FIGURE 3.11 PASSENGER MOVEMENT IN THE LINEAR TERMINAL BUILDING

3.2 LINEARLY CONFIGURED TERMINAL BUILDINGS

Linear buildings are long structures with one side devoted to aircraft and the other faced by roads and parking lots. Designers originally called it the "gate arrival" concept. The idea was that people could arrive at the airport right at their departure gate and walk to their flight through a thin building. (Nuefville & Odoni, 2002)

Figure 3.11 Passenger Movement in the linear terminal building

In a linear arrangement of the building all the airport processes are linearly arranged and are uniformly distributed across the terminal. Upon entry, the passenger can straight up go through all the processes towards their gates. Hence after completing their departure processes the passengers straight away head to their respective gates and hover around in that area to access nearby concessions. So, throughout the time the waiting areas keep occupied and unlike the centralized building, they have constant influx and outflux of passengers. In this case, the passengers are not likely to be constantly seated and preferably would keep themselves occupied here and there from time to time.

Figure 3.12 Passenger density 2-3 hours before departure

Figure 3.13 Passenger density ½ -1 hour before departure

It can be seen from Figure 3.12 Passenger density 2-3 hours before departure and Figure 3.13 Passenger density ½ -1 hour before departure that there is not much difference in the concentration of the passengers in the linear building design.

As the gates and the engagement activities are in proximity the passengers do not have to choose whether to spend their time nearer to the concessions or nearer to the gates. Here, they can easily access both the spaces; enjoy the concessions whilst watching out for their flights. Hence, the occupancy of the waiting area would be throughout time.

3.2.1 FORM BASED CASE STUDIES

3.2.1.1 SIR SEEWOOSAGUR RAMGOOLAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

• Location: Mauritius

• Architect: ADPI Designers & Planners • Project completion: 2013

The structure of the New Airport Terminal is designed after the "Traveller's palm", a tropical plant that grows on Mauritius. The new terminal, which costs US$306 million, is in line with the "Maurice Ile Durable" concept. The terminal covers an area of 57,000 square meters. 4.5 million passengers a year. (WIKIPEDIA, n.d.)

Figure 3.14 SSRIA (CYND, n.d.)

This is an example of the liner type airport terminal. Shaped in form of an arc it has uniformly distributed retail and concession spaces in line of vision from the boarding gates making it easy for the passengers to access the places.

Figure 3.157 Distribution of concessions

Figure 3.16 Waiting Area (SSRIA) (Airport Terminal Operations Limited, n.d.)

3.2.1.2 DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

• Location: Texas

• Architect: HOK

• Project completion: 1974 The airport – which sees more than 69 million passengers every year – is one of the most frequently visited superhub airports in the world. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has

7The base plan has been obtained from (MAURITIUS AIRPORT TAX REFUND PROCEDURE, 2019) and has been modified for research purpose

five terminals and 182 gates. The terminals at DFW are semi-circular and built around the airport's central north-south arterial road.

Figure 3.17 Layout of DFW

DFW is a series of terminals in a similar semi-circular form which makes it easy for distribution of the passengers and spaces within. The distribution of the spaces makes the journey through the terminal more convenient and less stressful as they can see what’s next in the process and are nearer to their respective gates.

4 SURVEY ANALYSIS

A survey of about 100 people was carried out8. The respondents were asked to share their waiting area experience and describe how they would like the waiting area to be and stuff they would like to do while waiting.

The majority of the respondents ended up answering that they found themselves being bored, desperately finding ways to kill their time. The chart shown in Figure 4.1 Chart representing the waiting area experience of the respondents below summarizes the feelings of the respondents about the waiting area space.

Figure 4.1 Chart representing the waiting area experience of the respondents

About 98% of people also suggested upgrading the waiting area spaces. The chart in Figure 4.2 Chart representing respondents views on upgrading the waiting area below sums up the respondent's views on whether or not the waiting area spaces should be more interactive and have the need to change.

