First Impressions: The Art of The Orlando International Airport

“Florida Dream” Triptych by Steve Lotz greets travelers as they emerge from the airport’s tram. (ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM ARBOGAST)

“Tree of Life” by Charles Williams adorns OIA’s small chapel.

“Steel Quilt” by Doris Leeper hangs above the main atrium.

“Art is an important component of any public building, and the Orlando International Airport is no exception … residents and visitors who travel through Orlando International Airport are visually stimulated with the message that whether travelers are ‘en route or coming home,’ they are valued and welcomed in Central Florida.” Jacob Stuart, former president of the Central Florida Partnership, saw the value of art in extending hospitality, and leadership at OIA has continued this vision. From its inception, art was woven into the very fabric of the airport’s buildings, and today it continues to be an important component of the design. Used to connect expansive indoor areas as well as to bridge the indoors with a vibrant natural setting, art serves as a wayfinding tool. It’s not uncommon, for example, for travelers to rendezvous at one of OIA’s four terrazzo “Welcome Mats.”

Clockwise from top left: “Ripples” by Barbara Sorensen conveys the movement of water that can be seen as planes approach OIA from the air; the “Tech Garden” Welcome Mat by Scott Parsons celebrates Orlando’s technology sector; “Leoguana Da Vinci” by Suzi Edwards and Ricky Rudden was created from broken ceramic tile; “Day Pyramid” by Richard Anuskiewicz depicts sunrise to sunset.

A fish from an untitled mosaic collage by Paul Goodnight curiously surveys his deep blue surroundings. The vibrant collage, located adjacent to gate 112, celebrates the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Central Florida area.