生而不同：樟宜机场T4航站楼 ——重新定义机场场所营造和旅客体验

贝诺建筑设计公司

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1 T4主入口设有红毯式车行道/Red carpet type carriageway in front of T4 main entrance（摄影/Photo: Owen Raggett）

1 引言

新加坡樟宜机场T4 航站楼自2018 年投入使用以来，为现代机场环境树立最新的全球标杆。

樟宜机场T4 航站楼秉持以人为本、科技创新的超前场所营造理念，以提供优质的旅客体验闻名世界。航站楼将旅客的舒适性与便利性融入设计精髓，重新定义旅客与周围环境的互动方式——广泛采用视觉透明概念，运用自然采光，营造减压的生态环境，引入创新的畅快通行（FAST）系统，以简化旅客的值机、通关、到达和出发等手续办理流程。T4 航站楼更首次尝试穿行式零售体验，汇集80 多家零售与餐饮店铺以及300m 长的中央广场。

航站楼由众多建筑师、工程师与设计师联合完成交付，其中贝诺负责项目的建筑和室内设计的概念设计。机场与外部城市环境之间的边界亦由整个项目团队共同协作进行重新构思设计的。樟宜机场T4 航站楼的设计以地道的新加坡风土人情为根基，与机场所处的这座花园城市形成无缝衔接，同时在各个结点引入与设计主题及当地文化相呼应的细腻元素，营造出无可比拟的身临其境的归属感，成就这座“生而不同”的航站楼。

2 机场发展历程

1970 年代中期，亚太地区航空旅客数量迅速增长。由于新加坡的巴耶利峇机场不堪负荷，且无扩张空间，因此为缓解紧张的航空运力压力，一座新机场在新加坡东部应运而生。新机场选址于日本占领期间所建的空军基地，从填海造地到竣工仅用6年时间，创下了历史性的纪录。1981 年7 月1 日上午7:10，从马来西亚吉隆坡起飞的SQ 101 航班成为第一架降落在新跑道上的飞机。5 个月后，新加坡樟宜机场T1 航站楼正式向公众开放，从而取代了巴耶利峇机场成为新加坡的主要国际机场。

樟宜机场从巴耶利峇机场的问题中总结经验，自第一天起，便恪守效率与灵活性原则。T1 航站楼的设计并未单纯侧重于对整体机场的功能布局，而是旨在营造美观大方的机场环境，在容纳日益增加的客流量的同时确保积极的顾客体验。这一卓有远见的思路为樟宜机场的发展蓝图奠定了基调，也着实影响了后续所有扩建项目的设计理念。

T1 航站楼正式投入运营后，T2 航站楼的建设也拉开了帷幕。1990 年，崭新的T2 航站楼投入运营后，樟宜机场的年旅客数量翻了一番，达到4400 万人次。T2 航站楼面积比T1 大，服务功能相似，包括航班中转、手续办理、零售和餐饮等。与此同时，与T1 航站楼一样，它也沿用了开放式空间、通透的玻璃材料运用和大规模绿植装点等设计元素。

1990 年代中期，樟宜机场启动了一项完善和改造计划，对这两座航站楼进行了大规模翻新扩建和结构加固。2002 年，樟宜机场捷运站投入使用，大大改善了机场与市区间交通的通达便捷性。

随着旅客数量的持续增长，2006 年，樟宜机场集团（CAG）进军低成本航空市场，新建投用了一座廉价航站楼。得益于这座廉价航站楼，樟宜机场进入了行业增长最快的业务领域，每年最多可接待700 万名旅客。与此同时，另一座崭新的T3 航站楼也于2008 年投入使用，至此，樟宜机场主要航站楼的年吞吐总量达到6600 万人次。

