Thanks to a creative makeover, theTerminal 2 security checkpoint at Oakland International Airport (OAK) is now an oasis of calming sounds and images that help ease the anxiety and frustration often associated with travel.
Here’s what it looked by before:
Now the area offers passengers the sights and sounds of a California redwood forest, a blue sky filled with puffy cloudsand a 1,500-square foot “living wall” filled with plants that act as natural air filters.
Even the bins have calming messages.
Nice, right?
The TSA-approved project at OAK was created by Florida-based SecurityPoint Media and comes to us courtesy of Oakland-based health care company Kaiser Permanente and Southwest Airlines.
The hydroponic, soilless, living wall covers the entire west wall of the checkpoint area and has 34 different type of plane species, including 13 that help clean indoor air naturally and improve the ambient environment.
There are also large white “clouds” suspended from the checkpoint and atrium ceiling.
Speakers emit the sounds of birds chirping, waterflowing and other soothing sounds of nature.
Messages on panels throughout thecheckpoint encourage passengers to “breathe in,” “relax” and “thrive.”
And, just past the security checkpoint, there are hydration stations where passengers can refill their water bottles.
Enjoy the made-over checkpoint while you can: the installation is only scheduled to be there only through early 2019, though it is so popular that it the project (and funding) may be extended.