India’s third-busiest airport,
Chennai International is the gateway to India’s southern region. Designed by Gensler, Frederic Schwarz
Architects and the Creative Group, the project comprises a new domestic terminal,
a future international terminal, and a roadway and pedestrian link connecting
all four terminals at the airport. Together, the two new terminals will
increase the airport’s annual volume by 12 million passengers, twice its
current capacity, and offer travelers a modern terminal that is clear and
simple to navigate. A new benchmark in resilient design
for Asian airports, the terminal’s signature curved roof serves to collect
rainwater that is re-used on site, and also allows natural daylight into the
innermost sanctions of the airport. Designed to minimize its impact on the
environment and provide a healthy atmosphere for passengers, the airport is
symbolic of the need for Indian buildings to take a more aggressive approach
toward conserving electricity and water.