Incheon International Airport

Airports have become national landmarks, great civic structures replacing railway stations as pivotal service and business centers, gateways to the nation. But airports must also be perfect instruments, tuned to passenger comfort and operational efficiency. We set out to design a quintessentially Korean airport, echoing the country’s architectural heritage and culture, deploying warm, natural materials, and celebrating nature and garden tradition. The most significant decision in designing the new terminal was the selection of an appropriate organizational diagram for the airport, one that optimized passenger convenience and operational efficiency. We started the design process by favoring the single-building model as suggested in the documents prepared by the airport authority. It became apparent that, due to passenger inconvenience and airfield inefficiencies, this model did not satisfy our fundamental goals of passenger comfort and operational efficiency. As an alternative, our design simplified the organization by concentrating the gates within three pods, served by a main passenger processing terminal, all connected through a series of welcoming gardens by way of a highly efficient intra-airport rapid transit system. The operational diagram for the new Incheon gateway to Korea marks an evolutionary advance in airport environments. By focusing on inherent aspects of human behavior, our design allows a clearer sense of orientation, increases the speed at which passengers reach their gates and planes, decreases walking distances, brings passengers closer to nature, and places passengers closer to amenities and retail outlets. Above all, we have created a more pleasant and comfortable environment—a quintessentially Korean airport.