QATAR. Hamad International Airport (HIA) expects to include 11,720sq m of landscaped retail and F&B space as part of the second stage of its development designed to eventually take the hub’s annual capacity to more than 60 million passengers. The airport company released details of the programme on the eve of The Trinity Forum 2019 (30-31 October), which it is hosting alongside sister companies Qatar Airways and Qatar Duty Free.
The two-runway HIA currently processes 30 million passengers per year.
The contemporary retail and dining concepts will form part of a wider multi-dimensional offer of leisure attractions that will integrate a world-class art collection with an environment of lush greenery in one expansive terminal.
Standout features include a spectacular 10,000sq m indoor tropical garden in a central concourse and a 268sq m water feature that will act as a focal point of the project. Details of the plans were presented yesterday to an international audience of real estate investors at Cityscape Qatar, which is taking place until Thursday in Doha. Trinity Forum delegates will discover more at next week’s event.
Two phases of construction
Stage two of Hamad International’s expansion consists of two phases: A and B. Phase A is set to start in early 2020 and will comprise of the central concourse linking concourses D and E. It will increase the airport’s capacity to more than 53 million passengers annually by 2022, the year that Qatar hosts the FIFA World Cup. Phase B will extend concourses D and E and, following completion some time after 2022, annual capacity will reach 60 million passengers.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, said: “The expansion is a vital part of the future success of Qatar Airways Group and, of course, of the country’s preparations to host the 2022 World Cup and beyond. It is also a strong sign that Qatar’s economy is robust and acts as a further economic stimulus.”
HIA Chief Operating Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, added: “Since we started our operations in 2014, it has been our goal to provide passengers with a unique travel experience, keeping their needs as our top priority. The expansion will continue to redefine the airport experience, cementing HIA’s reputation as a destination gateway and critical international hub. Our ultimate aim is to become a destination in our own right, not just a gateway.”
The expansion should seamlessly integrate with the existing terminal to ease flows and minimise distances for connections. HIA – ranked the fourth-best airport in the world and the best airport in the Middle East at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019 – will also deliver 9,000sq m of Al Mourjan lounge space located above the retail area with dramatic views towards the tropical garden. The lounge will include spas, gymnasiums, restaurants and business centres.
A regional first for sustainability
The terminal will be the first in the Middle East & North Africa region to achieve a 4-star Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) rating. The building will also be LEED Silver certified and encompass a number of energy efficiency processes.
Flora for the tropical garden will be sourced from sustainable forests from around the world. Designers have developed a column-free, long-span 85m grid shell roof with performance glass to control and filter the light required for the trees to acclimatise to the terminal environment.
Other key features include a new transfer area to cut connection times and improve the transfer experience as well as a central concourse that can accommodate nine additional wide-body aircraft stands.
A three-level cargo terminal – slated for 2023 – will increase capacity handled to an estimated 3.2 million tons per year. It will have a building footprint of 85,000sq m, but a gross floor area of approximately 323,000sq m.
