DUOLOUNGE
( by Duo Lingo )
Young Ones Experiential Design Winner: Live Experiences - Installations
Silver Addy’s Award
Ask:
How do we get 16 to 24-year-olds to see Duolingo not just as a meme, but as a movement for global connection?
Insight:
Strategy:
Travel connects us by transforming language from a basic communication tool into a deeper appreciation for new cultures. For young travelers, this connection begins long before reaching their destination—often during long layovers surrounded by unfamiliar voices. Rather than a mere holding space, the airport is the start of the adventure, where language truly comes alive the moment it is shared in conversation.
Create a space that would bring the magic of language learning and conversation offline, a place where travelers could connect, practice, and learn before they even land.
So we are putting immersive language lounges in Paris, Tokyo, Madrid and Washington D.C. so you can talk to real humans before you end up sounding like a lost tourist the moment you get off the plane.
🥇
Awards
Easily accessible
Long layovers can be rough.
Duolounge makes them way better.
Stop by to recharge and practice the language
of wherever you are headed next.
The space is designed to feel welcoming and accessible for younger travelers, unlike the premiere lounges that often feel out of reach.
Super Duolingo members get full access and everyone else can pop in with an easy Day Pass. It is a simple way to turn airport time into learning time and start your trip feeling calm, confident, and ready to go.
conversation Quests
Conversation Quests turn the lounge into a low pressure space to practice with real people.
Travelers complete mini challenges like chatting with someone from another country for two minutes or practicing with a fluent member of The Owl Crew.
Rewards include digital badges, streak repairs, bonus hearts and monthly prize entries, along with physical patches travelers can add to their bags or passports.
Social media
In Flight Mode
Your flight just got smarter.
Duolingo lives in the seat-back screen, letting travelers choose the language of their destination, squeeze in mini lessons and rack up Conversation Quest badges before touchdown.
Global
Access Pass
Super Duolingo members get a personalized digital concierge packed with everything you need to feel confident on arrival.
Think quick-hit phrases, etiquette tips, transit and safety vocab, local food guides, an offline phrasebook, and fun little challenges to complete right in the lounge. It is your travel buddy that makes landing in a new place feel a whole lot easier.