8The questionnaire to the survey has been attached at the end of the research in APPENDIX A

Figure 4.2 Chart representing respondents views on upgrading the waiting area

The respondents expressed their views about the activities they would like to be doing and would be glad to accept. While a majority of the respondents wished for a peaceful place where they can pursue their reading or working, many wished to relax on recliner chairs and even take a nap in case of long overlays and flight delays. Very few airports offer this kind of facility for relaxing or napping accessible for normal economic class ticket holders.

People wanted to have a more interactive and lively space. Space where they can engage themselves: from kids to youngsters to elderly people. Different people have different ideas about engaging themselves. Some would enjoy talking to fellow passengers and a good sitting arrangement can be helpful for them. Space shall be designed in a way that encourages interaction and provides a good atmosphere for the same. Some would like to explore the artwork installations, educate themselves with the latest information about their destination. Some wanted to engage themselves in gaming- playing with fellow passengers, and one or two activities for children.

Figure 4.3 Chart representing respondents interest in activities 9

The chart in Figure 4.3 Chart representing respondents interest in activities is the resultant of the responses acquired from the survey. It shows the activities that the respondents solicited and expected themselves to be doing while in the waiting room.

The survey helped in understanding people's opinions about the waiting areas. Understanding people's opinions help in designing a space that the users can enjoy practically rather than just in theory. All the users mostly showed similar opinions about space. With architecture and technology developing continuously, the design should also develop at a similar rate. People still feel uncomfortable and uneasy while using the space rather than relaxing after all the chaos of the airport processes. People refrain from accepting the parallelly arranged uncomfortable seats. Certain airports have developed well but there are still more than 90% of airports that use this typical design of the waiting area. Architecture seems to fails to cater to the demands of the users. Instead of being excited about their journey, the design makes them sick and displeasing. The majority of the respondents had an unsatisfying experience.

Customers, and their needs, have evolved. Adapting to these changes as we develop infrastructure solutions can result in a more efficient and comfortable boarding process. It’s not just a matter of adding more seats in the gate areas. We must consider what type of seats, how many, and do they provide the right solution? Understanding how people arrive at the front

9 This chart is based on the theoretical response of the respondetns and not on pre given options.

door of an airport and how they ideally maneuver through the terminals will influence how we design gate/hold rooms.

5 DESIGN SUGGESTIONS

5.1 DESIGN FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility as a concept can be defined in two ways:

• Flexibility in terms of experience • Flexibility in terms of functionality

5.1.1 FLEXIBILITY IN EXPERIENCE

Offering a different experience to a particular space every time a user visits it can be intriguing. Every time a person visits the same place he leaves with an altogether new experience and making him more interested in the process of visiting.

Say, whydo public spaces and retail and commercial spaces come with decorating and engaging activities during the time of festivities?

The simple answer is, to generate an experience that is new and different from its surroundings. Decorating the spaces during the time of festivities with appropriate cultural context is something which has proved its significance to incline traveler/tourist attention and help uplift the psychology of the users. They help in bringing back life to space. These spaces can be termed multipurpose as they can bend and blend as per the required user experience. A soothing waiting experience could make the passengers flexible about any constraints they might have experienced within the terminal. Experience is influenced by interactions with external factors such as products, people, and the context that the interaction takes place.

Figure 5.1 Munich Airport during Christmas (Noel, 2017)

Designers cannot overlook the human aspect of aviation architecture as the future unfolds. Our end users are not just the Passenger Name Reference on their boarding pass; they are young adults going off to college, grandparents flying in for an annual visit, friends on a thrilling adventure, businesspeople pursuing opportunities, and much more. It is a wonderful responsibility to create a human stage in these cities within cities where people act out so many scenes of their lives.

The focus on the interior elements emphasizes the universality, time passage, variation, adynamic waitingexperience, and a comfortable place to stay and to access the space, with both connected to the important spots as well as getting some privacy (Pasaribu, Arvanda, & Kusuma, 2018). Interior elements are objects in the waiting area that act as the medium between the spaces and the human body (Pasaribu, Arvanda, & Kusuma, 2018).

