Airports where the architecture soars

[Naim 6]

Passing through countless airports every year -- hardly notice them!

 

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Airports where the architecture soars

By Katia Hetter, CNN

June 7, 2013 -- Updated 1558 GMT (2358 HKT)

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/07/travel/airport-architecture-paul-goldberger/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

 

 

[S V Choong 4]

I agree with the author, in a typical airport with split arrival and departure levels, the architecture hardly gives traveller the sense of welcome-ness and travellers often arrive at the lower level and almost service lane like. Best example of this is HKG/VHHH and even MEL/YMML international.

 

The best space are often reserved for the departure level and check in area..... I do hope the arrival area can be better designed

Edited June 9, 2013 by S V Choong

[Isaac 0]

I agree with the author, in a typical airport with split arrival and departure levels, the architecture hardly gives traveller the sense of welcome-ness and travellers often arrive at the lower level and almost service lane like. Best example of this is HKG/VHHH and even MEL/YMML international.

The best space are often reserved for the departure level and check in area..... I do hope the arrival area can be better designed

Wait till you see the arrival hall of some terminals in CDG. It's like a subway station with very little lighting and only very few car rental counters

[Naim 6]

I agree with the author, in a typical airport with split arrival and departure levels, the architecture hardly gives traveller the sense of welcome-ness and travellers often arrive at the lower level and almost service lane like. Best example of this is HKG/VHHH and even MEL/YMML international.

 

The best space are often reserved for the departure level and check in area..... I do hope the arrival area can be better designed

 

JNB arrival is nice, but prob is most arriving pax just wanna get out asap, same with me.

 

[S V Choong 4]

Wait till you see the arrival hall of some terminals in CDG. It's like a subway station with very little lighting and only very few car rental counters

 

No idea, I will probably bypass CDG. Might take Eurostar instead.

 

KLIA and Changi (even BKK) is much better in this regard. At least arrival and departure meet at the same level before being separated into split levels. Visitors were able to catch a glimpse of our tropical jungle before being sent to the immigration and conveyor belts.

 

In most other airports such as HKG, KIX, NRT, FUK, GMP(SEL), TAO, MXZ, PVG, SHA, CAN, SZX, NGB, SYD, AKL, WLG, CHC, NAN, ZQN, PMR, PER, MNL and MEL which I have been - you get none of those welcoming feel. I believe it is the moment you step down the plane, pre-immigration and baggage that counts the most.

 

Some airports such as Queenstown (ZQN) in NZ is exceptional, the welcoming feel is provided by the surrounding landscape and snowcapped mountains which one would easily neglect the architecture of the airport.

[alberttky 0]

Wait till you see the arrival hall of some terminals in CDG. It's like a subway station with very little lighting and only very few car rental counters

The CDG designer was probably drunk when he / she designed T1.

[KK Lee 5]

The CDG designer was probably drunk when he / she designed T1.

 

Or smoking grass.

Edited June 9, 2013 by KK Lee

[Naim 6]

I only like the crisscrossing escalators at CDG.

[Isaac 0]

No idea, I will probably bypass CDG. Might take Eurostar instead.

Eurostar eh ? Good luck with Gare du Nord. It is so different from St. Pancras, very different

 

 

The CDG designer was probably drunk when he / she designed T1.

I did not get to see CDG T1. But i did finish touring the whole T2 on foot. Yes. All of Terminal 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F and this was all because of McDonalds! We even passed through the parking lot because we were not allowed to use the walkway between T2A/T2C to T2B/T2D. We went to Terminal 2E as soon as we got off the RER. After we had checked in, we wanted to eat but there aren't many choices in T2E.

 

Anyway, we decided to go to the arrival hall of T2E, thinking there will be more restaurants there but we were so wrong. There is nothing there! The arrival hall is a subway like place with very little lighting and that place was practically deserted in the late afternoon.

 

Any of you who may pass through CDG T2 and want to eat McDonalds or Pizza Hut, the McDonalds and Pizza Hut located between T2A and T2C are closed for renovation. The next nearest McDonalds is located in T2B and that is the only McDonalds outlet available in CDG Terminal 2 now

 

 

I only like the crisscrossing escalators at CDG.

CDG Terminal 2E Gate K concourse is very nice place too. A very beautifully designed terminal. And they sell funny stuffs inside the toilet No funny stuffs sold in the toilet in Terminal 2E Gate L concourse.

[BC Tam 2]

JNB arrival is nice, but prob is most arriving pax just wanna get out asap, same with me.

