Integrated Transportation Centre
Inchon International Airport, Seoul, Korea
1996-2002

Terry Farrell & Partners' transportation centre at Inchon Airport – won in an international competition in 1996 – houses three rail systems (metro, standard train and high-speed train), a bus and coach station and taxi, car rental, hotel and tour-bus pick-up points. The transportation centre also provides for complex parking requirements (passengers, general public, employees, taxis, rental cars and buses). The building played a key role in the transportation facilities at Seoul's 2002 football World Cup.

The airport is constructed on reclaimed land from two islands off the coast of Seoul, marking a strong physical and psychological gateway in and out of the country. A colossal 3 million sq., ft., – a size that easily parallels Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok – Inchon International Airport is one of the largest construction projects in the world, and is an uncompromising symbol of the economic strength of Korea. The country's optimism is reflected in the airport's vast projected capacity of around 50 million passengers per annum: two terminals have been built, with land available for growth.

With the airport sited some distance from Seoul, high-level transport rationalisation was needed. The transportation centre is designed for this purpose. The layout of the building is extremely logical. A large basement had to be excavated for railway lines that needed to be entered from below ground and underground parking was added at the same time, freeing up land in front of the building for a landscaped garden.

The Great Hall was designed as a point of unification between the transport facilities and the airport's two terminals, which fan out to the north and south of TFP's hub structure. Owing to the vast scale and complex usage of the site, TFP concluded that a sculptural architectural landmark was needed to route the facilities and provide a central focus. An aerofoil roof – constructed from white stainless-steel panels and glass – was a form that most clearly symbolised the aspirations of the scheme.

Traditionally, Korean architecture differs somewhat from the architecture of its more recognised Japanese neighbour. Shapes tend to be soft and natural. TFP have sought to infuse these elements within the building, resulting in its soaring, bird-in-flight form. The Great Hall's 180-metre clear spans, recalling the great Victorian railway stations, creates a dramatic window to the airport, with views of arriving and departing aircraft.