到2013 年，经由樟宜机场的旅客数量达到每年5370 万人次，而相比1981 年该机场的旅客数量仅为810 万人次。这一急剧增长表明，亚太地区作为一个整体，已经成为现今世界上增长最快的航空市场之一。2004 年，亚太地区的航空客运量为2.55 亿人次，约占全球市场份额的21%。而到了2014 年，这一数字已翻了两番[1]，专家表示，亚太地区未来20 年的新增客运量将占全球新增客运量的50%以上[2]。据国际航空运输协会（IATA）预测，到2035 年，亚太地区每年新增客运量将达到18 亿人次，整体市场规模达31 亿人次[2]。

在快速意识到这一增长态势之后，樟宜机场集团决定新建一座航站楼来取代其已有的廉价航站楼，扩大客运承载能力，同时满足未来的旅客需求。

“我们看到，廉价航站楼的运营为航空公司带来了两位数的增长”，樟宜机场T4 航站楼项目管理办公室副总裁Poh Li San 表示，“但很快航站楼的吞吐量已经满负荷。我们知道我们真正需要的是一座大得多的航站楼。”[3]

就在此时，新加坡樟宜机场T4 航站楼的建造计划也正在酝酿中。

3 客户设计纲要与项目团队

CAG 以崭新航站楼取代廉价航站楼，希望将其打造成一座符合机场发展愿景与理念、面向未来的体验胜地。与此同时，新加坡总理李显龙公布了名为“星耀樟宜”的项目计划，将打造一座连通机场主要航站楼的全新多层综合体，以此更加吸引八方到访新加坡的旅客、游客及观光客们惠顾此地。

为实现对T4 航站楼的愿景期望，CAG 提供了一份富有挑战性的设计任务书。在运营层面上，CAG 希望建成一座富有商业潜力的大型现代化航站楼，年均吞吐能力可达1600 万人次，并能灵活应对不断增长的客流量；而在体验层面上，T4 航站楼需要具有鲜明个性，并且独一无二。

CAG 认为，不同于冰冷乏味的传统机场结构，崭新的航站楼应当“活力隽永，妙趣横生，精彩纷呈”。这一切的高品质追求源于樟宜的不变理念——提供热情周到的服务、舒适贴心的感受和多姿多彩的体验，最重要的是，创造令人愉悦的顾客体验。樟宜机场T4 航站楼势必将成为一座面向未来的“精品航站楼”。它必须将细腻的新加坡地方元素与技术创新相结合，打造出一座根植于新加坡文化的现代化高端航站楼。鉴于此，设计思路应当以“永恒经典”为基本框架，辅以“清晰和通透”“灵活性和适应性”等设计前提。

贝诺受邀参与方案竞标，并提出一系列前沿设计方案，倡导以人为本的设计思路，以满足CAG的运营、体验及商业需求。本项目很大程度上取决于竞标公司在商业零售、综合体开发和以消费者为核心营造城市环境方面的丰富经验。经过一番严格遴选，2012 年，樟宜机场委托贝诺承担T4 航站楼建筑和室内设计方案设计工作。这一结果让贝诺的每个人都为之欢欣鼓舞，充满期待。

贝诺与SAA（负责建筑与合同管理）、Aecom（负责结构工程）、Beca（负责MEP 机电暖通和IT工程科技）、Ignesis（负责消防工程）、Lichtvision（负责照明设计）和ICN（负责景观设计）联合完成了这项宏大的工程。该项目汇集多方行业专家们的协同合作，凝聚各自领域丰富的专业知识及实战经验，秉承共同的目标与愿景，实现这一具有革命性的，屡获殊荣的航站楼得以最终落地。

4 场所营造

CAG 认为T4 航站楼的关键设计目标之一是唤起一种身临其境的归属感。因此，贝诺以当地的风土人情作为概念设计的核心。例如，在航站楼建筑中融入兰花（新加坡国花）的设计元素，67个花瓣状的天窗悬浮在中央广场上，为航站楼增添了精美雅致的气息。整座航站楼总建筑面积约225,000m2，地毯、接触点和陈设上也零星散布着兰花图案装饰，同时，大量运用生态元素，引入50多万株室内绿植和树木，将航站楼与新加坡郁郁葱葱的园林景观融为一体。

