Building for the future

Airport World discovers more about a handful of the big infrastructure development projects planned for airports in North America, Central and East Asia.

New Terminal 6 for New York JFK

The Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has approved a public private-partnership agreement with JFK Millennium Partners (JMP) to build a new
$3.9 billion state-of-the-art Terminal 6 at JFK International Airport.

Pictured above, the new 1.2 million square foot terminal, which will connect to JetBlue’s Terminal 5, will create an anchor on the north side of the airport. It will boast ten gates as well as bright and airy check-in halls and arrival spaces designed to enhance the customer experience.

Customers will enjoy more than 100,000 square feet of commercial dining and retail amenities, lounges and recreational spaces.

According to the PANYNJ, it will also incorporate the latest advances in both sustainability and security, reflecting the a commitment to creating a top customer experience, operational excellence and a uniquely New York sense of place.

PANYNJ chairman, Kevin O’Toole, noted: “Moving forward with a new Terminal 6 will create thousands of good-paying construction jobs critical to our recovery from the pandemic, while building the foundation of economic growth for decades to come.”

Construction of the new terminal is scheduled to begin in mid-2022 and the first new gates are scheduled to open in 2025.

Originally set to break ground in 2020, the project was threatened by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air travel and the uncertain future of the industry. The restructured deal marks a significant step forward in the plan to transform New York JFK into a unified 21 century global gateway.

All of the $3.9 billion cost to build the new terminal will be privately financed by JMP. This private investment is a testament to the partners’ commitment to the future of JFK and New York.

The Board resolution approves the terms of the agreement with the private consortium that will build the new global standard, 21st century terminal and also authorises $130 million in port authority capital funding to build enabling infrastructure for the new Terminal 6 project, including airside improvements, and utility enhancements such as electrical support for the project.

PANYNJ’s capital commitment is part of the agency’s previously allocated capital to the redevelopment of the New York gateway. Construction of the new Terminal 6 will break ground in 2022.

The agreement to move forward with Terminal 6 comes as JetBlue has further reinforced its commitment to New York with the announcement that the airline’s headquarters will remain in Long Island City, Queens, ending rumours that it might be moved out of state.

The new HQ will be built on the sites of the former Terminal 6, which was demolished in 2011, and the ageing Terminal 7, which will be torn down after British Airways relocates to Terminal 8.

PANYNJ’s executive director, Rick Cotton, said: “The action taken by the Board of Commissioners, coupled with the extraordinary private investment pledged to build Terminal 6 at JFK Airport, loudly proclaims the confidence the private sector has in the future of JFK Airport and of our region.

“At the height of the pandemic, when JFK was seeing an unthinkable 2% of its pre-COVID passenger volumes, we never lost sight of finding a path forward for this world-class terminal.

“We thank the dedicated port authority team and our private partners for their intense work and commitment to turn JFK Airport into the modern global gateway that New York and the region deserve.”

New terminal planned for Shenzhen Bao’an

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in China has chosen the design concept (pictured above) for its new 400,000sqm terminal, which will provide connections to existing and new transport infrastructure and be capable of handling up to 31 million passengers per annum.

At the heart of the concept is a 10,000m central garden space, which will be connected to other parts of the airport through landscaped pedestrian routes.

According to architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP), to meet sustainable design objectives, the building is designed to use natural light at a maximum level while controlling solar gain.

Furthermore, the design also includes extensive vegetation, displacement ventilation and low water consumption. 

RSHP says: “The design provides Shenzhen with a state-of-the-art terminal with a particular focus on passenger experience, wellbeing, and sustainability. Reflecting this forward-facing dynamic city and region, it will become part of the lexicon of next generation airports.

“The traditional relationship of the forecourt to the terminal has been transformed into a new city orientated environment. The design prioritises these movements and connections into streets and avenues where buses and trains provide service to a street kerb.”

New terminal to transform Samarkand

The new terminal at Samarkand International Airport (pictured below) is expected to transform air travel to the country and potentially Central Asia.

It is the key project of the upgrade of the existing airport and will effectively provide Uzbekistan’s second biggest city with the modern, high-tech facilities it needs to meet future demand and potentially boost tourism to the country. 