The interior element, in the waiting area, holds importance in provoking the potentials of a dynamic waiting experience. It helps trigger a continuous cycle between the body movement of passengers, their expectations, time, and provoke the experience of waiting. The adjustable or slight variation of interior elements is a step-in generating inhabitation as an attempt to accommodate a comfortable waiting experience for the body and the state of mind of passengers. The subjective interpretation of time influences the perception of the event itself: time appears to “fly” when one is having a good time, and conversely “crawl” when one is not. (Harrison, 2015)

Rearranging the furnishings, adding different elements on a particularly timely basis can help add a factor of awe to the otherwise dreary space. For example, the gates or the wings of the terminal which are designed to be alike each other can be differentiated from one another in

terms of their interior elements or furnishing layouts or color schemes, etc. The traveler hence can easily differentiate on the basis of employed color scheme and it can offer him a different experience altogether. Human experience can be catered to, even by making a minute amount of difference, and does not necessarily require a substantial amount of alteration to change his temper. Leaving space for opportunities while designing is an important part of the design process. The free and open holdrooms are an opportunity to provide each departing flight with its own collective experience, as well as customizing offerings to individual passengers (Corgan, 2020). The value of experiences lasts past the point of delivery of the experience itself.

5.1.2 FLEXIBILITY IN FUNCTIONALITY

Flexibility in terms of functionality is more like adaptability. Adaptable buildings are designed to adjust to the different functions, defined by various activities. Adaptable architecture also makes room for all the technological innovations that can improve the previous installations of the building. Such as flexible updating in communication, security, other service systems, and allowing changing layouts and functional specifications of the building. An adaptable building can adopt new functions, and accelerate to adjust to fast development, and thus be revitalized in uses and functions. The factors for the same have already been mentioned in chapter 2.3.

With creative planning, a facility doesn’t have to always be what it once was. Functionally flexibility has to do more with management and the designers than it has to do with the user or a traveler. The traveler might not usually feel any significant change as the change in space because to change is due to the change in needs and the case of terminal buildings, it is usually the influx rate of passengers. But space constraints also directly affect the temper of the traveler’s in many ways. Space been too jam-packed or been too empty affects differently on the traveler. Flexibility in functionality means approaches for expansion or contraction of a space or defining a space as a multifunctional space, designing shared use spaces, including buffer spaces, etc. Shared use and multifunctional facilities help in proper planning and effective use of space. These are some general approaches for a flexible design that have been used by the architecture fraternity and might work in this case as well.

5.2 PREVIOUSLY PROPOSEDGENERAL DESIGN STRATEGIES

Until now what researchers have proposed about flexibility has to do with the overall airport layout and planning. Thus, they have proposed design solutions that will help engage flexibility

from the point of view of the entire airport but might not work when broken down into individual partslike asAristotle said“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.This means all the proposed approaches that might work on a larger level may or may not work on a smaller level.

Given below are the solutions proposed by different researchers. The author has tried to establish a relationship of current researches concerned study with the proposed solutions.

5.2.1 SHARED USE FACILITIES

In general, if two or more clients share a space that helps reducing design load is called a shareduse space. Shared use facilities significantly increase the flexibility of a terminal building. de Neufville and Belin proposed a comprehensive guide to design shared and multifunctional facilities.

They discussed specific types of shared-use facilities: holdroom in front of aircraft gates; swing gates between international and domestic operations; and gates at the airport. For example, when peak international and domestic traffic do not coincide, the same boarding and waiting areas can serve both international passengers and domestic passengers at different periods in a day.

As the need for different functions typically peaks at different times, shared and multi-function spaces have the potential to reduce the total space required. For example, a holding room shared by multiple gates typically requires less space than the same number of individual gate hold rooms. An example of which is already being talked about in section 3.1.1.1. Economic efficiency is also a prime motivator for the use of shared-use/ multifunctional facilities in airport terminals.