在此基础上，重点突出通透性，使旅客能够将机场周围环境尽收眼底，沉浸在清新的城市绿化中。贝诺新加坡工作室负责人特伦斯·西恩解释道： “我们意在模糊机场与城市的边界，建立并保持机场与新加坡城市风貌的长久视觉联系。这一切旨在向来往旅客传达深厚的狮城环境和文化底蕴。新加坡是一座花园城市，因此我们想让T4 航站楼看起来更像一座自然生态展馆。航站楼绿植林立，在这里，你或是在林荫道下穿行，或是俯瞰生机勃勃的成排树木，不管在哪一层，都不会缺少绿色，因为绿色是设计主色调，用以强化各个结点与‘花园’的联系。这些生态元素不仅将新加坡葱郁的城市景观‘搬’进了航站楼，还有助于缓解压力，提升幸福感。”

机场正逐步成为所服务城市的有机组成部分，T4 航站楼的这些建设内容与航空业的增长趋势步调一致。这种趋势促进了城市公共空间与航空建筑空间之间富有主题特征的相互作用，使机场和城市超越传统关系，让机场不仅是城市的交通运输系统，而城市也不再只是机场的进场通道。这一趋势最重要的促成原因在于，机场作为关键的公共接口，能够显著增强旅客对城市的认知，从而提升本土品牌价值、品牌信誉和品牌形象。另一座地区机场香港国际机场很快就把握到这一点。香港机场管理局行政总裁林天福表示：“香港国际机场是来港旅客的第一个也是最后一个接触点，它体现了香港人的价值观，机场的高效和活力是香港和港人的骄傲。”[4]

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2 T4航站楼设计竞赛第一阶段设计方案/Concept design of T4 Competition Stage 1（图片来源/Sources: Benoy Limited）

CAG 也有着同样的敏锐度，自一开始便运用樟宜机场的品牌形象来反映和强化新加坡品牌的出众

个性与优异品质。为了加深T4 航站楼与狮城的共生关系，贝诺在航站楼的建筑设计中糅合了多种文化元素。例如，T4 航站楼主要特色之一的传统文化区，汇集了新加坡的老式传统零售和餐饮店铺，一排门头设计具有本土娘惹文化建筑风格的商铺在这里出售传统美食、当地特产和商品。店铺门头及外立面装饰生动讲述了中国巴洛克风格和新加坡折衷主义建筑的演变历程，与航站楼另一端的现代零售商店形成鲜明对比。店屋外还有2 块10m 宽的数字屏幕，播放6 分钟的音乐剧《娘惹之恋》，“让游客得以一窥1930 年代新加坡的百姓生活”[5]。

如此一来，樟宜机场T4 航站楼为旅客提供了视觉和体验的双重享受，成就机场自身的独特吸引力，与比邻的“星耀樟宜”项目相映成趣。星耀樟宜由萨夫迪建筑事务所主创设计，贝诺负责室内设计、商业零售和航空设施规划，该项目137,000m2的体量中不仅包含商业零售、餐饮和休闲空间，更设有一片生机勃勃的热带雨林、星空花园和全球最大的室内瀑布。T4 航站楼和星耀樟宜目前均处于行业发展的最前沿，从实用主义和功能主义转向对空间美学的追求，为到访的旅客和观光客呈献赏心悦目的体验。

5 旅客体验

过去，民航当局主要从运营的角度来看待机场资产的价值——旅客到达机场，上飞机，而后离开。旅客被“聚集”到一起，漠然地办理值机手续并通过安检，其舒适性或便捷性却鲜少被考虑，更无从谈及他们对空间与场所的体验了。

然而，近年来，情况已有所不同。正如贝诺环球董事特雷弗·维维安所说：“从在机场航站楼内度过的时间来看，乘客开始变得越来越重要。事实上，如今奉行的是‘乘客至上’的理念。机场的功能不再单一，人们想要的更多，也期许更多，有时候，他们甚至都不需要离开机场，因为他们的需求都能得到十分有效的满足。”

