Destination: Airports

In honor of fake traveling, I thought it was only appropriate to start out this journey where so many journeys start. Our plane tickets tell us that are destinations are simply airports, but really, none of us sets out on a trip excited to see which airports we will get to spend hours of layover time in. In fact, we all hope to spend as little time as possible at these "destinations." So let me introduce you to a few of my favorite airports that I have found that truly feel as though they could be great design destinations.

Madrid-Barajas

First, check out terminal 4 of the Madrid-Barajas Airport located in Madrid Spain. The unique design of the ceiling is hard to miss at this destination, and I feel that I would not get quite as bored if I had to spend a few hours in a layover here. This terminal was designed by Antonio Lamela and Richard Rogers and was completed in 2004. It is one of the world's largest airport terminals, which I feel is accurately depicted by its pictures.

The waves of the ceiling are bamboo strips that are supported by steel beams.

Singapore

Another of the most unique airports I have found is the Singapore airport. Terminal 3 of this airport caught my attention as it has a wide array of natural plant life as an extensive part of the design. I always appreciate the use of plants in design and the freshness they introduce.

I especially love the Green Wall, which is a 15 foot high, 980 foot span of climbing plants at the baggage collection point. The Green Wall was designed by Tierra Design, which is a Singapore based Landscape Design firm. An interesting feature of this wall is that it helps regulate the internal temperature  of terminal 3 with the occasional misting. 

The airport even has a butterfly garden which is the first of its kind, allowing travelers to experience state of the art architecture, landscape, and garden design. I don't know about you, but I would definitely forget about the worries of traveling if I stopped through a butterfly garden in the middle of an airport!

Here are a few more views of this unique airport.

New Zealand

The last airport I will share with you has not always been called the most beautiful airport terminal, but I think we would all agree that it is definitely one of the most unique out there. This terminal is named "The Rock" and is located in the Wellington Airport in Wellington, New Zealand. From the outside, I would say that it has somewhat of an awkward appearance, especially next to the rest of the existing airport. Inside, the structure is so rigid and uncommon that I as a traveler would forget that I'm even in an airport. I feel as though the volume inside these egg-shaped structures would be such a distinct difference as one gets off or onto a plane, that I'm not sure if it would be a pleasant or a shocking surprise. Regardless of which it would be, it would promise to be a memorable stop on the trip.

"The Rock" from the outside.