Patterned modules of glued laminated timber will make up the diagrid structure of Gelephu International Airport, which architecture studio BIG is designing in southern Bhutan.
Set to open in 2029, the 68,000-square-metre terminal in the town of Gelephu will become the landlocked country’s second international airport.
It is being designed by BIG in a collaboration with aviation engineering firm NACO to accommodate approximately 5.5 million annual passengers by 2065.
Gelephu International Airport will be set against a backdrop of subtropical forests and mountains close to the Bhutan-Indian border and the Paitha River.
This natural landscape was a key reference for the design, with its undulating diagrid structure intended to resemble “a stylized mountain range at a distance”, according to BIG founder Bjarke Ingels.
Meanwhile, intricate woodcarvings depicting dragons will embellish the glulam framework, designed by local craftsman to evoke Kachen – decorative wooden columns in traditional Bhutanese architecture.
“For the Gelephu International Airport, we wanted to create an experience that feels deeply Bhutanese – calm, welcoming, and connected to nature,” said BIG partner Frederik Lyng.
“The airport will provide an outstanding passenger experience, where generous daylit spaces, elements of the Bhutanese landscape, and the intricate carvings of the Bhutanese craftsmen go hand in hand to gently guide the passenger through the terminal.”
Gelephu International Airport forms part of Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) – BIG’s masterplan for “an economic hub” in the town where it will eventually open its own studio. The plan is being developed with engineering firm Arup and consultant Cistri.
The airport is hoped to help accommodate the growth of the town and will utilise a modular glulam structure to enable easy expansion in the future.
“The airport architecture is composed of modular mass timber frames providing flexibility and expandability, resembling a stylized mountain range at a distance,” said Ingels.
“For me personally, this unusual embrace of traditional craft and color is a true testament to how affected I have been by my encounter with Bhutan – the country, its culture, and its people.”
Outside the airport, the arrival plaza will be divided into four zones, each filled with different plants native to forests in the region. Stone paving will run throughout, alongside seating areas and a canopy for shelter.
Greenery will also feature inside the airport, with a range of plant-filled spaces including a courtyard, named the Forest Spine, which will be visible throughout the airport.
This Forest Spine will divide the terminal into two sections – one on the west dedicated to domestic flights and one on the east for international flights.
The carvings that adorn the exterior will continue throughout the interior, illuminated by large windows and skylights hoped to “instill mindfulness into the often-stressful experience of traveling”, BIG said.
Passenger wellbeing will also be prioritised with spaces dedicated to yoga, gong baths, and meditation.
Completing the airport will be photovoltaic roof panels for electricity generation and a “mobility hub” with trams and buses connecting to Gelephu and the rest of Bhutan.
According to BIG, its designs for Gelephu International Airport will be on display in an installation at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. At the exhibition, visitors will be able to see a model of the facade being carved in real time by a Bhutanese artist and by machine.
BIG is an architecture studio founded by Ingels in Copenhagen in 2005. It has studios in New York, Barcelona and London. The studio’s other recent proposals include a hospice in Denmark as “village for life’s final days” and a sculptural opera and ballet theatre in Kosovo.
The renderings are by BIG.
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