The largest single infrastructure project in the region’s history, the new terminal will enhance the air travel experience in and out of Kansas City through accessible and inclusive design.
The new terminal at Kansas City International Airport—designed, planned, and engineered by SOM—is a state-of-the-art travel hub that will transform the existing airport. This one-million-square-foot terminal will embody the region’s emerging identity as a center of technology and innovation. It replaces an existing facility, built in 1972, with a 39-gate complex designed to expand to 50 gates in the future.
Through dozens of community meetings, SOM engaged with residents of Kansas City and its surrounding areas to determine how to create a terminal that would be comfortable, convenient, and welcoming to all. The city issued a resolution calling for the terminal to be “the most accessible in the world,” and SOM planned the terminal to vastly exceed ADA requirements. Every gate desk, check-in position, and info desk is set to a wheelchair-accessible height. An Airplane Simulation Room gives passengers who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with air travel the chance to “test run” in the days before a trip. A “quiet room” provides a refuge for all travelers in need of a calming space. With gender-neutral restrooms, a sensory room for children, and more, the new terminal will make the travel experience welcome to all segments of the public.
The new terminal will feature a fountain that echoes the iconic centerpiece of the city’s 1914 Union Station. The entrance is a grand and transparent space sheltered by a generous overhang, with a glass facade and structurally expressive Y-columns. Retail spaces and two concourses will step down toward a human scale. The rhythmic expression of the steel structural system is balanced by a natural wood inlay, adding warmth and creating inviting spaces for passengers. Outdoor waiting areas will open up to the surrounding natural landscape to offer places for respite.
The terminal emphasizes quick and seamless connections within its compact layout. Walking distances are kept to a minimum, with check-in and security consolidated into one space. A dual-level roadway will separate the vehicular traffic between arrivals and departures, with the terminal’s entrance and passenger-parking facilities located on either side. The entire airport is easily walkable—one of the design’s many sustainability features. The new terminal is targeting LEED Gold certification with a design strategy that brings in ample natural light, maximizes the window-to-wall ratio, and uses natural materials.
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