2019 WAN Awards: Istanbul Airport - Grimshaw, Nordic-Office of Architecture, Haptic Architects, Scott Brownrigg, Fonksiyon / TAM / Kiklop

Istanbul Airport opened in April 2019. With a floor area of 1.4 million sq m and an initial capacity of 90 million passengers per year, it is the largest single terminal under one roof in the world and a heroic feat of design, engineering and construction.

Inspired by the vibrant city of Istanbul, with a modern take on classic Turkish architecture, Istanbul Airport provides an iconic transport-hub for a world-class city, improving connectivity to Istanbul, Turkey and the rest of the world. On completion of future phases, the airport will serve 200 million passengers annually. The new terminal with its huge handling capacity and state-of-the-art facilities are a vital investment for the future of Turkey.

The project has been delivered by a highly collaborative, international architectural team including Concept Architects Grimshaw, Nordic Office of Architecture and Haptic Architects; Design Development Architect and Interior Concept Designer Scott Brownrigg, and Delivery Architects Fonksiyon Mimarlik, Turgut Alton Mimarlik, and Kiklop Design & Engineering. The team have seamlessly brought the concept design to life, delivering a modern, highly functional airport with a unique sense of space. Providing a grand gateway to Turkey, the building has been influenced by the great work of classical Turkish architect, Mimar Sinan.

Passenger experience and wellbeing have been at the heart of the design, human-scale to the building has been addressed through the inclusion of simple, yet elegant forms, coupled with the introduction of extensive green planting and the dramatic use of natural light.