By Sandhyaa V.
The ‘Airport’… where new adventures begin… where travel dreams take flight!
Most people bounce off the walls as they make their way into an airport and quite understandably so! They go through a confusing bubble of exhilaration right from getting to the airport, hustling their luggage & frantically checking-in, abiding by sweeping security-check procedures, and until finally being able to grab a quick bite to refuel themselves, before boarding the plane.
While airport infrastructure functioning 24x7 is meant to handle and support passengers, visitors, staff and crew members hyper-efficiently, all too well in order pertaining to, arrival and departure schedules without jumble; steady growth in number of fliers and hence air traffic over the last few decades, owing to rise in affordability, increase in connectivity, flexibility & feasibility of flight options, and ever expanding fleet sizes by airlines, is a great cause of immediate worry as a serious threat to the environment.
To keep up with demands, without putting ‘air travelers’ down in the dumps, many airports globally have paved the way forward by ‘going green’ i.e. turning eco-friendly by appreciably shifting over to renewable sources of energy for daily operations.
Further moving a notch higher, is the exuberant impression of ‘garden in an airport’ or vice-versa ‘airport in a garden’!
We are living in a time when Airports are the aura popularis, becoming the ‘pass’ for earning prestige when evaluating the advancement of a nation.
With countries continuously challenging each other in building not just hi-tech digitalized facilities for managing airplanes and passenger flow, but also those which abundantly display high-end innovation, creativity in design, ecological efficiency, intellectual sustainability and reflection of local culture to the hilt; ‘Terminal 2 (T2)’ at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) standing out as one of the world’s best and most beautiful airport, is by no means ordinary, and in fact a matter of overflowing pride not just for Bengalureans but for Indians on the whole.
T2 has been on a roll ever since it opened Phase 1 of its stupendous building to the public.
Primarily designed to compliment Bengaluru’s ‘garden city’ tag, every feature in the airport beginning with the outdoor plaza from where travelers step inside, helps them connect and ‘glide’ along with artful nature decor, to re-energize and calm down with a sense of peace, till they reach the gates.
The most unique aspect about T2 is the eye-catchy ochre-color of ‘engineered bamboo’ used in the construction, which has been aesthetically suffused with dandy green foliage – a sublime combo that works wonders in bewitching passengers whose tired/grim facial expression breaks into a sparky smile in a flash.
Fabricated fire-resistant bamboo for layering and cross-laying ceilings is the first of its kind in the world; a super successful idea due to the structural integrity of bamboo and also effectively filtering in natural light.
The classy ambience phenomenally underscores interior and exterior (hanging & terraced) gardens, rammed-earth walls, 90-meter wide swath of forest-belt, multi-story pavilions connected by bridges, green lagoons, tiered-waterfalls to cool indoors, locally sourced ivory-brown granite, furnishings clad in traditionally woven rattan, and conceptual artworks based on two themes – Karnataka’s rich heritage & culture and Bharata Natyashastra’s (Science of Indian Dance Forms) Naurasa (9 emotions).
Marveling at the novelty and biophilic views of the airport terminal, going bonkers with evocative photography and basking in its redefined luxury is inevitable, while being surrounded by a grand visual feast of tranquil greenery all around the airport campus.
Where Bengaluru KIA’s Terminal 1 was already an over-indulgent experience for travelers in terms of eclectic shopping choices and gourmet dining options, Terminal 2 beats the former by serving as a massive immersive and unforgettable experience for global flyers, where they don’t just rush around; but pause, ponder, relax and interact, both during departures and arrivals.
This is not all… Phase 2 of T2 is in the making with 360-degree view Garden Pavillion and what not?! Will have to wait and see…
The whole idea is to transform airports from simply being a conduit between two destinations, to incorporating expansive green public spaces and atria (preferred by people to spend time with their gadgets or socializing) seamlessly with retail facilities.
KIA’s Terminal 2 modeled to stay ahead of the game for many years to come, is an epitome of a re-imagined elevated ‘travel lifestyle’ that new-age Indians are fast willing to adapt to and revel in.
So be prepared to be lost in the airport, only to be found in a new world!
By Sandhyaa V.
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