From infrastructure upgrades to environmental graphics, each addition to this international airport stemming from SOM’s master plan enhances the passenger experience.
As part of Dublin Airport’s ongoing expansion, SOM designed a master plan for the airport and constructed a new 14-stand pier that serves up to 10 million travelers each year. The new pier is linked to a terminal by an elegant, 350-meter elevated walkway that is partially suspended by an 85-meter-long skybridge. The bridge provides passengers a spectacular view of the historic airport, originally built in the 1930s and expanded over the decades.
SOM also created environmental graphics for the new building. Mural-sized portraits of Ireland’s noted writers celebrate the country’s rich literary history and provide a visual diversion for waiting passengers. Each portrait is composed of layers of the writer’s best-known works. The design team worked directly with programmers to create custom software that scales individual characters based on the light and dark areas of the source image. The design is fully integrated with the interior concept by responding to the elongated circulation space. As a result, the graphics seem to change when viewed at different scales.
