A Running Track Guides Travelers Through Tokyo’s Narita International Airport

Airports are not always the most navigable of places, but the new Terminal 3 at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport just might change that. Designers at Party, a Japanese creative lab, devised a system of running-track lanes to guide travelers through the terminal—a fitting design, as Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympic Games.

To create an economical design for the terminal, which is home to national and international low-cost carriers, Party turned away from moving pathways and electric signs. Instead, travelers walk comfortably on rubber paths—a sky-blue track for departures, an earthen-red one for arrivals. Graphics are painted on walls or directly on the track. The ceilings and pillars are left exposed, lending the space an industrial feel. Minimalist Muji furnishings, including plush, bedlike sofas and wood dining tables, complete the experience.