KPF and heatherwick studio to extend singapore airport as cluster of lush ‘neighborhoods’
a new terminal for changi airport
Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) and Heatherwick Studio reveal the first visualizations of their newly designed terminal for Singapore‘s Changi Airport. The existing airport is most widely known as the Jewel, with its design by Safdie Architects housing the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. Now, the upcoming Terminal 5 will introduce what the architects describe as a ‘bold re-imagination of the airport experience,’ becoming as a social extension of the city rather than a disconnected facility solely for the processing of travelers.
Like the rest of the airport, the new terminal will take shape as a collection of micro-villages at a human-scale which will be infused with lush plant-life. Even with this innovative organization, the terminal will be capable of welcoming 50 million more passengers annually. It will be well-connected to the rest of Singapore, with a dedicated ground transportation center where passengers can access rail, bus, and other transportation.
images courtesy Changi Airport Group
‘airport as a city’ by heatherwick studio and kpf
The partnership in Singapore between Kohn Pedersen Fox (see here) and Heatherwick Studio (see here) will lead to a new typology, dubbed ‘airport as a city.’ The concept for Changi Airport‘s Terminal 5 will stand as a new district, continuing the Singapore’s lush landscape and active urban scale. The project will ‘elevate the airport experience for both travelers and Singaporeans alike.’
The team explains: ‘Drawing on lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, T5 is designed with the flexibility to operate as smaller sub-terminals when needed, with space that could be converted for use during contingencies, such as for testing operations or the segregation of high-risk passengers.’
sustainable design in singapore
Changi Airport’s new Terminal 5 by KPF and Heatherwick Studio will seek a Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy certification from the Building and Construction Authority. The group explains: ‘To reduce its carbon footprint, solar panels; smart building management systems; and district cooling combined with thermal energy storage will be deployed.
‘T5 will also be ready for environmentally friendly solutions such as providing fixed ground power and cooling, as well as viable alternative fuels including the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel for aircraft.’
project info:
project title: Changi Airport Terminal 5 | @changiairport
architecture: Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), @kohnpedersenfox | Heatherwick Studios, @officialheatherwickstudio
location: Changi Airport, Singapore
local partner: Architects 61
local sub-consultants: SAA and RSP Architects Planners & Engineers
engineers: Arup Singapore Private Limited, Mott McDonald, and Surbana Jurong
retail design: DP Architects Pte Ltd
