Bright and bustling: Grimshaw reveals plans for the Istanbul Grand Airport [slideshow]
The commission to design the terminal complex of the Istanbul Grand Airport was given to Grimshaw Architects last October. Now, in partnership with the Nordic Office of Architecture and Haptic Architects, the firm has revealed its plans for what will be one of the world's largest airports. The overall site was masterplanned by Arup.
Located about 35 km from Istanbul, the terminal will be housed entirely under one roof, and the floor space will be one million meters. According to Inhabitat, this will make the Istanbul Grand Airport the largest of its kind.
Acting as focal points throughout the terminal are the geometric skylights, which are meant to improve wayfinding and highlight important areas, such as check-in and security.
“The Istanbul Grand Airport will be a modern, highly functional airport, with a unique sense of space,” Nordic said in a statement. “The airport is inspired by what makes Istanbul great: a large-scale, heaving metropolis with millennia of history, stunning architecture, both new and old, and a richness in color, patterns and quality of light.”
The terminal is scheduled to open in 2018 and serve 90 million passengers in its first year. This figure will increase to 150 million per year when the terminal is completed.
Check out the terminal renderings below:
