Abu Dhabi International Airport was opened in 1982, constructed by Aeroports de Paris. It reflects a state-of-the-art design with a futuristic satellite forming the shape of a mushroom on the interior. The two levels of the airport are decorated in green and blue hexagonal tiling, evocative of the interiors of Arabian architecture.
Rising up from the centre of the ground floor is a column that becomes broader towards the ceiling, where it fans out to actually become the ceiling and walls, giving it a mushroom-like appearance and a feeling that the floor, walls and ceiling are one and the same, from the same material. As one looks from the centre of the dome to the perimeters, the colour changes gradually from green outlined in blue, to blue shapes outlined in green. Brand-name boutiques and shops were gradually created around the main feature of the satellite, the mushroom-like central column. The shops have increased year upon year to reach the current total of 34 branded shops and corners spread over 3,750 sq m on two floors. According to officials, Abu Dhabi Duty Free was the first duty free in the gulf to introduce the concept of branded shops and boutiques, with top brands having dedicated spaces where their products are displayed together under a distinctive corporate design. Since it opened in 1986, the retail complex has won countless awards for marketing, quality, efficiency, advertising and business enterprise. Local antiques and souvenirs are sold here too, sharing the space with branded goods, including watches, fashions, cameras, toys, perfumes and leather goods. Small purchases are also covered - a book to read on the plane, confectionery to take home to the children.