When AEC aviation professionals talk about the work they admire, JetBlueâs Terminal 5 at JFK International Airport in New York stands out as a facility that continues to evolve as market conditions change.
Its chameleon-like nature was evident in the opening last November of a $200 million extension to handle much-coveted international arrivals. A willing mutability could also be seen in the spacious roof deck garden that T5, as it is known, debuted on July 1, which provides a sense of place that other airports are striving to duplicate. Â
In the early 2000s, as the Gensler-designed T5 was being planned, the security screening area had been programmed to include lots of self-service kiosks for issuing boarding passes. By the time the terminal opened in October 2008, however, JetBlueâs business model had shifted toward leisure destinations, which meant families traveling with loads of luggage.
5 trends in air terminal design and construction
1. Flexibility must anticipate change and possible future use.
2. Technology is putting a new zip in passenger processing.
3. Terminals must be designed for calmness and âenhanced waiting.â
4. Airports need fast links to their downtowns.
5. Financing is opening up new possibilitiesâat last.
That same year, the iPhone debuted, and presented a mobile platform for online check-in and digital boarding passes. The area was reprogrammed, at relatively little cost: the kiosks were moved to the side to make room for baggage checking and stanchion queues.
That kind of flexibility is critical today, as airports burst at the seams with passenger traffic. âAirports want sustainability, maintainability, value for their dollar, and flexibility they can grow with,â says Susan Baer, former Director of Aviation for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, now Principal and Global Aviation Planning Leader at Arup, a member firm in the T5 Building Team.
Several factors weigh in as airport officials rethink their spaces, starting with how to make security checkpoints less stressful so passengers donât rush for their gates and bypass revenue-generating retail, food, and beverage concessions.
The growing presence of jumbo jets like Airbusâs 800-plus-seat A380 airliners is having a ripple effect on everything from gate sizes to the capacities of hold rooms and other service facilities within terminals, says Robert Chicas, HOKâs Director of Aviation and Transportation.
He notes that one of HOKâs major projects, a 1.7-million-sf terminal at Salt Lake City International Airport, will have 72 gates, compared to 84 in the terminal it replaces. SLC expects to serve 30 million passengers annually by 2034, versus 21 million last year. Bigger planes require taller gates and longer bridges. âItâs not a matter of gate count as much as the gauge of the plane,â explains Chicas.
âAirport design is now demand driven,â confirms Anthony Mosellie, Partner in Kohn Pedersen Foxâs Global Aviation Practice. KPFâs recent projects include the massive 7.6-million-sf Abu Dhabi International Airport Midfield Complex. Design is also a function of do-it-yourself technology that enables passengers to do their own ticketing, luggage check-in, flight tracking, and even pre-board food ordering.
AEC firms identify five trends that could impact what airport terminals look like, how they are built, and how theyâll be operated.
[1] Flexibility must anticipate change and possible future use.
Airports are looking for new ways to give terminals the ability to respond to market currents. By âflexibility,â Chicas says he means not painting yourself into a corner by laying out a terminal too rigidly. He refers to HOKâs redesign for Indianapolis International Airport, where the concourse was built without columns. This configuration admits more natural light into the building and makes the space more adaptable to future usage changes.
Dwight Pullen, Director of Skanskaâs Aviation Center of Excellence, says heâs seeing airports like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International going with larger, centralized security checkpoints to better handle the passenger crunch during peak periods.
Â
Corganâs design for Sacramentoâs International Airport included a spacious ticketing area. Photo:Â Tim Griffith
Â
Balfour Beatty Construction, a member of the Building Team working on the $2.69 billion Terminal Renewal Improvement Program at DallasâFort Worth International Airport, opened up space for the security checkpoint area within American Airlinesâ Terminal A by removing escalators and installing new and faster elevators that can carry up to 20 luggage-lugging travelers.
Karl Joeris, Balfour Beattyâs Vice President of Operations, notes that before 9/11, airports typically had smaller security checkpoints that were often perpendicular to the flow of the buildingâs traffic. In its DFW redesign Balfour went with smaller checkpoints whose traffic flow matches the flow of the terminal in general, and doesnât back up into the concourse as much.
[2] Technology puts new zip in passenger processing.
With more passengers checking in via mobile devices, and with self-service luggage check-in and boarding around the corner, airports can re-evaluate their space allocations. âTechnology is streamlining check-in and bringing self bag-tagging closer to reality,â says Dale Kain, Project Director at PCL Construction, the GC for LAXâs new 800,000-sf Midfield Satellite Concourse.
Designing airports to facilitate âflow-throughâ ticketing would also make it easier and faster for passengers who already have their documents to reach their gates quicker. Dynamic signage would direct these customers to less-clogged security checkpoints.
Tom Rossbach, Aviation Buildings Market Sector Director for HNTB Architecture, says his firm designed San Diegoâs Terminal 2 West with an elevated âsmart curbâ 80 feet from the terminal. The smart curb has its own tensile fabric canopy with full ticket counters, self-service kiosks for check-in, and baggage conveyors at the curb. Flight and gate information are posted, and group check-in is provided for air passengers connecting to cruise ships. Passengers can proceed across a bridge to the terminal and straight to security.
