Design for Kuwait airport terminal revealed

06 October 2011

New passenger terminal designed by Foster & Partners

Kuwait’s Public Works Ministry has announced the launch of the design for the new passenger terminal at Kuwait International airport.

The design is being led by the UK’s Foster & Partners who won the contract in November 2009 (MEED 30:11:09). Foster & Partners is working together with local firm Gulf Consult.

The design team also includes the UK’s Arup, the US’ Parsons Brinckerhoff and the Netherlands Airport Company.

The design was revealed by Nikolai Malsch, senior design partner of Foster & Partners.

The new terminal will be located south of the existing terminal between the two existing runways. The terminal is designed to set a new environmental benchmark for airport buildings and is inspired by local forms and materials. The new terminal building will consist of three symmetrical wings of departure gates, each spanning 1.2 kilometres. The project is targeting LEED Gold standard and aims to be the first passenger terminal in the world to achieve this.

“The scale of the airport shows Kuwait’s great foresight in recognising the benefits of strategic investment in future infrastructure. The environmental ambitions driving the project are equally impressive,” says Norman Foster, chairman and founder of Foster & Partners.

“We are pleased to have this opportunity to reveal our designs. The emblematic three-winged form will be as memorable from the air as from the ground- a new symbol of contemporary Kuwait which resonates with its rich culture and history.”

The planned $747m terminal will have an initial capacity for 13 million passengers a year with the flexibility to increase this to 25 million passengers in the next phase and an ultimate capacity of 50 million passengers a year.

The airport’s current passenger capacity is 6 million. The terminal is scheduled to open in November 2016.




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