At a time when infrastructure is of utmost importantance to so many communities, FGC affirms that the next generation of designers are capable of envisioning both sustainable and user-friendly solutions.  Entrants were asked to improve upon at least one primary factor influencing airport terminal building design in 2100 such as mobility, urbanization, globalization, technology, flexibility, security, project feasibility, and passenger experience.  As for location, entrants were able to choose between siting the new terminal at an existing airfield—such as at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) or Beijing Capital International (PEK)—or on a yet undeveloped site—such as in Atafu, Tokelau or Canillo, Andorra. 

1st Place

Connecting the World Through Tradition and Technology

Team: Carmina Ferreras and Oluwarotimi Osiberu - North Carolina State University

Ferreras and Osiberu are third-year Master of Architecture students at North Carolina State University.  Ferreras is a former high school math teacher interested in connecting communities through advancements in technology and sustainability.  Oluwarotimi came to United States in 2009 from Nigeria, Africa and is interested in spaces that foster healthy communities. Their entry imagines a new airport in Yokohama, Japan to help alleviate congestion at Tokyo International Airport.  The new hub is designed to serve hypersonic, subsonic, and VTOL flights that will access the furthest corners of the earth.  As a multimodal modal facility, it also incorporates rail systems and boats to fully link land, sea, and air.  Concourses feature vast, traditional gardens and views to marine wildlife.  Walk-though security and facial recognition scan passengers to create a seamless airport experience. An internal tram system helps move passengers and also offers views of gardens and nearby Mt. Fuji.

2nd Place

AILY: Coralifera Airport

Team: Liyang Wang - Yale School of Architecture

Wang, a student at the Yale School of Architecture, imagined an airport located on the northern corner of Atafu, Tokelau. It utilizes a series of sun powered runways that move to accommodate airplane operations.The airport also helps grow and then transplant coral from a nursery to reefs below. Travelers can take part in observing the process, which will help cultivate climate awareness.

3rd Place

Adaptive Antifragile

Team: Tan Gee Yang - Singapore University of Technology and Design

Yang, a student at Singapore University of Technology and Design, chose Singapore Changi Airport as the site. This entry envisions a reconfigureable and dynamic airport that uses data and machine learning to reconfigure itself in response to demand. Passengers, such as business travelers or vacationing families, would be routed in unique directions to fit their specific needs.Reconfigurable pods would accommodate new retail experiences, attractions, and rest areas.

People's Choice Award

The Future Cell

Team: Assem Attia - University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy in Sofia, Bulgaria

Attia’s entry, The Future Cell, captured the most votes on Facebook with its striking parametric form inspired by Voronoi cells. The design integrates trees into the building fabric and envisions planes landing and taking off vertically from a dedicated platform. Conceived as a direct response to society’s evolving expectations, The Future Cell addresses accessibility, climate resilience, and security concerns while balancing the freedom of movement with the uncertainties of a changing world. At its core, the project imagines an airport typology that safeguards an industry vital to jobs, revenue, and cultural exchange..

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The entries were evaluated on five criteria—creative approach and presentation; response to site; sustainability and resiliency; functionality; and innovation and technology—by a a jury of renowned professionals in the field of aviation, which included:

• Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic

• Dan Bartholomew, Airport Director at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport

• Dan Symonds, Editor of Passenger Terminal World 

• David Laielli, Senior Technical Architect for Airport Terminal Buildings at AECOM

• Melvin Price, Associate Principal with Jacobs

• Curt Fentress, Fentress Architects