As the first major improvement in 25 years, Fentress’ design recharges the outdated LAX International Terminal with a convenient and comfortable passenger experience.
Los Angeles International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the state of California and ranks among the top 10 in the world for total aircraft movements. As the largest international airport on the US’s west coast, LAX is considered the leading gateway between the US and Asia. It is also widely considered an eminent gateway to Latin America, Europe and Oceania with flights to over 75 domestic and 60 international destinations.
The primary objective for the new Tom Bradley International Terminal was to transform America’s worst maligned terminal into a convenient, pleasant and iconic gateway that would be heralded the world over. The solutions devised toward this objective are innumerable and far reaching, and work collectively to:
- establish an LA sense of place,
- elevate the passenger experience,
- generate increased non-airline revenue,
- meet the needs of next generation aircraft, and
- ease the environmental impact of this monumental undertaking.
The Terminal’s new architecture simultaneously captures the vibrant geography and spirit of Los Angeles, while also establishing a new, refreshingly convenient functionality. This vital amalgamation imbues the experience of international travel at LAX with a sense of glamour. Whether arriving at airside or curbside, every element of the journey is carefully crafted to exceed expectations—and not just the expectations of travelers, but also the expectations of airport administrators, facility employees and the community-at-large. The new facility is able to serve 1,700 more travelers per hour than before, which means it can serve a total of 4,500 travelers per hour. Meanwhile the average time it takes to walk from airside to curbside is just 20 minutes despite the Terminal doubling in size.
The flowing roofline of the Terminal was inspired by Pacific Ocean waves breaking on the beach. The voluminous interior, bathed in natural daylight and appointed with a myriad of amenities, is further augmented with the world’s first fully-integrated, multi-feature media environment. This Integrated Environmental Media System consists of seven architecturally integrated media features, which enhance every element of the departure and arrival experience.
Award-Winning Design
- 10 Awe-Inspiring Airports Across the World, ArchDaily, 2021
- Winner (Transport), THE PLAN, 2019
- #8, Best Airports 2019: 70 million + passengers, Skytrax World Airport Awards, 2019
- TRANSPORT: Finalist, Word Architecture News, 2018
- Public Space Design (Finalist), Society of British and International Design, 2018
- World Architecture Festival (Finalist ), 2017
- International Architecture Award, Chicago Athenaeum, 2016
- American Architecture Award, Chicago Athenaeum, 2016
- Best of Show, Society for Experiential Graphic Design, 2014
- Job of the Year, National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association, 2014
- Presidential Award, Building Team of the Year, AIA Los Angeles, 2013
- Best Project (Airports/Transit), Engineering News-Record Magazine, 2013
- Best Experience at the Gate, Future Travel Experience, 2013
- Winner (Under Construction), LA Architecture Awards, 2013
- Gold Award, Commercial Real Estate (Public Project), Los Angeles Business Council, 2013
- Innovation in Structural Engineering, Be Inspired Awards (Bentley), 2012
- Silver Award for “Best Domestic Airport,” Executive Travel Magazine, 2010
- Westside Prize, Westside Urban Forum, 2009
USGBC LEED Gold-Certified
Los Angeles World Airports’ commitment to a healthy environment goes well beyond ensuring its buildings meet code requirements and adhere to environmental policies and guidelines. In fact, upon completion the new Tom Bradley International Terminal was the largest airport in the country to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The list of environmental measures undertaken was extensive and includes:
- More than 75 percent of construction and demolition waste was recycled or salvaged.
- Efficient light fixtures and controls with occupancy sensors were installed throughout the terminal to reduce energy costs and save energy during off-peak hours.
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls were installed to reset temperatures to maximum efficiency without sacrificing occupant comfort.
- High-efficiency fixtures resulted in an estimated 48-percent reduction in water consumption.
- Construction equipment was retrofitted with emission- and noise-reduction devices that were not available at the time of the equipment’s manufacture.
- Concrete mixers among other equipment were maintained on-site in order to reduce the number of trips construction vehicles made on-site.
- Dust control measures were put in place.
- Construction-related deliveries were primarily kept to off-peak traffic hours.
- Concrete and construction material recycling occurred on-site.