5.2.2 MOVEABLE/FOLDING PARTITIONS

It is of the most common features of a flexible structure suggested by most of the researchers (Shuchi, 2015) (ACRP-25, 2010). It opens the opportunity of creating spaces to meet the needs of changing passenger volume. This system has already proven its effectiveness in providing flexibility according to functional requirements and hence the importance of this parameter is already established in the world of flexibility. Providing partitions between the seats or segregating/uniting the waiting areas as per the passenger capacity of aircraft and peak hour can be proved very helpful.

Partition walls are a simple, easy, and economical solution for the indulgence of flexibility and proper coherence with the type of building structure as well as the design of space. It can create a great aesthetic impact and add value to space. They can add life to the otherwise open elongated waiting areas. They can be either green walls, timber walls, screen walls, graphic walls, etc according to what suits the design. They can also be designed to be interactive to engage children as well as other passengers. They can help in breaking the line of vision of an endless arrangement of waiting benches. Automatic moveable partitions are also now available which reduces efforts to move the partition manually.

The partitions can also be added for creating an acoustic barrier. The open plans of the airport have very low acoustics control. Partitions thus can also help provide great sound insulations, reducing the noise level efficiently.

5.2.3 LEVEL CHANGES

The volume of passengers to be catered to dictates the necessity of level change; available forecasting models are used to predict growth in passenger volumes and the decision on level change is made at the preliminary design level.

Certain airports have holdrooms extended by creating mezzanine levels to increase the seating capacity. With the help of multi-level boarding bridges, passenger flow can be distributed vertically. One such level change approach can be seen in the Beijing Daxing Airport as talked about in section 3.1.1.2. It aids in cutting down the commotion and can ease in providing variation in seating or zoning for passengers. For example, in the case of Beijing Daxing Airport, the mezzanine floor sitting could be dedicated to the working passengers with appropriate seating and arrangement and the ground seating could be arranged for family travelers in a similar fashion.

5.2.4 MODULARITY

Modular design is characterized by properties such as upgradability, serviceability, flexibility, and so on. It is identified as a key element of a flexible design concept as it creates a building that allows for an incremental expansion process. The modular design combines the advantages of standardization with those of customization. Modularity is especially advantageous when the scale and scope of the project are relatively large.

Queen Alia airport an example of a modular and flexible concept of the terminal that allows for future expansion, ensuring annual growth of 6 percent and increasing capacity from 3 million

to 12.8 million passengers per year by 2030 –the Airport is predestined to be the most important hub for Levant region. To enable seamless expansion over time, each dome of the tessellated roof canopy is a modular, semi-autonomous unit. They branch out from supporting columns like leaves of a desert palm with the geometric pattern applied to each, representing the veins of a leaf.(Bojovic, 2013)

Figure 5.2 Queen Alia Airport (L) (Bojovic, 2013)

Figure 5.3 Modular Domes at Queen Alia Airport(R) (Bojovic, 2013)

Passenger volume certainly affects the size of a terminal, and so built-in ease of expansion is heavily dependent on passenger volumes. As modules are relatively easy to substitute, remove, or add, they represent options that are built into the design of a new product or system. This concept can be helpful in small as well as a larger fragment of design. Airport owners, planners, and managers, however, are uniquely positioned to apply flexible planning methods to specific engineering decisions by employing modularity and multi-functionality.

In the concept of modularity, the one with furniture modularity can be of great use in the case of waiting areas. With the help of modular furniture, it is easy to add or remove seats as per demand. They are flexible enough to arrange according to the choice.

Figure 5.4 New Beam seat by UFL (UFL, 2014)

The arrangement in Figure 5.4 New Beam seat by UFL the connectivity of allowing for a twoway or three-way connection with power and data as standard.

Figure 5.5 (LEY FORM , n.d.)

5.2.5 FUNCTIONALLY NEUTRAL SPACE

In most airports, designers keep some functionally neutral spaces(buffer space) for future alterations. In terms of design, this approach means that space is redeployed and can be used

later on for other requirements. Functionally neutral spaces serve as great flexible elements in operational, tactical, and strategic stages (Shuchi, 2015).

