Presley's Place Sensory Suite — Pittsburgh International Airport
Presley's Place, a 1,500 sq ft inclusive sensory suite for travelers with autism and sensory-processing differences, opened at Pittsburgh International Airport in July 2019; Hayes Design Group Architects designed the suite, and Children's Museum of Pittsburgh Design & Consulting designed and fabricated its sensory airplane-cabin experience with XYZ Custom, Inc.
| Venue | Pittsburgh International Airport |
|---|---|
| Project type | Installation |
| Status | Completed |
| Year completed | 2019 |
| Technologies | full-scale reconstructed aircraft cabin, sensory-controlled environment |
Credits
| Firm | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hayes-design-group-architects | Architecture | Design of the sensory suite (family room, individual rooms, quiet room) |
| childrens-museum-of-pittsburgh-design-consulting | Exhibit Design | Design and fabrication of the airplane-cabin sensory room, built from donated airline components |
| xyz-custom | Fabrication | Custom construction of the jet bridge, cabin divider, and threshold ramps |
Description
The suite includes a family room, three individual rooms, and a quiet room, plus a recreated airplane-cabin room built from donated American Airlines seats, overhead bins, and window wall panels, with a custom-built jet bridge and cabin divider and large-scale photographic wallpaper completing the illusion. Won AIA Pittsburgh's 2019 People's Choice Award; named a finalist in Accessible Design and an honoree in Experience Design in Fast Company's 2023 Innovation by Design Awards.
Sources
- https://aiapgh.org/a-look-inside-presleys-place/
- https://pittsburghkidsdesign.org/services/sensory-airplane-experience-at-pittsburgh-international-airport/
- https://flypittsburgh.com/pittsburgh-international-airport/accessibility/sensory-room/
- https://www.fastcompany.com/90933766/experience-design-innovation-by-design-2023