the airport the gateway to East and
Southeast Asia, through increased
facilities of immigration. The
integrated building will have
eight immigration counters
for international arrivals and
departures. Keeping in mind
the size of the airport, we have
proposed a travelator to make
the experience comfortable
for passengers. Additionally,
construction of 10 aerobridges and
10 escalators, in the new terminal,
has already begun.’
The Design Element
According to the Design
Forum International (DFI), one of
the design firms working on the
project, the terminal’s appearance
will take inspiration from Icarus,
a mythical flying figure. The firm
further explained that the majestic
centerpiece will be symbolic, and
shall loom over the open space
in the departure section, its arms
outstretched as it reaches out
to the skies. The new terminal
is expected to match GRIHA’s
(Green Rating for Integrated
Habitat Assessment) 4-star rating,
according to the design firm.
The city side of the building
will be aesthetically landscaped
with lush green areas. The
terminal will feature areas with
greenery, both within and outside,
to connect commuters with nature.
A small internal forest feature,
bamboo artefact and a craft village
will also be integrated into the
overall design, highlighting the
rich ethos and culture of the
Northeastern region.
Explaining the design model
of the integrated terminal, DFI
states, ‘The floating form of the
airport will serve as the drop-
off zone. The terminal roof, the
flooring patterns, the theme walls,
and even the signage design are
inspired by the Japanese paper
folding art of Origami. Spaces
have been allocated for artisans to
sit and create local art inside the
airport, encouraging interaction
with visitors.’
‘There will be indoor forests
adding to the design elements.
The visitor will be positioned
within a 90-feet high indoor
rainforest, which will need to be
navigated through, before being
reunited with the luggage. The
Namaskar Atrium is a massive
double-heighted space that will
create a visual experience for the
inbound visitor, with its walls
adorned with the art and craft of
Assam. The walls of the baggage
claim hall will be designed with
Origami aluminium panels that
will derive inspiration from the
hilly terrain of the Northeastern
states. Tea-gardens serving as a
mark of the region will serve as
an inspiration for the landscapedesign, which will be positioned
at the front yard, complete with a
water cascade.’
The central government has
planned to invest `3,500 crore
in the next five years to improve
airports across the Northeast.
Around `600 crore will be spent
on the construction of the new
terminal building at the Guwahati
airport. ‘The construction work for
the integrated terminal has begun
and is going on at full pace. We
are aiming to carve out the new
terminal within the next couple
of years. When complete, the new
90,000 square meters terminal is
expected to transform people’s
perception of the gateway as well
as its operational capabilities,’
stated Airport Director, Ramesh
Kumar.Rush at the entry gate in the present terminal