Inside Air New Zealand's new Melbourne Airport lounge

Anyone who's had the pleasure of passing through Air New Zealand's clever flagship lounge in Auckland knows the airline isn't shy of providing plenty of space – and plenty of variety in kinds of space.

While its new Melbourne International Airport lounge doesn't have the amazing retractable-roofed patio of Auckland, it does offer five different spaces with an overall capacity of 250 people.

Award-winning global architectural firm Gensler, whose credentials include the Facebook and Air BnB international HQs as well as airport terminals, hotels and other airport lounges, knows a thing or two about good space use. Working alongside all-female Brisbane-based design firm Marsden Collective led by Melissa Marsden, they created Melbourne's Air NZ facility to the format set by the Auckland flagship, with flashes of the fun fuschia featured in the airline's flight attendant uniforms brightening up a cool, calming blue and grey pallette. Practically, they've given Melbourne customers 50 per cent more seating than previously available.

Amenities stretch to a self-service food buffet, two self-service drink stations and a barista station.

The Air New Zealand Melbourne International Lounge forms part of the airline's four-year, $100 million program to develop its network of lounges and follows the opening of new lounges in Sydney and Brisbane as well as Auckland, Nadi, Wellington, Queenstown, Hamilton and Invercargill.

See airnewzealand.com.au