In 1930 Le Corbusier wrote: “the beauty of an airport is in the splendour of wide open spaces” and that the most appropriate architecture would emphasise “sky, grass and concrete runways.” But when considering airport design we need to ask “what are airports for?” They are first and foremost a “people hub”: a way to process those passing through - from their cars, trains or taxis - and onto a plane in the quickest, safest and least stressful way possible.

There are several visible ways in which these objectives are achieved, including signage, design of the building (how people can flow through it and how well it is connected with the other transport hubs that feed into it), interior design that soothes and de-stresses visitors and elements to keep visitors occupied – most commonly retail and food outlets. Less obvious but equally critical is the consideration of ergonomics and in particular how people interact with technology within the passenger terminal.

In the 21st Century airport design is experiencing an increasingly exalted status: big name architectural practices now use these buildings to showcase their creativity as well as their problem solving skills in a bold and adventurous way. Some recent examples of award winning and prestigious airport designs include:

• Beijing Terminal 3 by Foster & Partners (the world’s largest airport terminal, expected to serve 50 million passengers a year)
• Heathrow Terminal 5 designed by Richard Rogers Partnership to ultimately handle 35 million passengers a year
• Barajas New Area Terminal (joint venture that was awarded the Stirling Prize in 2006 by Richard Rogers Partnership and Estudio Lamela)

However, while these are the projects that might come to mind when we think of airport design it is worth remembering that the vast majority of airports are not newly created by renowned architects and designers. Most are fifty plus years old and in need of continual up-dating and retro-fitting to try to bring them up to current standards and to cope with the demands of growing passenger volumes, more extreme security and technological needs.

Second only to the people that pass through airports is the prevalence of technology. Whether at the check-in desks; digital signage to direct people; air-traffic control; security features or back-offices (where front of house is kept ticking over) technology is ever present. When the vast majority of our airports were built the technology in place looked very different from the way it does today with bulky CRT screens and cumbersome equipment dominating. Now flat screens are the norm, taking up less space and consuming less energy. By placing a screen on a wall mount much more free-flowing space can be achieved and the visual impact of the technology minimised.

And remember, an airport is a workplace too where often operatives can be carrying out repetitive computer based tasks all day. This is why computer ergonomics must be taken into account in airport design and priority given to providing an ergonomic workstation for back office as well as customer facing staff. In designing an airport a healthy, happy and productive workforce is as critical to its efficient running as the speed of transit and safety of those passing through it.