Gresham Smith-Designed Terminal Lobby Expansion at CLT is Underway
Gresham Smith announces that Charlotte City Council has approved the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) 370,000-square-foot Terminal Lobby Expansion project. The expanded ticket lobby nearly doubles the size of the current space. Designed by Gresham Smith and partner DAS Architecture, the project is part of the airport’s capital investment program Destination CLT, which supports CLT’s sustained growth and forward-thinking philosophy to position itself as the preferred airport and airline hub for the region.
“The Terminal Lobby Expansion project is a cornerstone of Destination CLT and will support our airport’s growth while maintaining an exceptional passenger experience,” said Jack Christine, COO, Charlotte Douglas International Airport. “Gresham Smith worked collaboratively with us and our stakeholders to understand how to design in a way that was authentic, expressing who we are now as well as where we are going.”
The project expands the terminal lobby to the north to improve the passenger experience by creating additional space for security lanes, ticketing and baggage claim areas, a central energy plant, a basement level for offices and access to the subterranean walkways and an exterior canopy, as well as increased circulation space in the lobby. Demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, the airport is pursuing Green Globe certification. The firm’s sustainable design will drive greater operational efficiencies and cost-savings through energy modeling, high-efficiency equipment in the central energy plant, daylighting controls, LED fixtures, and variable frequency drives on the baggage handling system, among other strategies.
“This project will accommodate the rapid growth CLT has experienced in recent years, which has put a strain on the terminal,” said Wilson Rayfield, AIA, LEED AP, executive vice president, Gresham Smith. “Given our strong presence in Charlotte, we understand the important role CLT plays in the City’s growth as well as how the airport will need to evolve to support that growth. Coupling our extensive aviation experience with our local insight we are designing an airport that puts the passenger first, reflects the community and positions CLT for the future.”
Aiming to provide passengers with the royal treatment, the design marries a sense of place and delight with an emphasis on convenience and comfort to accommodate travelers’ needs. The Queen Charlotte statue is a prominent fixture at the airport and provided inspiration for our design coupled with touches of southern hospitality.
Gresham Smith is leading the architecture, interior design and experiential design and wayfinding for the Terminal Lobby Expansion, which features a canopy and two passenger skybridges that connect the curbside and existing rental car/hourly parking garage. The firm is also providing building commissioning services for the project. Previously, Gresham Smith developed an airport-wide wayfinding master plan and is leading implementation of the new comprehensive signage across the terminal complex.
