Kansas City International Airport’s new 1 million-sf terminal has broken ground. The project, which is designed by SOM, will set a new standard for inclusivity and accessibility.
The 39-gate terminal will have the flexibility to expand to 50 gates in the future. At the entrance, a large overhang, supported by structurally expressed Y columns, and a glass facade will create a grand and transparent space while retail spaces and two concourses will step down toward a human scale. The rhythmic expressed steel structural system is balanced by a natural wood inlay to provide inviting spaces for passengers. Outdoor waiting areas will leverage the site’s surrounding natural landscape to provide a calming space.
The design forgoes creating a sprawling terminal and instead focuses on quick and seamless transitioning with a compact layout: walking distances are kept to a minimum, check-in and security are consolidated into one space, and a dual-level roadway will separate the vehicular traffic between arrivals and departures, with the terminal’s entrance and passenger-parking facilities located on either side to make the entire airport walkable.
The terminal will feature a variety of spaces with the goal of increasing inclusivity and accessibility. A multi-sensory room will provide a quiet and secure place for people with autism, dementia, or sensory processing disorders. An airplane simulation room will help people with anxiety or other conditions that create a fear of flying. This room allows people in experience and fear about air travel through true-to-life objects like a ticketing kiosk, gate door, passenger boarding bridge, and simulated aircraft cabin.
Other inclusivity and accessibility features include a meditation room, a family play zone, all gender restrooms, family restrooms, infant nursing rooms, service animal relief areas, and adult-assist changing rooms.
In addition to SOM, the build team also includes Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate (developer), and Clark | Weitz | Clarkson (design-builder).
The new terminal is targeting LEED Gold certification. The project is slated for completion in 2023.
Related Stories
Airports | Jul 7, 2022
Love at first flight: The power of first impressions in airports
As architects, how we design a terminal and choreograph the passenger experience can stir up strong feelings.
Airports | Jun 29, 2022
BIG and HOK’s winning design for Zurich airport’s new terminal
Two years ago, Zurich Airport, which opened in the 1950s, launched an international design competition to replace the aging Dock A—the airport’s largest dock.
Airports | Jun 2, 2022
SOM-designed International Arrival Facility at Seattle’s Sea–Tac airport features the world’s largest aerial walkway
The Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)-designed International Arrivals Facility (IAF) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has opened, replacing a 50-year-old arrival facility.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | May 3, 2022
For glass openings, how big is too big?
Advances in glazing materials and glass building systems offer a seemingly unlimited horizon for not only glass performance, but also for the size and extent of these light, transparent forms. Both for enclosures and for indoor environments, novel products and assemblies allow for more glass and less opaque structure—often in places that previously limited their use.
Airports | Apr 4, 2022
Dominican Republic airport expansion will add mixed-use features
The recently revealed design concept for the expansion of Santiago International Airport in the Dominican Republic includes a transformation of the current building into a mixed-use space that features an office park, business center, and hotel.
Codes and Standards | Mar 4, 2022
FAA offers $1 billion in grants for airport terminal and tower projects
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now accepting applications for about $1 billion in grants for airport projects during fiscal year 2022.
Resiliency | Feb 15, 2022
Design strategies for resilient buildings
LEO A DALY's National Director of Engineering Kim Cowman takes a building-level look at resilient design.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Jan 24, 2022
Blast Hazard Mitigation: Building Openings for Greater Safety and Security
Coronavirus | Jan 20, 2022
Advances and challenges in improving indoor air quality in commercial buildings
Michael Dreidger, CEO of IAQ tech startup Airsset speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield about how building owners and property managers can improve their buildings' air quality.
Giants 400 | Oct 22, 2021
2021 Airport Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. airport facilities sector
AECOM, Hensel Phelps, PGAL, and Gensler top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest airport sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
