Project Description
London Heathrow is our home hub and we are proud to have been on their consultant’s framework for over 25 years; completing major projects at all of the airport’s terminals, historic and current.
The culmination of this long association is the new Queen’s Terminal that replaces the old terminals 1 and 2 in the central terminal area of the eastern campus. We were appointed at the inception of design work in 2006, we were also retained to design two further phasing projects in 2012 and 2013. We returned to Terminal 2 in 2019 as part of a comprehensive study across all of the terminals for arrivals duty free due to both Brexit and a potential change of EU legislation.
The departure lounge is broadly modelled on Terminal 5 in terms of being on two levels. However, the key difference is that in the Queen’s Terminal transfer passengers are processed directly into the gate level to reduce connect times. The first phase of the Queen’s Terminal has to stand as a coherent entity but also work successfully when the further phases are realised. Critical to the retail planning is the containment of the security comb in its own area so that the shop frontages can be maximised over the two trading levels to create a vibrant retail led atmosphere whilst still retaining a significant view over the apron. The duty free shop captures both originating and transfer departures, and becomes the centre of the commercial area in phase 2 as a walk-through format.
Relatively late in the construction process, we were commissioned to create a fully unique English-inspired departure lounge. Although not all was implemented due to the timescale, we commissioned for the heart of the area a wire-framed London taxi sculpture.
Relatively late on in the construction process, we were commissioned to create a focus to the departure lounge. Although not all was implemented due to the timescale, we commissioned for the heart of the area a wire-framed London taxi complete with the taxi route from the artist’s studio to the terminal etched on the protective glass.
Too often, the arrivals hall is neglected. In the Queens’ Terminal, there is a focused commercial offer directly on leaving the baggage hall that also delivers everything that an arriving passenger will require to travel onwards to their final destination.
“The Queen’s Terminal (T2) at Heathrow Airport may be very close to being my favourite airport. The more I use this magnificent new facility the more I like it.”
Martin Moodie, Publisher, The Moodie Davitt Report
As well as the main processor building, we planned the satellite that has its own dedicated commercial node. In Phase 1, this is accessed from the main terminal via travelators with passengers rising up into its commercial heart. In later phases, there will be an APM creating this link.
