WHSmith Heathrow - Terminal 5 - One Stop Shop & InMotion
Full fit-out of two connected flagship stores at Heathrow Terminal 5 — a WHSmith one-stop-shop and the world's largest InMotion electronics store delivered together as a single, landmark project. The InMotion element represents the first full expression of the InMotion 2.0 global concept, anchored by a 36-metre LED fascia that defines the store's presence within one of the world's busiest departure environments.
WHSmith One Stop Shop and InMotion — Heathrow Airport Terminal 5
Terminal 5 at Heathrow is the UK's busiest single terminal, serving over 32 million passengers annually on British Airways and partner routes. Delivering two connected flagship stores within it — simultaneously, to the highest standard WHSmith has ever set — represents one of the most demanding and high-profile projects BrookerFlynn Architects has completed to date.
The project comprises a WHSmith one-stop-shop and an InMotion electronics store, physically connected and delivered together as a single architectural package. WHSmith's T5 store has been described by the brand as its most advanced flagship to date, consolidating health and beauty, food and beverage, pharmacy, and travel essentials into a seamless blended retail environment aligned with the next generation of airport convenience retail. The InMotion store sits adjacent, integrated within the same architectural envelope, and carries its own landmark significance: it is the first full global expression of the InMotion 2.0 concept and, at the time of opening, the largest InMotion store in the world.
The InMotion 2.0 brief was built around a single principle — every product demonstrable, every brand given presence, every customer empowered to touch, test and decide. The result is a retail environment featuring over 190 live demo products across 65 bespoke CTUs and demo fixtures, representing 30 brands including Apple, Samsung, Sony, Bose, GoPro and Beats by Dr. Dre. An experiential listening booth, interactive LED screens, a dedicated pop-up events space for product launches, and an education cube programme bring the concept to life beyond simple product display. The store sets a new global benchmark for technology retail in a travel environment.
The defining architectural feature of the combined scheme is a 36-metre wide LED fascia spanning the full frontage — a statement element that creates immediate visual impact for passengers moving through T5's departure lounge, digitally signposting the products, services and offers within. Delivering a screen of this scale within an operational airside environment, coordinated against Heathrow's base build constraints and programme requirements, formed one of the project's central technical challenges.
As with all Heathrow projects, navigating landlord approval and Heathrow Building Control was a significant strand of the architectural work — requiring detailed technical submissions, compliance coordination with the base build fire strategy, and iterative engagement with the airport's approvals process throughout the design and construction programme.
BrookerFlynn Architects led the full architectural and technical design across both stores, with complete BIM coordination in Revit and management of all UK Building Regulations and Heathrow landlord submissions. Both stores are now complete, trading, and operating as the flagship expression of WHSmith's global travel retail ambition.
