Image © SOM
The grid of columns and ceiling coffers at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Terminal 2 in Mumbai, India, recalls the intricately carved stone mandapas, or pavilions, of ancient Hindu temples. But everything else about this 4.4-million-square-foot transportation hub, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to serve 40 million travelers per year, is thoroughly modern.