First look at Melbourne Airport terminal expansion design
Melbourne Airport has released artist impressions of its expanded international terminal that will extend out into the airport’s current forecourt, following the relocation of pick up and drop off zones beside the terminal earlier this month.
The $4.5 billion expansion of the T2 terminal will see check-in, arrivals and departures areas established on the airport’s forecourt, with the design of the expansion to maximise natural light in the new spaces.
“Demand for travel to and from Melbourne continues to grow and we are building the terminal, airfield and transport facilities we need to support that,” said Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus.
“Having just recorded our busiest September on record, the need for this investment is obvious.”
In September, 3.14 million passengers passed through Melbourne Airport, up 2.5 per cent on the previous year.
“When the terminals works are completed, passengers will have more space at both check-in and baggage claim, with higher ceilings and more natural light, along with five additional gates for airlines and an upgraded lounge and retail offering,” said Argus.
“At the same time we’re building Melbourne Airport’s third runway, which will help reduce flight delays and give airlines the flexibility they need to schedule more flights at the times people want to fly.”
Major timber installation begins for Sunshine Coast Airport
Sunshine Coast Airport is building its terminal expansion with wood as the hero – it will use 30 tonnes of engineered timber to create the first airport terminal of its kind in Australia.
“The timber frames will become one of the most recognisable features of our new terminal, and watching them go in is an exciting sign of the progress being made on this $170 million investment in our region’s future,” said Sunshine Coast Airport’s projects and planning general manager, Robin Mace.
The expansion will nearly double the size of the domestic terminal on the Sunshine Coast and increase the number of gates at the airport from five to seven.
“It’s genuinely rare for an airport to use timber at this scale,” said Matt Findlay, principal and head of aviation for APAC at Populous: Fentress Studios, the architecture firm behind the design of the expansion.
“Most terminals of this size rely on steel and concrete, so committing around 30 tonnes of glulam to the roof structure is a significant statement about the kind of building we wanted to create – one that feels like nowhere else in Australian aviation,” he said.
The terminal expansion is expected to be complete next year.