在所谓的“机场城市化进程”中，机场周边的土地如今常被建设为酒店、写字楼和商业零售中心，让人们能够无需前往城中心，就能会面、工作和购物。最符合人们期待的新机场以丰富的旅客体验为出发点，提供一应俱全的零售、快闪、餐饮和休闲选择，或是像樟宜机场T4 航站楼一般，充分运用艺术、设计和多媒体元素来营造视觉效果惊艳的内部环境，帮助分散旅客注意力以消磨时间。

确实，樟宜机场T4 航站楼是提升旅客体验的一个缩影。CAG 自始至终都将到达机场的每一位来客视为尊贵的顾客和贵宾，将他们的舒适、放松和快乐视为重中之重。

“航站楼内的一切就是要营造出一种顺畅愉快的乘客体验，”维维安如此表示，“每当你预定好一趟航班，都会由此催生出一条应力线。当人们通过安检，办理登机时，这条应力线便会一路攀升。我们的设计旨在利用我们在零售、公共空间和人员流动方面的专业知识，让乘客在出发前能够更加悠闲地行进，从而压低这条应力线。”

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3 行李传输带区域/Baggage claim hall（摄影/Photo: Jim Stephenson）

在樟宜机场T4 航站楼，这条应力线几乎不存在。航站楼入口处设有红毯式车行道，热情欢迎到达樟宜机场的旅客。旅客进入主出发厅后在自助值机亭和自助行李托运处办理自动值机及行李托运。不过，这并不是一堵冷冰冰、硬邦邦的科技墙。特伦斯·西恩解释说：“在自助值机设备的设计中，我们确保这些关键点位拥有充足的空间和展示面。自助值机设备全都面朝旅客，呈柔软的曲线构造，宛如一位热情而亲切的主人在等待你的到来。FAST系统的操作也非常简单直观，乘客只需扫描护照，打印登机牌，贴上行李牌就可以。即使是不熟悉科技应用的旅客也能够轻松操作。FAST 可以帮助旅客快速通行，无需排队或等待。”

通关同样毫不费力。旅客只需在自助通关闸门扫描护照，通过面部和指纹识别确认身份就能快速顺利通关。这确保旅客在樟宜机场T4 航站楼能够享受快速、便捷而灵活的登机体验。

旅客进入安检区后有各类可以分散注意力的设施，帮助缓解旅客的压力感。正如西恩所说： “为了缓解旅客在安检时常会出现的无聊和焦虑感，我们引入了巨大的交互式LED 屏幕和显示器——樟宜奇迹墙。这些趣味元素和美妙时刻，以及周围的宽阔空间和自然光线，能够帮助旅客真正放松下来。一切的出发点都是为了让人们沉浸其中，感到舒适而平静。让旅客的手续办理流程轻松有趣是一项重点内容。”

通过安检后，旅客进入航站楼绿树成荫的零售通道，这里同样充分运用了空间、灯光和绿植来优化旅客体验。零售商店一路延伸至中央圆顶，与柔和的建筑边界和曲线元素相拥交汇。这些优雅设计在不知不觉中产生引导作用，让旅客在浏览、购物和漫步时慢慢地向前移动。

在航站楼的这一位置，开放式的透明美学设计理念令人惊艳，用来分隔陆侧与空侧的传统墙体也被梦幻的玻璃海洋所掩盖。整片场地视线明亮通透，旅客在通过该区域时从很远处就能看见到达的亲友。这也是为了安抚旅客，帮他们放松心情，不会因为看到心爱的人从狭窄拥挤的出境关卡离开而难过，也不会因为找不到路而焦虑。路标指示清晰直观，而且设置得非常自然，以至于旅客有可能会忘记它们的存在。“人们就好像是毫不费力地游走通过了这栋建筑一样。”西恩形容道。

