The centerpiece of the Indianapolis International Airport project is a four-level terminal being built in the "midfield" area of the present airport, between the two main runways. With direct highway access from Interstate 70, the 1.2-million-square-foot terminal — which replaces the existing terminal built in 1957 — will provide an impressive new gateway to Indiana for millions of air travelers worldwide.

Designed by HOK, the master designer for the new airport, the midfield terminal is a structural steel-framed structure set on concrete with a high-performance glass envelope. The terminal design is dominated by its great, arched roof, which will shelter the glass walls from the sun and collect the sun's illumination through its skylights. The building will include an 82-foot-high ticketing hall, advanced baggage handling and security systems, expanded retail and dining space, and two concourses (concourses A and B) with a total of 40 gates, with provisions for future expansion.

Construction of the midfield terminal began in July 2005, and airport officials say the project is on pace for completion in late 2008.

The heart of the terminal building is Civic Plaza, which features a 200-foot-diameter skylight. According to the Indianapolis Airport Authority, the Civic Plaza is designed to be a central gathering point whose circular shape recalls the shape of the city's central public space, Monument Circle. Although the plaza will serve the necessary functions of both security and concessions, the space is designed to incorporate artwork and provide public event space.

The form of the terminal roof is shaped to create a symbolic threshold to the city and state, emanating from the Civic Plaza. The form is generated by joining the sheltering, centralized shape of an arch with the rise and fall of the building from check-in to departure.

Walking around the site, you notice that the structure is relatively column-free. Incorporating state-of-the-art technology and the latest environmental principles, the design offers lots of natural lighting.

Source: "Touring New Indianapolis Airport," Construction Digest, January 22, 2007, by Tom Hale. Read the story.