Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
BLR Airport’s new terminal is an airport terminal unlike any other in the world. Its innovative design offers passengers an immersive and authentic nature-focused experience; the unique flora that occupies the new terminal has been sourced from multiple ecological habitats in India, showcasing the beauty of nature and Karnataka’s culture.
The unique flora that adorns the terminal's interior has been meticulously curated from diverse ecological habitats within India, serving as a captivating tribute to the splendour of nature and Karnataka's vibrant culture. 600-800-year-old trees meet with over 180 rare, endangered and threatened species, all combining to cultivate a thriving ecosystem that embraces both India's heritage and forward-thinking sustainability.
Adding to the garden-like environment is the extensive use of natural materials including bamboo cladding and local natural stone. Lush internal and external gardens punctuate the passenger's journey, with the centrepiece being a breathtaking 10-metre-tall green wall that runs the length and breadth of the terminal adorned with over 450 extraordinary plant species. The planting not only captivates the eye but also contributes to the terminal's environmental conditioning, all nourished by an automated irrigation system fed by harvested rainwater.
Reflecting Bengaluru City's global renown for its picturesque parks and gardens, the new terminal at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru seamlessly encapsulates Karnataka’s rich history and culture. The airport's expansion, executed in two phases, encompasses a staggering 255,645 square meters, poised to accommodate up to 25 million passengers annually.
We had to creatively overcome several sizeable challenges to make the biodiversity-focused vision a reality, including how to create a lush internal landscape whilst accommodating the day to day running of an airport, not least passenger circulation and environmental requirements. These were achieved through the extensive use of innovative hanging planters and green walls. Externally, these challenges included creating an extensive 7ha forest belt that would help to passive cool the spaces around the terminal, manage surface water runoff and deliver a rich, biodiverse forest microclimate.
The project vision sets out an innovative reinvention of the Terminal experience where nature takes centre stage and the landscape supports the project’s ambitious sustainability goals. We want to create a truly memorable passenger experience that captures the spirit of the place and offers a unique and extraordinary garden journey.
A focus was on delivering a project that would resonate with the city of Bengaluru. This extended to local sourcing, celebrating the essence of the city. Collaborations with regional fabricators and suppliers of natural materials such as clay brick and stone lent a distinct richness to the passenger experience while echoing the terminal's sustainable ethos.
We wanted Terminal 2 to be a celebration of the beautiful city it would become a gateway to. Bengaluru has always been known as the Garden City of India, and our goal was to provide our city’s residents and visitors with an experience that feels like a stroll in a park. This is how the idea of ‘Terminal in a Garden’ became the most important of the four design principles of Terminal 2. Guided by this vision, we started working with Grant Associates and other partners to develop the design of a unique 'Terminal in a garden'.
Project Info
- Location:
- Bengaluru
- Client:
- Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL)
- Architects:
- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
- Landscape Architects:
- Grant Associates
- Collaborators:
- Stup Consultants P. Ltd. / Mulvey + Banani / CH2Hill / Arup / Lerch Bates / BNP Associates Inc. / CCI / Brandston Partnership Inc. / Pragma UK / H.&H. Angus & Associates Ltd. / Merson Group / Abujani and Sandeep Khosla / Nipek Pte Ltd / Water Equipment Technology Pte Ltd. / Fountains Direct Ltd.
- Main Contractor:
- Larsen & Toubro
- Photography:
- Sreenag Pictures