Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Terminal 4 Southwest Concourse
Through art, well-orchestrated lighting and expansive halls, a new concourse elevates the airport experience, connecting passengers to the geology and culture of the Sonoran Desert as they move efficiently toward their travel destinations.
Client
City of Phoenix, Arizona Aviation Department
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Markets/Services
Architecture, Building Enclosure Consulting, Energy & Environmental Modeling, LEED, Lighting Design, MEP Engineering, Sustainable Design, Workplace
Size
156,000 GSF
Featured Awards
Engineering News-Record (ENR) Southwest, Best Project, Airport/Transit, 2022
Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), Environmental Achievement Award, 2022
Airport expansions are notoriously tricky affairs, highly active sites with myriad ongoing operations, strict security protocols and substantial public interface. When the City of Phoenix needed to add a concourse at its international airport, it turned to SmithGroup’s team, which had successfully led several other Sky Harbor projects. The scope of work included a new concourse with ticket counters, a security screening checkpoint, connector bridge, baggage carousel expansion, concession halls and 15 gates.
Terminal 4’s new concourse delivers a high level of passenger services and experiences, establishing a strong sense of place through ample exterior views, strategic lighting, regional artwork and design elements evocative of the region’s geology.
Significant stakeholder involvement helped shape the project, with frequent communication, shared document review and a public calendar of weekly meetings.
Designed by SmithGroup in partnership with Corgan, the concourse creates a series of experiences for the travelers. A 400-foot-long piece of art in the terrazzo floor adds to the long tradition of fine art installations in Sky Harbor and the public art requirement by the City of Phoenix. Great halls, with restaurants, retail, clubs and resting places, become nodes of respite and interest along the journey.
Clerestory windows and skylights shaped like crystals infuse the spaces with daylight that shifts naturally throughout the day, adding movement and a connection with the natural world. From the exterior, the skylights form a roofline that echoes the region’s mountains.
Planned opposite an existing concourse in Terminal 4, the new concourse site sat adjacent to an active train line and near public roads, creating planning challenges for construction access, debris removal and security. Baggage handling alone demanded a 5-mile conveyor system, a new screening area and considerable relocation of baggage equipment and staff. In the end, more than 400 feet of tunnels were dug under the construction site. Still the project was completed on time and under budget, ensuring Phoenix continues to provide a superior level of service and experiences to its visitors and residents.