BIG unveils its design for Bhutan’s second international airport, scheduled to open in 2029
By Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor
BIG’s recently unveiled design for Bhutan’s Gelephu International Airport resembles “a stylized mountain range at a distance,” Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director, BIG, said in a statement.
Scheduled to open in 2029, the airport is part of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) masterplan designed by BIG, Arup, and Cistri.
Bhutan’s second international airport, near the Bhutan-Indian border, features a modular diagrid structure made of glulam timber. Set against the Himalayas, the airport’s diagrid structure will be crafted from locally and sustainably sourced timber.
The airport’s structurally independent timber frames allow for simple disassembly and expansion to accommodate projected growth. At 68,000 square meters (731,946 sf), Gelephu International Airport will have the capacity to handle 123 flights a day and will welcome an expected 1.3 million passengers annually by 2040.
The structure will be adorned with traditional Bhutanese woodcarvings by local artists, and the carvings will extend from the exterior to the interior. The painted façade draws inspiration from the kachen, a Bhutanese wooden pillar.
“All the mass timber members are carved and colored according to traditional craft, adorned with three types of dragons representing the past, present, and future of Bhutan. The result is traditional yet avant-garde, forward-reaching and rooted,” Ingels said.
An interior courtyard, named the Forest Spine, divides the terminal into two sections: domestic and international. Offering abundant natural light, the airport features a triple-heigh entry, floor-to-ceiling windows, and skylights. Indoor and outdoor lounges offer spaces for yoga, gong baths, and meditation.
Incorporating climate-responsive, passive designs, the airport’s wooden structure absorbs moisture from the air, helping to regulate indoor humidity, while ventilated roofs and courtyards allow natural airflow. The airport also features rooftop PV panels.
“An airport is the first and last impression you get of a place you visit. For the Gelephu International Airport, we have tried to embody the nature and culture of the country and the Mindfulness City,” Ingels said.
BIG’s design will be showcased at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, Ancient Future in May and remain on exhibition until September.
The airport project is a collaboration with aviation engineering firm Netherlands Airport Consultants (NACO). Other collaborators include Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited (MQDC), Changi Airport Planners and Engineers, Influit, and WT Partnership. BIG is both the design architect and structural engineer, and Influit is the MEP engineer.
