NEW INFRASTRUCTURE
The future is now
Airport World takes a closer look at the opening of new facilities in Santiago, New York, Memphis, Geneva and Atlanta and get a glimpse of what’s to come with JFK’s Terminal One. Uniquely Chilean surprise and delight Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) opened its new Terminal 2 in January, 2022, the state-of-the-art complex being the largest new terminal to have been completed in Latin America in recent times. Designed by global integrated design firm Stantec in partnership with local firm Amunategui Barreau Arquitectos, the huge project included adding a new pier to the original terminal, which now serves as a domestic terminal. Santiago’s new Terminal 2 covers 175,000sqm and has an initial capacity of 30 million passengers per annum, although this can be increased to 38mppa through previously designed additions. Stantec played a major role in the development of the airport. First as the architects of the original International Terminal in 2000 under the Consortium SCL Terminal Aéreo de Santiago, and more recently as the designers of the new terminal when Stantec and Amunategui Barreau Arquitectos were retained by the Chilean Ministry of Public Works’ Airport Concessions Division. The new T2, which will serve international and regional flights, features a major central processor which serves as a focal point for people approaching the airport, and hosts four new piers, connected to the central processor for Arrivals through interstitial corridors. A large retail/F&B concessions programme, VIP lounges, and an innovative advertising programme are said to elevate the passenger experience to one of the best in the region. The project has also increased the number of gates from 18 to 67, while adding two, four-level parking buildings and two surface parking lots. A landscaped plaza connects the two terminals on the landside, affording open-air views to the main entrances of both buildings. And, according to Stantec, the T2 main hall has a vast and elegantly curved roof facing a park on one side and the approach roads on the other. The flanking piers for the new gates were designed with wavy roofs inspired by the Chilean coastline, set against the Andes Mountains. The
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juxtaposition of contra-cyclical sine-curved roofs created openings that are filled with high windows, while maintaining a singular structural system throughout their entire length, says Stantec. A bird’s eye view of the new terminal is designed to evokes the iconic sites of the Atacama Desert, with finishes and forms inspired by the different landscapes and colours of the country, while the interior design theme reflects the unique geography, iconic sites, and culture of Chile. “As Santiago expands this busy airport hub, we are honoured to help transform the experience of travellers as they come through or stay in Chile,” said Cecilia Einarson, sector leader for airport terminals at Stantec. “Together with our partners at Amunategui Barreau Arquitectos, we created a place that embraces the beauty and splendour of Chile while welcoming visitors and residents to the country.”
Memphis Belle An expanded and revamped Concourse B opened at Memphis International Airport (MEM) on February 15 with passengers on an early morning Delta Air Lines flight being the first to pass through the Tennessee gateway’s sparkling new facility. The airport has invested $245 million on modernising the spine and east leg of the concourse, allowing for the addition of wider corridors, moving walkways, larger boarding areas, higher ceilings and increased natural lighting as well as some much-needed seismic upgrades. The multi-year project has also allowed for the consolidation of all airline, retail and F&B operations in Concourse B, giving them better exposure to passenger flows and increasing convenience levels for passengers. The use of ‘smart glass’ in the windows that gently tint to reduce the light as the outside temperatures rise are designed to ensure comfortable heating levels throughout the day. Speaking on February 15, Scott Brockman, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, said: “This is a huge day for us