6 非航空性活动及收入

T4 航站楼的非航空特色是其成功旅客体验的基础，同样也是航站楼创收的关键要素。实际上，非航空性收入对于现代机场的财务可持续性至关重要。据2017 年国际机场理事会（ACI）的经济报告显示，全球机场收入中约有40%来自购物和餐饮等活动[6]。而ACI 于2019 年3 月发布的报告也再次确认了这些收入来源对于全球机场的重要意义。

樟宜机场T4 航站楼设有种类丰富的零售和餐饮店铺。免税区配备独特的“零售娱乐”热点，人们可以在这里小酌一杯鸡尾酒或是威士忌，而综合销售点系统让旅客可以在任一收银台为化妆品或酒类结账。此外还汇聚有6 家双层高端品牌店铺，同时共计80 多家零售商店和餐厅可供选择。

然而，樟宜机场对体验式零售的追求有别于传统惯例。财务目标和严格的规章制度迫使大多数机场将运营放在首位，但矛盾之处在于，这一传统做法很可能使机场错失商业利益最大化的良机。首先，我们知道，如果旅客因为排队而被动集中，可能会妨碍零售活动。其次，更重要的是，以流程为中心的运营模式忽视了场所营造的重要性。如前所述，合理的场所营造能够改善乘客体验，从而对消费者行为产生积极影响，延长他们的停留时间并增加他们的消费支出。

英国《金融时报》在2018 年的一篇文章中援引DKMA 的一项研究称：“如果旅客对机场感到满意，他们会在机场多花10%的时间，在购物上多花一倍的时间，在零售和免税商品上分别多消费7%和20%”[7]。此篇文章中还引用了Groupe ADP（巴黎戴高乐机场运营方）副首席执行官爱德华·阿克赖特的话：“对零售业而言，糟糕的旅客体验才是更坏的结果。我们坚信，顾客体验的改善有助于改善所有经济模式。”

因为当旅客感到愉快和放松时，当他们被当作贵宾对待时，他们会更愿意逗留、浏览商品和消费（2018 年的一项零售研究表明，顾客停留时间每增加1%，销售额就会增加1.3%[8]）。这是设计美学、旅客体验与商业运营的完美结合，呼应设计理念的核心，帮助樟宜机场T4 航站楼营造视觉上引人注目且商业上可持续的机场环境。这便是贝诺主张的“人性化机场”。

7 人性化机场

“人性化机场”的设计理念基于这样一种信念——能够满足最终用户需求的设计解决方案也能满足客户的需求。通过创建更具吸引力和想象力的机场环境，设计师不仅可以帮助客户增加非航空性收入来源，还可以帮助他们实现远超盈亏底线的永久性价值。

贝诺旨在通过“人性化机场”超越机场设计的界限，打造以乘客为核心、面向未来、盈利可期的机场设计方案。特雷弗·维维安称：“贝诺在星耀樟宜和樟宜机场项目上取得的成功，更广泛地展示了我们的项目实力和深度。我们在航空建筑领域拥有独特优势，通过巧妙的设计和与其他建筑事务所的配合，能够把机场变成一个更加个性化、充满乐趣和更具商业潜力的所在。我们以多元化的优质零售和餐饮体验，对乘客需求作出直接回应。此外，我们还着力营造全方位的乘客体验，充分考虑主要的换乘区域、交通流线和标识导识，希望能找到加强品牌宣传和实现利益相关者商业价值的机会。”

“人性化机场”涵盖一系列主要原则，例如商业总体规划、航站楼设计和机场重新定位，以及许多微妙的细节之处，例如亲近自然、身心健康和数字化关系。严谨的数据分析为该项目各个方面提供支持，可以深入了解旅客的人口特征和流动轨迹。贝诺团队对旅客的登机手续办理流程进行详细评估，以确保其设计能够符合旅客的个人情况、需求及期待，从而打造出像樟宜机场T4 航站楼一样，能够在多个层面上优化旅客体验的解决方案。

8 环境标准及环保成效

樟宜机场T4 航站楼也是可持续机场设计的创新典范。CAG 在整个樟宜机场实施了一系列可持续发展计划，包括水资源节约、废物管理和减少碳排放。樟宜机场符合新加坡的绿色建筑标志标准要求，而T4 航站楼更取得了绿色建筑标志超金奖。

