
, Barry revealed that at Terminal 2, the tiles are arranged such that they go from white to black in areas near check in desks and security lanes.
It's specifically designed that way to subtly guide the passengers and direct them to move on more quickly.
But that's not the only hidden design element.
Barry also revealed that the tiles had to be carefully chosen so that any scuff marks would blend into the pattern while the colours had to be subtle enough so as not to "distract" or "dominate" the room.
The material needed to be hard wearing as it needs to "survive the pounding of 75 million passengers a year for 20 years or more".
Plus, it can't be too slippery for safety reasons and must look clean without looking shiny.
most read in travel
Earlier this year, Sun Online Travel revealed that you're actually quite likely to spot film stars changing in the loos at Heathrow.
This is because A-listers generally don't get any special treatments while filming at the airport.
Rachel Betts, filming and location manager at the airport, told Sun Online Travel that “space is at a premium in Heathrow" so there aren't any spare dressing rooms for the stars to change in.