Jayne OâDonnell, Turnerâs Vice President and General Manager, also sees airports moving toward technology-enhanced screening and boarding. She cautions, however, that many passengers, especially aging boomers, still want to deal with a human at airports.
Several sources point to âcommon useâ gates that are shared by multiple carriers. In Abu Dhabi, Kohn Pedersen Fox designed the airport in an âXâ shape that will enable the terminal to extend to 49 gates and accommodate 59 aircraft at any given time. This airport will have the capacity to handle 50 million passengers per year.
In the future, experts say, airline travelers will be able to print out their own luggage stickersâor, better yet, buy luggage embedded with ID bar codes or RFID chips.Â
[3] Terminals ARE beING designed for calmness and âenhanced waiting.â
Turnerâs OâDonnell says airports have come to rely on ânon-aeronauticalâ revenueâparking, food service, retail, etc.âto finance operations, upgrades, and expansions. They are trying to create what HOKâs Chicas calls âhospitality-likeâ environments that put passengers in the right frame of mind to spend money before they board.
âItâs all about âenhanced waiting,ââ says Chicas. âThe thinking is that a relaxed passenger is a happy passenger.â
San Francisco International Airport pumps soothing music into its security checkpoint area. Atlantaâs Hartsfield-Jackson enlarged its âredressâ and âcomposureâ areas on the other side of security checkpoints, where passengers can take a deep breath and put on their shoes, belts, and coats.
Airports are being built or remodeled so that customers see planes on the runway as soon as possible; this apparently has a calming effect on travelers, says Kelly Locke, LEED AP, Preconstruction Director for Austin Commercialâs National Aviation Division. Brian Kelley, AIA, Principal with Corgan Associates, adds that effective wayfinding, ample daylighting, and greater proximity to bathrooms and other amenities can help keep passengers calm and collected as they walk to their gates.
Â
LAXâs 800,000-sf Midfield Satellite Concourse is designed to handle jumbo jets like the Airbus 380 and Boeing 747-8i, which require higher gates and larger passenger hold areas. Rendering Corgan MediaLab
Â
Along the way, passengers are likely to encounter higher-end retail shops and restaurants. Mosellie of KPF quips that the Heathrow/LAX modelââa shopping mall that you happen to park planes next toââis gaining acceptance in Europe, Asia, and, to some degree, at U.S. hubs.
Once passengers get to their gates, they are finding hold roomsâthe seating areas near gatesâthat are larger and more amenable to their needs. Kelley says airports are equipping holding areas with stronger WiFi capability, mobile device chargers, and workstations. Theyâre also positioning hold rooms closer to food service vendors. At JFK and MinneapolisâSt. Paul International, for example, passengers can order food via online and have it delivered to the gate. Mobile apps like AirGrub and B4YouBoard perform similar functions.
Airports are designed to create a sense of place for their âguests.â JetBlueâs roof deck and Great Hall, with stadium seating for concerts and other events, is one example. The new international airport in Queenstown, New Zealand, has gate lounges that offer âstunning floor-to-ceiling alpine vistas,â according to Airport-World.com. Abu Dhabiâs airport will feature a 90,416-sf indoor park with Mediterranean plantings and desert landscapes.
Mountain ranges form the backdrop for Salt Lake Cityâs airport, whose color scheme and artwork âcelebrate the landscape of the place,â says Chicas. The terminal redevelopment for Long Beach, Calif., includes a 21,000-sf garden area with palm trees.
[4] Airports need TO HAVE fast links to their downtowns.
âAny proper airport plan needs to make connections to the urban core,â asserts KPFâs Mosellie.
In June, Toronto began express rail service between Pearson International airport and Union Station. Construction is under way of a 22.8-mile commuter rail transit corridor that, when it opens next year, will operate between Denver International Airport and that metroâs downtown Union Station. HOKâs plan for Indianapolisâ airport includes securing a right-of-way for rail service to connect to downtown.
Investing in mass transit options is another way airports can burnish their customer service image. âYour flying experience begins when you leave your front door, and ends when you arrive at your destination,â says Chicas. âYou remember that trip by its weakest link.â
[5] Financing is opening up new possibilities for air terminals.
In May, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced plans to get started on a new $3.6 billion main terminal at LaGuardia Airport. That project had been held up for years, as New York had to pay for the multibillion-dollar reconstruction of the World Trade Center and the start of the $5.5 billion replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Turner Constructionâs OâDonnell says that state authorization of airport funding âhas really taken a hitâ in the past few years. So cities are banking on airlines, which after decades of bankruptcies and consolidation, are raking in cash again. The airlines know they have to get more involved in helping finance airport terminal construction and remodeling. âAt least domestically, the airlines are realizing that they are part of the solution,â says Corganâs Kelley.