T4 航站楼采用高性能的建筑围护结构，随处可见的玻璃和天窗元素使光线能够最大限度地透入，从而减少日间的人工照明需求。在低峰时段公共区域、洗手间、到达和出发通道的灯光会调暗，日落后使用LED 灯作为航站楼内部照明。这些举措有助于减少能源耗费和运营成本支出，符合新加坡绿色建筑委员会的要求标准。

通过精密的能源管理系统，CAG 可以监测整个航站楼的能耗情况，并根据详细的数据分析，确定T4 航站楼的能耗趋势，以采取相应措施提高能源利用效率[9]。

水资源管理还包括对T4航站楼空调机组（AHU）冷凝水的回收利用。冷凝水被收集在储水罐内后用于灌溉航站楼内的绿植和树木[9]。同时，这些生态元素也有助于营造身临其境的归属感和幸福感，对航站楼的长期可持续发展至关重要。此外，新型管件、泄露检测和雨水收集系统也确保了整体用水效率。

9 技术创新

CAG 希望T4 航站楼能够在不影响旅客体验的前提下，采用最新的智能技术，以提高效能和服务表现。如前所述，借助畅快通行（FAST）系统技术，旅客可以顺利完成自助值机、自助行李托运及自助通关，免去人工验证，从而缩短排队时间。出发离境时，自动登机门会通过面部识别复核旅客身份。

樟宜机场T4 航站楼还采用了先进的集中式安检系统技术。此外，樟宜机场首次在T4 航站楼采用了100%计算机断层扫描X 光机来扫描旅客的随身行李。通过使用带有自动威胁检测功能的3D 包成像技术，乘客无需从包中取出笔记本电脑、平板电脑和其他电子设备，就可以通过安检，提高了登机手续的办理效率以及旅客的流动速度。

安检过程中，托盘会自动回到扫描带起始位置，从而让安检处工作人员有更多时间关注来往旅客。非干预式人体扫描仪可以精确定位金属和非金属物体，这意味着只有必要情况下才需要进行干预检查。

创新和自动化技术在T4 航站楼内得到了重点推进，甚至航站楼的清洁和维护系统也在受益范围内，这使得CAG 能够更有针对性地利用该技术改进以人为本的服务，催生出色的运营成果。

10 持续改进及未来重点

尽管樟宜机场T4 航站楼自2018 年投入使用后已屡获殊荣，但CAG 仍在不断创新，不断赋予优质服务以新的内涵。CAG 并未止步于既得荣誉，而是始终探寻如何从社会、经济和环境的角度提升航站楼的运营表现，以及如何持续提供品质卓越的旅客体验。正如西恩总结所说：“T4 航站楼项目的成功得益于客户不断进取的愿景和承诺。CAG 深知实体设计的重要性，同时也对细节和舒适度洞察犀利。在我看来，CAG 对细节有着近乎偏执的追求，总是力图确保每一项最终特性都经过测试和验证，以在最大限度上为最终用户提供优质体验。对我来说，这是CAG/樟宜机场T4航站楼服务理念和工作方式的最佳体现。他们将从航站楼一端到另一端的来往旅客视为真正的重要顾客，当作一切工作的核心。”

随着CAG 着手实施樟宜国际机场T5 航站楼的发展计划，这一工作方式将会是未来的成功基石。为进一步提升机场容量以应对预期的旅客数量增长，T5 航站楼将被建设成为全球最大的机场航站楼之一。该航站楼计划于2030-2040 年间完工，预计耗资100 亿美元，初始吞吐量为每年5000 万名旅客。在如此大规模的项目中，CAG 将一如既往坚持以人为本。无论该项目的规模和雄心如何，无论预测客流量和容量如何，有一点是肯定的：展望未来，旅客体验始终都是樟宜机场的“心脏”和“灵魂”所在。

1 Introduction

Since opening in 2018, Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4 (T4) has set a new global benchmark for modern airport environments. In just two years, it has won a Prix Versailles and Singapore Good Design Mark, a Green Mark Gold Plus Award for environmental performance, Design of the Year at the 2018 President's Design Awards, and the Public Service Interior Award at the 2018 Asia Pacific Property Awards. It has also received multiple five-star ratings from Skytrax, while Changi Airport overall has been rated Skytrax World's Best Airport - one of the highest accolades in the industry - for seven years running.

