For travelers through the Port Harcourt International Airport, it is a whole new experience as they get to experience the airport like never before, all thanks to the collaborative efforts of FAAN, China Civil Engineering and, Spacefinish.

In 2019, FAAN consulted Spacefinish, a Nigerian design company to help design and fit-out both the new Port Harcourt and the Lagos international airports as part of its effort to redefine the experience of travelers passing through its international airports across the country. Spacefinish is known for the design of some of the continent’s most iconic workspaces like the first ever Google Developer Space in Africa, PwC Experience Centre, Andela’s Epic Tower amongst others.

According to the design team, “some of the questions posed at the beginning of the project is how do we tell rich stories of Port Harcourt and River state and how do we leave a lasting impression on the minds of travelers?”

“Port Harcourt is a beautiful city that has had its share of negative media attention. So we thought of ways to bring together different iconic parts of the city to create a unifying theme of the Garden City which Port Harcourt has always been called.”
In the mural, you’ll see the Mile One market with its colorful umbrellas, the people of Port Harcourt with their resplendent attires, and the greenery of the land, all reemphasizing Port Harcourt as the Garden City.

Opposite the Garden City mural is the Fish-Woman – a celebration of the rich and diverse cultures of Rivers State. Rivers State has over 10 ethnic groups that have co-existed peacefully for centuries, sharing a common interest in fishing as a favorite pastime. This mural at the Departure Lounge pays homage to this inherent reality.

The Floating Fisherman, one of Nigeria’s largest art installations ever, overlooks the executive lounge of the airport. The art installation is suspended 20ft in the air featuring over 700 canoe paddles, 3 lifesize boats, a 9ft fisherman casting a fishing net the size of a volleyball court, and a school of fishes swimming with a 20ft silver shark. The installation mirrors real sea life and it is an allusion to a favorite pastime of Riverians which is fishing.

is an exaggerated life-sized boat that celebrates a lifestyle predominant in Rivers State. The boat also serves as a thoroughfare in the Departure terminal of the airport, and also a temporary seating area with movable furniture provided around its perimeter.

Airports are sometimes the first and last points of contact for travelers and Spacefinish has ensured that travelers through the Port Harcourt airport have something of the city to take along as with them as they travel. The design company is also currently working on the Lagos International Airport and is expected to deliver yet another masterpiece project very soon.