A glimpse inside Bengaluru’s ‘Terminal in a Garden’ garden

This video shows what we can expect from the new Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru in India.

Conceived by operator Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) as a terminal within a garden, and designed by architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the project’s first phase of construction is scheduled to be completed by March 2021 and is expected to serve 25 million passengers per year.

Every passageway in Terminal 2, which will reach about 255,000m2 (2,744,800ft2) upon the completion of the first planned phase of construction, will connect travelers with nature. Trees, small gardens, and ponds featuring local and exotic species of plants will line the interior. Planted bells will hang from the ceiling at the entrance, check-in, and security. Just beyond these spaces, a large indoor garden featuring rammed-earth walls and waterfalls will provide a gateway into the densely landscaped retail space.

The shopping area will then connect to the gates through Terminal 2’s signature space – a vast, three-story ‘forest belt’ designed to create an immersive, calming outdoor experience for departing and arriving passengers alike. From entrance to concourse, and from arrival gate to baggage claim, all main indoor spaces will display views of the forest belt. The material palette for each of these indoor areas is designed to work in concert with the natural landscape: the walls will be made of brick, the floors will be covered in natural terrazzo, and the ceiling will be finished in engineered bamboo.

Outside Terminal 2, another expansive garden will be arranged around a large lagoon, to provide a nursery for maintaining the terminal’s plant life, while also creating a dramatic visual impression for arriving travelers. Elevated walkways will thread through this outdoor garden, linking a series of public pavilions and connecting to both Terminal 1 and the airport hotel. The lagoon will capture rainwater for reuse in graywater processes, including cooling and irrigation.

The design is inspired by Bengaluru’s history as a ‘Garden City’.

Video courtesy of BIAL and Indian Express Online