Kansai International Airport Terminal

A key feature of the airport’s design is the unobstructed visibility of planes, achieved through uninterrupted sightlines across the open departures level of the Main Terminal Building. This level is covered by a large, clear-span, undulating roof with an asymmetrical form, which stands as the project's most innovative element. The roof’s shape was developed through extensive studies on structural and ventilation requirements conducted with Peter Rice and Tom Barker, Ove Arup’s structural and services engineers. It was designed to allow air to flow naturally from the rear of the building toward the runway side, eliminating the need for suspended air distribution ducts and leaving the vast structure fully exposed.

Beneath the roof, blade-like deflectors serve a dual purpose: they guide the airflow while reflecting natural light from the skylights above. This integration of structure and function enhances both energy efficiency and spatial openness. Adding to the dynamic atmosphere, mobile sculptures by artist Susumu Shingu, affixed to the ceiling, remain in continuous motion, visually demonstrating the movement of air within the terminal.

In the Main terminal Building the geometry of the roof ’s undulating cross-section is formed of a series of arcs of different radii connected at tangent points. Three-dimensional beams spanning 80m follow the cross-sectional asymmetrical form of the roof, supported at their extremities by pairs of inclined columns.The 42 boarding gates are housed within the “wings” of the glider. Their glazed facades address the runway, while their opaque, curved roof sweeps down to turn its back on the distant coastline. The height of the “wings” decreases to the buildings’ extremities, with the roofs following an almost imperceptible curve, just sufficient to ensure the control tower’s lateral line of vision.

26 years after the terminal opened it was still ranked in the top ten airport terminals in the world by Skytrax and Best in the World for Baggage Delivery and World’s Best Airport Staff.