Reinforcing Aedas’ strength in the infrastructure sector, two international competition wins to design the Shenzhen Airport Satellite Concourse and Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Third Runway Passenger Building demonstrate Aedas’ growing influence in providing innovative aviation solutions.

The international team, which consists of GDAD as the local design institute/terminal planners, Landrum & Brown as aviation planners and Aedas as Lead Design Architect, has been awarded the design and construction of the new Shenzhen Airport Satellite Concourse in China. Passengers arrive in the heart of the Concourse from the Auto People Mover (APM) station which allows light filled views up to the roof over. The multi-level retail and food & beverage areas provide a rich variety of environments and areas for passengers, guiding them intuitively towards the departure gates. The roof form over, inspired by the gently curving rivers of the region, further reinforces the flow of the passengers through the Concourse. Arriving passengers are orientated to the perimeter of the building allowing them to experience natural diffused daylight as they move toward the APM and onwards to the main terminal.

Again as the Lead Design Architect, along with AECOM as Lead Consultant and Engineer, and OTC as Aviation Planners, Aedas is part of the successful team appointed for the New HKIA Third Runway Passenger Building Design Consultancy. The new 280,000 square-metre building is located directly north of the existing Terminal 1 and south of the new third runway, and is connected back to the expanded Terminal 2 by an underground APM system. The Third Runway Passenger Building, together with the expanded Terminal 2, can serve an additional 30 million passengers annually.

Aedas has extensive knowledge and experience successfully delivering airport facilities, airport master plans, passenger terminal buildings, hotels, retail facilities, cargo handling and logistics buildings and ferry terminals, that meet the needs of airport users, regulatory agencies and the surrounding community. We are currently working on the HKIA Terminal 2 expansion.

Having originally completed the initial Terminal 2 in 2006 as part of the SOM Aedas Joint Venture, Aedas returns to this project as the successful Lead Design Architect, along with a team with AECOM as Lead Consultant and Engineer, and OTC as Aviation Planners, for the new Terminal 2 Expansion Project under the Three-runway System.

The project transforms Terminal 2 into a full processor for Departures and Arrivals with full Baggage Handling Capabilities, growing the building from 100,000 to over 250,000 square metres. Terminal 2 will become a new gateway to the Three-runway System of HKIA and the region. The elegant and dynamic linear curved roof creates the identity and excitement to the Terminal. The responsive linear roof form provides intuitive flow, lightness and varying heights to the functions below, and the large overhang of the linear roof provides shade and shelter for departing passengers. While drawing light down into the heart of the building, the primary portal guides passengers down to the lower immigration floor and onwards to the APM Interchange Station. Natural diffused daylight reaches the APM Interchange station which provides a rail connection from Terminal 2 to the Third Runway Passenger Building. Arriving passengers have view through to the central portal from the baggage reclaim hall, reinforcing the holistic experience of the Terminal. The meeters and greeters hall is a light filled animated space with departing ramps over and views directly up to the linear roof. The project is currently under construction documentation.

Aedas is proud to have been involved in the majority of terminal and concourse projects at HKIA, including the new Midfield Concourse, North Satellite Concourse, SkyPier development, Terminal 1 East Hall expansion, Airport Authority Hong Kong’s headquarters, Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal, Tradeport Logistics Centre, Asia Airfreight Terminal 1 and 2 and DHL Central Asia Hub expansion.

Opening successfully on time, the recently completed Midfield Concourse has been well received by the public. With a floor area of 105,000 square metres, it is distributed over five levels, allowing 20 aircraft parking stands of which 19 are equipped with fixed link bridges, including two Code F(A380) compatible stands and increased the handling capacity of the airport by at least 10 million annually.

Located in a prominent location to the west of Terminal 1, between the two existing runways, the Midfield Concourse represents the airports latest approach to sustainability. The asymmetrical roof profile and the dramatic angled north facing roof lights are all generated to provide optimised environmental performance. The distinctive form is supplemented by intelligent systems including high efficiency water cooled chillers, and over 20,000 LED lights significantly reducing energy consumption. 1,200 square metres of solar panels are incorporated onto the roof harnessing the sun’s renewable energy.

Aedas is the Lead Design Architect, working with Lead Consultant and Engineers Mott Macdonald and Arup Joint Venture, and OTC as Aviation Planners.

The North Satellite Concourse is a stand-alone fully operational passenger concourse with ten bridge-served stands. The airy and spacious concourse is finished with durable materials and incorporates generous seating areas with natural lighting, landscaping, retail, food and beverage outlets, passenger lounges and transfer facilities, ensuring passenger experience through arrivals, departures and transfers process is a continuation of the existing airport facility. A ‘Sky-pod’ housing all the major plants and equipment floats over the dynamic winged roof.

Meanwhile, Aedas' forward-thinking competition design for the Chengdu International Airport was also one of the top shortlisted entries.

With an international team consisting of GDAD as the local design institute/terminal planners, Landrum & Brown as aviation planners, and Aedas as Lead Design Architect, the shortlisted competition team provided a visionary design approach for the new airport to handle this very large volume of passengers safely and efficiently, and to offer world class experience to all passengers. The masterplan reconfigured the location and orientation of the terminals with the goal to achieve better airside operations and flexibility, as well as minimise walking distances within and between the terminals.

Air travel continues to evolve to meet the rising expectations of the global community. Aedas' deep understanding of airport operations allows the practice to create solutions that are functional, efficient, experiential and sustainable. Aedas will continue to build on our reputation and expertise in airport facility design to enhance our foothold in the regional and global market.