Project Description

“Tear up the blueprints.” ADAC’s challenge is simple to state – design the best airport terminal in the world.

We rose to the challenge by creating a retail destination to complement ADAC’s astonishing ambition for Midfield (now Terminal A) – a terminal that blends scale with vision, originality and vibrancy.

Designed to handle 33 million passengers, the terminal incorporates a dramatic 54m-high roof supported by curved organic structural elements. The central departure lounge has over 20,000m2 of commercial space that will host an unrivalled range of luxury stores and a selection of places to eat and drink – from plush restaurants to cool and contemporary juice bars.

With a terminal of such scale, it was crucial to plan and design specialist areas with a defined mix and character; creating ‘worlds’ for visitors to discover and explore, such as Beauty, Luxury, Fashion and Technology; each with its own stories to share with its guests.

Alongside the main departure lounge, the commercial space has also been planned for all other landside and airside areas of the terminal.

AUH

PROJECT

Zayed International Airport, Terminal A

TOTAL AREA

24,000m2

NUMBER OF PASSENGERS

33 million

YEAR OPENED

2024

DESTINATIONS

International & Domestic

CLIENT

ADAC

“The variety of different design challenges that the Midfield Terminal has generated was extraordinary. Dramatic Icon stores, four arcades, retail pods and a flowing sinuous duty free shop are just a few highlights within an incredible structure. The terminal is set to create a benchmark for the rest to follow.”

Robbie Gill, Managing Director, The Design Solution