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:

Now 46 years running, Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report rankings the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. This year a record 519 AEC firms participated in BD+C's Giants 400 report. The final report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.

Airports | Jul 18, 2022

FAA will award nearly $1 billion for airport projects

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award nearly $1 billion to 85 airports of all sizes across the country to improve terminals.

Airports | Jul 8, 2022

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport’s new terminal prioritizes passenger experience and sustainability

McCarthy Building Companies recently completed construction of the final concourse in Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

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.

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.