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Terminal 3 Airport Frankfurt
Terminal 3 Airport Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Terminal 3 Airport Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Firm
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2025
SIZE
1,000,000 +
TERMINAL 3
One of Europe largest infrastructure projects
Located in the heart of Europe, Terminal 3 in Frankfurt am Main represents the realisation of one of the continent’s largest infrastructure projects. Following the decommissioning of a military airbase, the city and the region were presented with an opportunity to bring this conversion site — roughly the size of Frankfurt’s city centre — back into public use and give it a new identity.
Gateway to the world
The building continues the legacy of the great railway stations: as gateways to the city and to the world, airports today are far more than mere check-in facilities. They are highly complex nexuses of global mobility and, at the same time, places that must provide clear orientation, facilitate movement, and offer a pleasant passenger experience.
The design and choice of materials remain rooted in the architectural character of the city. Clad in light-coloured natural stone, Terminal 3 stands as a timeless addition to Frankfurt’s architectural landmarks — such as the Alte Oper, the Stock Exchange, the central railway station and the university campus — which embody a material tradition long associated with the European city.
Terminal 3 is clearly structured both architecturally and functionally. Check-in, security checks, the marketplace, gates, lounges, and baggage reclaim are located in dis-tinctively designed, interconnected halls that evoke the squares and streets of a city. This spatial organisation provides travellers with a clear sense of orientation. Alongside a palette of natural materials and subdued, warm colours used both inside and out, generous spaces flooded with natural light create a calm atmosphere and invite pass-engers to linger. Expansive glazed façades offer views of airport operations, the skyline of the nearby city centre, and the surrounding region.
The terminal is designed to be both modular and flexible, enabling it to adapt to changing international airport requirements over many decades. This adaptability is reflected in the novel and internationally unique concept of the so-called “Growing Beetle”, deriving its name from the terminal’s beetle-like floor plan.
The “Growing Beetle”
The concept represents a visionary and sustainable approach: as illustrated in the floor plan, the individual functional units are organised to allow each to be extended laterally, independently of the others. This was implemented by incorporating all vertical circulation elements, including stairwells, lifts and shafts, from the initial phase of construction.
The strict separation of technical infrastructure from passenger areas also allows maintenance and repairs to be carried out without interrupting operations. For example, as shown in the section, all air-conditioning and ventilation units are located on a steel bridge above the two piers, allowing them to be repaired or replaced at any time without disrupting the flow of passengers.
One of Europe largest infrastructure projects
Located in the heart of Europe, Terminal 3 in Frankfurt am Main represents the realisation of one of the continent’s largest infrastructure projects. Following the decommissioning of a military airbase, the city and the region were presented with an opportunity to bring this conversion site — roughly the size of Frankfurt’s city centre — back into public use and give it a new identity.
Gateway to the world
The building continues the legacy of the great railway stations: as gateways to the city and to the world, airports today are far more than mere check-in facilities. They are highly complex nexuses of global mobility and, at the same time, places that must provide clear orientation, facilitate movement, and offer a pleasant passenger experience.
The design and choice of materials remain rooted in the architectural character of the city. Clad in light-coloured natural stone, Terminal 3 stands as a timeless addition to Frankfurt’s architectural landmarks — such as the Alte Oper, the Stock Exchange, the central railway station and the university campus — which embody a material tradition long associated with the European city.
Terminal 3 is clearly structured both architecturally and functionally. Check-in, security checks, the marketplace, gates, lounges, and baggage reclaim are located in dis-tinctively designed, interconnected halls that evoke the squares and streets of a city. This spatial organisation provides travellers with a clear sense of orientation. Alongside a palette of natural materials and subdued, warm colours used both inside and out, generous spaces flooded with natural light create a calm atmosphere and invite pass-engers to linger. Expansive glazed façades offer views of airport operations, the skyline of the nearby city centre, and the surrounding region.
The terminal is designed to be both modular and flexible, enabling it to adapt to changing international airport requirements over many decades. This adaptability is reflected in the novel and internationally unique concept of the so-called “Growing Beetle”, deriving its name from the terminal’s beetle-like floor plan.
The “Growing Beetle”
The concept represents a visionary and sustainable approach: as illustrated in the floor plan, the individual functional units are organised to allow each to be extended laterally, independently of the others. This was implemented by incorporating all vertical circulation elements, including stairwells, lifts and shafts, from the initial phase of construction.
The strict separation of technical infrastructure from passenger areas also allows maintenance and repairs to be carried out without interrupting operations. For example, as shown in the section, all air-conditioning and ventilation units are located on a steel bridge above the two piers, allowing them to be repaired or replaced at any time without disrupting the flow of passengers.
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