New Jeddah International Airport Concept

When Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority decided to develop King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, Fast + Epp teamed with architects at Perkins + Will as part of a competition to design a new terminal for the airport’s international and domestic traffic. The design was to be expandable and environmentally sustainable, since increases in the number of connecting flights to major world destinations formed part of Saudi Arabia’s plans to expand its economy.

Our design team’s structural concept included a roof system of concrete blades, supported by steel columns. Each blade consisted of more than 20 custom precast concrete panels of similar shape, approximately 17m long and 3.5m wide. The resulting concept was an easy-to-erect assembly of roof panels and columns. It achieved long spans and a striking architectural aesthetic.

Another design was ultimately selected for construction, and is scheduled for completion in 2018.