Combining stellar place-making with a strong people focus and technological innovation, Changi T4 is renowned for providing a best-in-class passenger experience. With passenger comfort and convenience built into every aspect of the design, the terminal redefines the passenger's interaction with the surrounding environment. It uses extensive visual transparency and natural light, stress-reducing biophilia, and innovative Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) initiatives to ease the passenger journey through check-in, immigration, arrival and departure. Changi T4 also comprises the airport's first-ever walkthrough retail experience, including over 80 retail stores and restaurants and a 300-metre central galleria.

The terminal was delivered by a consortium of architects, engineers and designers, with Benoy providing concept design architecture and interior design. Together, the project team worked to reimagine the boundaries between the airport and its city context. Reflecting the essence and iconography of Singapore in its design, Changi T4 provides a seamless connection with the surrounding Garden City, with thematic and cultural links at every juncture creating a sense of place that is second to none - in every respect, "a terminal like no other".

2 The Growth of an Airport

The mid-1970s was a period of increasing airpassenger demand in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. With Singapore's Paya Lebar Airport struggling to cope with passenger numbers, and with no room for expansion, work began on a new airport on the eastern edge of the city. Located on the site of an existing airbase constructed during the Japanese occupation, the new airport was built in record time, with just six years between land reclamation and completion. At 7:10 am on 1 July 1981, flight SQ 101 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, became the first plane to touch down on the new runway. Five months later, Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 (T1) officially opened to the public, replacing Paya Lebar as Singapore's main international airport.

With lessons learned from its predecessor's capacity issues, from day one Changi Airport embraced the principles of efficiency and flexibility. Eschewing the functional approach to airport design, Terminal 1 was conceived with the aim of creating an aesthetic airport environment which could not only flex to accommodate increasing footfall, but provide a positive customer experience as well. In this way, a visionary blueprint was set which would shape the design of all future expansion projects at Changi.

With T1 open for business, work began on Terminal 2 (T2). The new terminal opened in 1990, doubling Changi's passenger capacity to 44 million a year. Larger than T1, T2 provided similar services, including passenger transit and transactions, retail, food and beverage. It also followed T1's design template of open space, glass and greenery.

In the mid-1990s, the airport embarked on a programme of improvements and modifications, with extensive refurbishments and structural additions carried out at both terminals. Then, in 2002, the opening of Changi Airport MRT Station signif icantly improved transport access to and from the city.

As passenger numbers continued to rise, in 2006 Changi expanded into the low-cost airline market, opening its Budget Terminal. The Budget Terminal enabled Changi to tap into the industry's fastest-growing segment, with capacity to cater for up to seven million passengers a year. Meanwhile, another new terminal, Terminal 3 (T3) opened in 2008, taking the collective annual handling capacity of the airport's main terminals to 66 million.

By 2013, passenger numbers through Changi reached 53.7 million a year, compared to 8.1 million in 1981. This steep increase is ref lective of the APAC region as a whole, which today is one of the fastestgrowing aviation markets in the world. In 2004, the region accounted for just 255 million airline passengers, about 21% of the global market share. By 2014, numbers had more than quadrupled[1], with experts suggesting the region will account for more than half of new passenger traffic globally over the next two decades[2]. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), by 2035 an additional 1.8 billion annual passengers will be transported to, from and within Asia Pacif ic, creating an overall market size of 3.1 billion[2].

Quick to perceive this upward trajectory, Changi Airport Group (CAG) decided that another terminal was needed to replace its budget facility, thereby expanding capacity to meet future footfall and passenger demand.