These spaces could be used to accommodate sudden increases in passenger volume due to some unforeseen events or during some emergency. If the future planning of an airport terminal has the provision of functionally neutral areas that can accommodate sudden changes in volumes of passengers, the design of that particular airport can be considered flexible. However, these neutral spaces also have to be planned carefully so that they can be helpful when needed to be put in action. The provision of buffer spaces vaguely can lead to a bad design if they cannot serve their purpose when needed.

5.3 NEW DESIGN STRATEGIES

5.3.1 TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS

Technology across the aviation industry is rapidly evolving and changing the way airports and airlines operate. Technology has given us the potential to make the staid holdrooms that were just to sit and sip a drink before a trip into a resurgence as a destination in itself. The emergence of the Big Data powered by algorithmic and automation may put the promise of architectural flexibility within our reach. Technologies hold the potential of turning the entire passenger experience upsidedown. Designers consider how best to incorporate rapidly advancing technology, such as AI and virtual reality to provide individualized information to passengers on their journey from curbside to gate, and back.

Augmented and virtual reality are becoming mainstream, while machine learning and AI are managing hugely complex sets of data and transforming the potential for people’s living and enhancing their reality. Kay Shorin from Luxury Daily says: “While technological breakthroughs in the last 10 years have had a significant impact on the world of interior design, future innovations are poised to permanently change the relationship between consumers and designers.”XR(Extended Reality) technologies like AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality) and now developing MR(MixedReality) can give passengers the potential to experience destinations before they even get on the plane.

These technologies however enhance a space and its experience. It does not need any design accompaniment to the reality of space. Conversely, certain technologies help create spaces that cater to physical and social well-being through programming, amenities, and zoning. Technology has the power to convert a space into a more interactive and lively. It can easily

bring life to a dull space. Developing technologies contribute to the possibility of new and better constructional and operational strategies. The holdroom can become an experience that breaks down the rigidity of travel, communicating the exhilaration of flight and the adventure of discovering new places.

5.3.2 INTERACTIVE DISPLAY SYSTEM

Certain airports and stores have created their apps for the ease of their passengers. Passengers can order or shop online and get goods and services delivered to them at their gates as they get comfortable. A more advanced way for the same can be achieved by installing touch screen panels.

The touch screen panel could provide the passenger with a variety of food and shopping facility. It becomes easy to update as and when the concessions change if they run out of service or can change per the seasons and festivities. The passenger does not need to install an app every time they visit the airport or wish to travel. The panels can also be used for multiple purposes like exhibiting flight information and updating with destination information and the weather. It can respond to users' requirements intuitively and people can become participants rather than users.

An added advantage of this is that it diminishes the need for concessions to be in proximity to the gates. This can givemore space near the gates for a better arrangement of seats or escalating the capacity of the holdroom.

Similar to the screen for the concessions, there can be a screen for interactive amenities or games for children to engross in. Delivering play areas can take up a lot of space in the holdroom hence cutting down its capacity. Along with the children, it also keeps the tech-savvy passengers magnetized to it.

Figure 5.6 Interactive Display Panel (Glass Tek, n.d.)

Figure 5.7 Interactive Display Panel (Design Buzz, n.d.)

5.3.3 BIOMETRIC SCANNER SYSTEM

Biometrics provides a more secure and convenient way for identity authentication. This process will ideally replace the manual checking of passports nationwide. Face recognition technology replaces the traditional boarding method of showing your passport and ticket. Biometric facial scanning takes the passenger processing from lengthy slow queues to a freeing walk-through experience. Strategically placed cameras will scan passenger's faces, collecting data, and allowing them to enter the boarding bridge without stopping. It makes moving through more affluent and cuts down your time. The incentive of this includes reduced staffing and shorter boarding times — which, of course, is a boon not just for airlines but also for travelers who like the idea of checking in and boarding flights without having to show a boarding pass or ID. It makes the process of boarding faster reducing the queue and clearing the holdrooms faster. It reduces the need to provide additional space for queuing passengers as boarding becomes a seamless experience.

