The new Mickey Leland International Terminal D and West Pier at George Bush Intercontinental Airport consolidates, expands, and modernizes the airport.

Prior to completion, international flights operated from separate terminals with varying levels of service, capacity, and passenger experience. This project established continuity and identity that respects the airport’s modernist design legacy, improves passenger experience from curb-to-gate-to-curb, and embraces the distinctive urban, cultural, and natural environments of Houston.

To achieve this vision, the spirit of Houston was integrated into the design, establishing guiding concepts that shaped the terminal from macro-to-micro scale, down to the smallest details of window placement, materials, and colors. Lighting design was a central focus, improving both thermal performance and passenger experience.

The hot, humid climate and north-south orientation of the concourse required custom daylighting solutions. A central clerestory and light-filtering screen extend through the concourse, mitigating sun glare and creating a signature wayfinding element. Throughout the day, sunlight streams through its copper-colored perforations and angled tabs, creating patterns that recall the shade of a live oak’s canopy.

The west-facing curtain wall features ziggurat-shaped fenestrations that frame views to the outside, while also shielding seating and retail from direct sun. Linear LED fixtures are integrated along the punched openings, individually controlled to transition through a comforting 24-hour color cycle from sunrise to late night that helps balance circadian rhythms.

Four of the six gates are designed to be reconfigured as needed to accommodate six wide-body or ten narrow-body aircraft. International passengers depart their planes into a corridor with open views to the outside, so they can begin acclimating to the time zone immediately upon arrival.

Designed to LEED Silver equivalence, the concourse has a projected 129 EUI, 33% water use savings, and includes responsible material sourcing, and LEED-compliant indoor air quality management measures.