As the largest public works project in Los Angeles’ history, the 1.2 million-square-foot Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) recharged the outdated airport with a convenient, comfortable and forward-looking passenger experience. By creating a design that captures Los Angeles’ diverse culture and welcomes LAX’s soaring growth, the new terminal reinforces the airport’s identity as America’s international travel hub and highlights the city’s prominence as a leading metropolis.

The design blends grand scale with the intimacy of human scale to improve the passenger experience and elevate functionality. Intuitive wayfinding and a rich variety of amenities and immersive experiences redefine the typically complex and stressful airport experience.

Inspired by the region’s greatest attraction – the Pacific Ocean – the terminal’s rhythmic roofline evokes cresting waves and serves as the airport’s defining design feature. The roof forms stretch over column-free structures to create open and expansive interior spaces that create a rationalized programmatic layout of passenger circulation and amenities. To optimize building performance, the wave-like roof reduces solar glare and late afternoon heat from the west and bathes the terminal in natural light from the northeast. Clerestory windows fill the 150,000-square-foot Great Hall with diffused sunlight, reinforcing a connection to nature.

The Great Hall is scaled as a civic piazza. Features reflective of a streetscape – light fixtures, trees, seating arrangements, dining and retail spaces – are organized to reinforce human scale and provide respite for travelers. Mid-century style seating and lounges create intimate, comfortable spaces reminiscent of LA’s best cafes, wine shops, and boutique retail. Deployed as contemporary landmarks, the Integrated Environmental Media Systems (IEMS) display digital content that includes flight information, a Buster Berkeley-themed Glockenspiel clock, and a curated collection of short films that pays homage to LA’s filmmaking heritage and the romance of travel