5.3.4 DYNAMIC FAÇADE DISPLAY Glazing viewing the airfield can transform into curtain wall displays that could highlight the streets, attractions, digital landscapes, the latest news, weather, and sports tailored to the intended flight destination. With every changing destination, it can display relative information. Instead of browsing on their devices, this would create a whole new experience and excitement for the passengers for their travel. Thus, every time a passenger visits an airport it can generate a different experience for them depending upon their destination. It forever constant looking infinite linear seats would get a boost and interest more passengers towards it.

Curtain wall displays use transparent OLED screens. This technology has not yet seen a large spectrum of business spheres. But it is considered a good alternative to create a highlight on the glass architecture without detracting from the overall design. It adds style without blocking out light or the view on both sides.

These screens in applications offer the best of both a display screen and a transparent fascia, meaning customers can see through the screen into the airfield, as well as chosen content that is displayed over the top of it. It offers a refreshing and ideal solution for hi-tech environments, dazzling audiences, and spectators with the creative use of such technology. This technology is pretty simple and does not even take much of the space in technical rooms. It is easy to install and operate as well. The capabilities of this technologyare endless, offering a real and effective solution to self-lighting display needs. The visual effect it produces lends itself well to a range of premium or luxury environments the designer desires to deliver.

Figure 5.8 OLED Transparent Screens

5.3.5 FLEXIBLE SEATING ARRANGEMENT

A typical waiting room is stacked by rows of similar-looking seats making them look dull and mundane which makes one feel sick automatically. Different types of travelers have different seating requirements. The variation of seating help passenger to perfectly accommodate their self, according to the phases they are in. In consequence, this waiting area stimulates and maintains the absorption phase of the body and triggers the passenger to successfully board on time voluntarily, without feeling forced neither treated like logistic goods. It means, the comfort of the human body and the state of mind is being taken care of as they board, which indicates the potentials of the waiting area (Pasaribu, Arvanda, & Kusuma, 2018).

• Seats for the elderly: Tired through their entire journey through the terminal the elderly people need to get comfortable during waiting time and board without stress. Elderly people's need for seating is different from that of younger people, they require proper armrest, backrest as well as proper upholstery. • Private seating: It can be for solo or a pair of travelers who require their seats away from the chaos of fellow travelers and spend some time peacefully.Where they can be seated undisturbed

• Family seating: The travelers with family have a different vibe and excitement before boarding. Family type seating arrangement non-linear lets them talk and be more comfortable.

Figure 5.9 Family type seating area(Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Upgrades Departure Gate Experience, 2010)

• Working desk/working pods: For those who wish to continue with their work either occupy a table in the concession spaces and have to place orders to keep the table or the other option lies in engaging the lounges. Keeping an option of working pods that provide acoustic isolation or a general working desk would give travelers an opportunity. Acoustically isolated, luxury pods may be reserved so that passengers can work and recharge while not sacrificing their proximity to the gate.

Figure 5.10Work pod with an acoustic facility (Nafisshahriar, 2014)

• Relaxing chairs/sleeping pods: Long layovers and flight delays often leave flyers frustrated, uncomfortable, and stuck in the waiting area. They often feel the need to take a break and rest comfortably.

Figure 5.11 Individual sleeping pods

Figure 5.12 Variation in waiting are design(An Airport Terminal That Perks you up instead of grinding you down, 2012)

Figure 5.13Reference waiting area design

Figure 5.13 shows how the multiple seating variety can come together and serve as one space. It serves a variety of passengers by providing them with a choice. The variety given in the lounges can be tried to incorporate in holdrooms less expensively and luxuriously. So, even the economy travelers can get seating of their choice. Plus, it makes breaks the visual monotony of the benches and uplifts space with a number of permutations and combinations available for interesting dynamic furniture and tech layouts.

The capacity of each seating to be provided solely would depend on the survey carried out by the respective airport or a particular region. Factors like what type of flyers the airport caters to become the determining factor of the seating design.