I don't think it's a problem, more like basal human instict to just keep moving on to next locality that can be identified as 'home'

I now realize most airports we have ventured to, I only ever get to have a good look at 'arrivals' when we depart and there is time to kill

Only exception maybe at LHR when we opted to wait a bit for the morning rush to dissipate before getting on the tube (cheaper too)

 

And they sell funny stuffs inside the toilet

Curious mind wanna know, care to share ?

[Alif A. F. 0]

I remember my sister who visited Paris few years back. She opined that CDG is "cantik, tapi lain la cantik dia".

[Isaac 0]

I believe it is the moment you step down the plane, pre-immigration and baggage that counts the most.

 

I now realize most airports we have ventured to, I only ever get to have a good look at 'arrivals' when we depart and there is time to kill

Yes. I never bothered to check out the airport once i land. I only want to go home or check-in to my hotel room as soon as possible.

 

 

Curious mind wanna know, care to share ?

Just some tampons, flavored condoms, vibrating condoms and one more thing i cannot remember. I seem to remember there's sex toy as well

[S V Choong 4]

Yes. I never bothered to check out the airport once i land. I only want to go home or check-in to my hotel room as soon as possible.

 

 

Just some tampons, flavored condoms, vibrating condoms and one more thing i cannot remember. I seem to remember there's sex toy as well

 

There are things like this in Australia and NZ. Not everywhere but a few selected places... (definitely not the airport).

[Kris Kim 0]

I agree with the author, in a typical airport with split arrival and departure levels, the architecture hardly gives traveller the sense of welcome-ness and travellers often arrive at the lower level and almost service lane like. Best example of this is HKG/VHHH and even MEL/YMML international.

 

The best space are often reserved for the departure level and check in area..... I do hope the arrival area can be better designed

 

Arriving into MEL is a disgrace in my opinion, the only "welcome" you get is a red mat, with the bonus of long lines at customs and quarantine. If your lucky your flight can meet up with some whales arriving which can hold up the queue all the way at duty free ! I seriously don't feel very welcomed when arriving at MEL, the space is small and cramped, however I agree, while departing, this space has changed considerably and is very nice and airy, they really did try to make the main atrium space very beautiful.

[S V Choong 4]

 

Arriving into MEL is a disgrace in my opinion, the only "welcome" you get is a red mat, with the bonus of long lines at customs and quarantine. If your lucky your flight can meet up with some whales arriving which can hold up the queue all the way at duty free ! I seriously don't feel very welcomed when arriving at MEL, the space is small and cramped, however I agree, while departing, this space has changed considerably and is very nice and airy, they really did try to make the main atrium space very beautiful.

I have worked on MEL renovation project before. Basically MEL was designed in the 60s-70s and there is no match with contemporary airports. Ceiling height is lower and we checked the old plans and they were designed as departure and arrival on the same level and in the old days you can send or greet passengers at the airside. The. Came the international extension in the 80s where you get the square box at the end of the international terminal. Of late, they have even completed another extension. Very much like her cousin in SYD it is just an almagamation of a series of sheds and warehouses.

 

The immigration at arrival has a long ramp of MEL because they are of two different buildings built at different times. Yep it is messy as hell.

[BC Tam 2]

Yep it is messy as hell.

You've come across architectural blueprints for that place too ?!

[alberttky 0]

I think the International Terminal at Perth is a joke. Departing passengers check in at level 1, go up to level 2 to clear immigration and security, go up to level 3 to wait for departure, then walk down 2 stories of steps to board the plane.

[S V Choong 4]

You've come across architectural blueprints for that place too ?!

In the olden days it would have been blue prints but we got the scanned copy of the original building. So it is black and white drawings There was an observation level which has become the current departure level Edited June 11, 2013 by S V Choong

[BC Tam 2]

Heh heh heh, I'm certain it was much easier getting hold of MEL records compared to building plans of place you were comparing with

Heating element must have been a very substantial item of project

Edited June 12, 2013 by BC Tam

[S V Choong 4]

Heh heh heh, I'm certain it was much easier getting hold of MEL records compared to building plans of place you were comparing with

Heating element must have been a very substantial item of project

If you work for the right company or client, you will have access to them. Either that you can check the city archive.

 

Most complicated stuff in any airport building project is actually not the HVAC system, but the baggage handling system. It took out a big chunk of floor area. Not forgetting the scanning and quarantine process (if your baggage is suspicious etc.). These area is often invisible to the travelling public. In KLIA nearly the whole Ground Floor is dedicated to the baggage system. Luckily we don't need to deal with the HVAC nor baggage system . There are mechanical engineers and baggage consultants for these purpose

Edited June 12, 2013 by S V Choong