Designed by KIKLOP Design & Engineering (KIKLOP) and being constructed by Enter Engineering, the spacious new terminal will be capable of handling 1,000 passengers per hour and boast architecture and features that reflect Uzbekistan’s history and culture.

Gairat Nematov, executive director of airport operating company, Air Marakanda, says: “We wanted to make a statement and build a terminal to showcase the best of Samarkand and Uzbekistan. 

“The terminal will utilise the latest technology and facilities that will take service and the airport experience to new levels for passengers and our airline customers.

“The main building will resemble an open book in reference to the New Guragan Astronomical Tables, a manuscript published by the famed astronomer Mirzo Ulugbek in 1444.

“Translated into Latin, this work was used in observatories throughout Europe. Moreover, the external roof of the terminal will display a sky map with some constellations recognisable from the air, especially when landing at night.” 

When it opens, the terminal will raise the airport’s capacity to in excess of two million passengers per annum.

Taoyuan International Airport’s dynamic new Terminal 3

Pictured above, the design of the new Terminal 3 at Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) is said to be inspired by Chinese Taipei’s beautiful landscapes, the seas surrounding it, its rhythms of nature
and life to create a series of unique interior places underneath an elegant hard shell roof. 

Set to open on 2024, the $3.3 billion terminal is the single biggest public engineering project in Chinese Taipei and will boost the airport’s capacity by 45 million passengers per annum when
the first phase of its development is completed in 2026.

Its 640,000sqm size and capacity is impressive, meaning that from 2026 it will be able to handle eight million more passengers per annum that the combined capacities of the airport’s existing Terminals 1 and 2.

Operator, Taoyuan International Airport Corporation (TIAC), notes that T3 will become the main departure terminal for TPE’s planned new Runway 3, which is the next major infrastructure project on the agenda.

TIAC’s president and CEO, Jerry Dann, reveals that Chinese Taiepi’s Civil Aeronautics Administration is currently working on the land acquisition procedure for the new runway as a part of the airport’s Taoyuan Aerotropolis Plan. 

Dann tells Airport World: “Terminal 3 is badly needed as Taoyuan International Airport handled more than 48 million passengers 2019, far exceeding the 37 million capacity of the current terminals.

“The design concept of T3 differs greatly from T1 and T2. In Terminal 3, the retail/F&B offerings will be designed as a one-stop service, with most outlets located in an area just beyond border control and the security checkpoint. 

“The single designated space will enable us to offer a wider and more diversified shopping experience and dining choices to cater to the constantly changing needs of passengers. T3’s concourses will serve mainly for boarding and rest, with necessary retail and dining options such as snack bars and souvenir shops.”

He notes that T3 will be an intelligent terminal boasting 5G wireless coverage, self-service (CUSS) kiosks, self bag-drop (SBD) equipment and biometric technology to facilitate a touchless and smooth clearance procedure. 

Work starts on Phase 2 of Denver’s Great Hall 

Despite some setbacks, the development of Denver International Airport’s Great Hall (pictured below) is still very much a work in progress, with the Colorado gateway recently breaking ground on
Phase 2 of the project.

The multi-phased project includes a renovation of the airport’s Jeppesen Terminal to create an airport for the future with enhanced safety and security, a more intuitive passenger flow, and increased capacity to accommodate continued growth.

Indeed, the primary focus of Phase 2 is to enhance security by building a new state-of-the-art checkpoint on Level 6 in the northwest area of the terminal, along with innovative passenger queueing and improved post-security circulation.

Stantec – a global integrated design firm – is serving as lead designer on this phase of the project.

According to Stantec, the Great Hall project strives to humanise the process of air travel and reduce passenger stress by implementing new hybrid ticket counters at check-in, offering state-of-the-art automated screening lanes, and consolidating security checkpoints.

It notes that whether arriving or departing, the revitalised Great Hall will extend a warm welcome and create a lasting impression for passengers.

Phase 2, which is slated for completion in mid-2024, is taking place concurrently with Phase 1 as crews complete work on the new ticketing areas for several major carriers at the airport.