The LaGuardia project is financed via a public-private partnership between the Port Authority and a consortium led by Vantage Airport Group called LaGuardia Gateway Partners, which includes Skanska, Walsh Construction, Parsons Brinckerhoff, HOK, and Meridiam Infrastructure. AEC sources say P3s have panned out for some domestic terminals, notably JFKâs Terminal 4, and are gaining popularity.
Pullen notes that airports are demanding more collaboration from their delivery partners to complete projects expeditiously. PCLâs Kain and HNTBâs Rossbach say that, for bonding and political reasons, AEC firms often form joint ventures on airport projects. (PCL, Turner, Corgan, and Gensler have established a joint venture to design and build LAXâs Midfield Satellite Concourse.)
In June, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority awarded a multi-year reconstruction and renovation to the joint venture AIR Alliance, comprised of AECOM and PGAL, for Terminals B and C at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
CLEAR SKIES AHEAD FOR Airport TERMINALS
AEC firms are uniformly positive about future aviation work. Turnerâs OâDonnell sees âhuge opportunitiesâ for airport construction going into 2016. She says there are a number of hubs that are discussing capital plans in the billions of dollars.
Much of this work will be renovations and additions. In June, the city of Phoenix awarded Faithful + Gould a contract to perform facility-wide assessments of its three airports, from which it would provide the city with comprehensive capital planning forecasts. Austin Commercial was just awarded a contract for a 300,000-sf expansion of San Franciscoâs airport, in addition to its $500 million addition/expansion to Terminal 3 at Phoenixâs Sky Harbor Airport. Skanska and HOK are engaged in the $122 million modernization and expansion of Tampa International Airport. Balfour Beatty is evaluating a $700 million proposal to replace Houstonâs Bush International terminal.
Construction opportunities could be even more fertile outside of the U.S., says KPFâs Mosellie, especially among oil-rich Middle East countries looking to supplant hubs in Europe. China and Hong Kong are planning large airport expansions to compete with the Mideast, he says.
Arupâs Baer believes that airports with a mix of international travel are in the best position for success. âItâs a global world and a global economy,â he says, âand the only way you can get to most places is by plane.â
Â
THE FUTURE OF AIRPORT TERMINALS...continued
Check out these additional reports for more on terminal design and construction:
âArup experts discuss how airports can manage growth,â www.BDCnetwork.com/ArupSalon
âSurveys gauge user satisfaction with airports,â www.BDCnetwork.com/AirportSurveys
âRental car facilities expanding at U.S. airports,â www.BDCnetwork.com/AirportRentals
âSmall and regional airports in a dogfight with mega-hubs,â www.BDCnetwork.com/SmallAirports
For a list of the technical experts consulted for our report, visit: www.BDCnetwork.com/AirportExperts
Related Stories
Biophilic Design | May 6, 2024
The benefits of biophilic design in the built environment
Biophilic design in the built environment supports the health and wellbeing of individuals, as they spend most of their time indoors.
Architects | May 2, 2024
Emerging considerations in inclusive design
Design elements that consider a diverse population of users make lives better. When it comes to wayfinding, some factors will remain consistentâincluding accessibility and legibility.
Airports | Apr 18, 2024
The next destination: Passive design airports
Today, we can design airports that are climate resilient, durable, long-lasting, and healthy for occupantsâwe can design airports using Passive House standards.
Airports | Feb 13, 2024
New airport terminal by KPF aims to slash curb-to-gate walking time for passengers
The new Terminal A at Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates features an efficient X-shape design with an average curb-to-gate walking time of just 12 minutes. The airport terminal was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), with Arup and Naco as engineering leads.
Urban Planning | Feb 5, 2024
Lessons learned from 70 years of building cities
As Sasaki looks back on 70 years of practice, weâre also looking to the future of cities. While we canât predict what will be, we do know the needs of cities are as diverse as their scale, climate, economy, governance, and culture.
Products and Materials | Jan 31, 2024
Top building products for January 2024
BD+C Editors break down January's top 15 building products, from SloanStone Quartz Molded Sinks to InvisiWrap SA housewrap.
Airports | Jan 30, 2024
Rafael Viñoly Architectsâ design for the new Florence, Italy, airport terminal will feature a rooftop vineyard
At Florence, Italyâs Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci, the new international airport terminal will feature a fully operating vineyard on the facilityâs rooftop. Designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, the terminal is expected to see over 5.9 million passengers annually. Renderings for the project have recently been released.
Airports | Jan 15, 2024
How to keep airports functional during construction
Gensler's aviation experts share new ideas about how to make the airport construction process better moving forward.
Airports | Dec 4, 2023
4 key innovations and construction trends across airport design
Here are some of the key trends Skanska is seeing in the aviation sector, from congestion solutions to sustainability.
Giants 400 | Nov 13, 2023
Top 60 Airport Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Hensel Phelps, Turner Construction, AECOM, and Walsh Group top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest airport terminal and airport facilities general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.Â