Raleigh-Durham (N.C.) International Airport officially opened the gates at its new $570 million Terminal 2 late last month. At 920,000 sf, the terminal is nearly three times larger than the facility it replaces, allowing the airport to better serve the Research Triangle Region.
The design team, led by Fentress Architects, Denver, created a column-free, long-span structure with extensive glass curtain walls along the terminal and concourses to flood the interior with daylight. The terminal includes 19 gates, two ticketing islands, seven security checkpoint lanes, a Federal Inspection Services facility, and three baggage claim carousels. A second phase, due to open in winter 2011, will add 13 gates, allowing the airport to accommodate up to 11.4 million passengers a year.