"We were seeing double-digit growth from the airlines operating at the Budget Terminal," says Poh Li San, Vice President of Changi T4's Programme Management Office. "But this was eating up the terminal's capacity very quickly. We knew we really needed a much bigger terminal."[3]

The plan to build Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4 was underway.

3 Client Brief and Project Team

By replacing the Budget Terminal with a new terminal building, CAG saw an opportunity to create a more experiential and future-focused facility that aligned with the airport's vision and ethos. At the same time, Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, unveiled plans to create a new, multilevel complex, named Project Jewel, to connect the airport's main terminals and provide a dazzling modern attraction for passengers, tourists and visitors.

To achieve their vision for T4, CAG delivered a challenging design brief. At an operational level, the client wanted a large-scale, commercially viable modern airport terminal, with capacity to handle up to 16 million passengers a year, and flexibility to cope with increased numbers over time. But it was at the experiential level that the client sought to distinguish T4 and create a wholly unique terminal building.

Keen to avoid the clinical greyness of typical airport structures, CAG wanted the new terminal to be "vibrant, fun and positively surprising". These qualities link with Changi's philosophy of providing hospitality, comfort and colour - and above all, a pleasurable customer experience. Changi T4 needed to be a "boutique terminal" that was "future-ready". It had to blend social nuance with technological innovation to provide a sophisticated modern terminal rooted in Singaporean culture. In this respect, a "timeless design" was essential, while "clarity and transparency" "flexibility and adaptability" were additional design prerequisites.

Invited to tender, Benoy responded with a series of cutting-edge proposals, promoting a peoplef irst approach designed to meet CAG's operational, experiential and commercial requirements. The work drew heavily on the firm's extensive experience in retail, mixed-use and consumer-centric urban environments. And following a rigorous selection process, in 2012 Benoy was appointed Concept Design Architect and Interior Designer for Changi T4. A result which was met with great excitement, anticipation and delight by everyone at Benoy.

Working as part of a project consortium, Benoy was engaged alongside SAA (architecture and contract administration), Aecom (structural engineering), Beca (MEP and IT), Ignesis (fire engineering), Lichtvision (lighting design), and ICN (landscape design). Together, the team provided a wealth of complementary expertise and experience; a multidisciplinary collaboration of industry leaders, whose vision and partnership would prove vital to delivering this revolutionary, award-winning terminal.

4 Placemaking

One of CAG's key design goals was for T4 to evoke a sense of place. In response, Benoy's concept design took its cues from the local and the vernacular. The orchid, for example, Singapore's national flower, is embedded in the terminal's architecture, with 67 petal-shaped skylights overhanging the central galleria. Multiple orchid motifs are also scattered across carpets, touchpoints and furniture throughout the 225,000m2building. Similarly, the terminal integrates Singapore's rich garden landscape, with extensive use of biophilia, including over 500,000 indoor plants and trees.

The use of transparency and openness was critical to these efforts, enabling passengers to maintain sight of the airport environs and feel connected to the city's urban greenery. As Terence Seah, Head of Benoy's Singapore Studio, explains: "Our aim was to blur the boundaries between the airport and its city context, reflecting, and maintaining constant visual contact with, the essence of Singapore. It is all about articulating an ingrained local context and culture. Singapore is the Garden City, so we wanted T4 to feel like a pavilion that intersects with nature. At different levels of the terminal, you are either surrounded by avenues of plants or looking down on treetops. Green is the dominant colour, reinforcing links to "the garden" at every juncture. And not only do these biophilic elements speak directly to Singapore's verdant cityscape, they also help to reduce stress and promote a sense of wellbeing."

These developments align with a growing trend in aviation, whereby airports are increasingly becoming an organic part of the cities they serve. It is a trend which promotes a thematic interplay between civic and aviation space, with connections being forged between airports and cities which go way beyond access routes and transport links. There are several reasons for this - but most importantly, as a key point of public interface, airports can significantly enhance the perception of place, helping to strengthen local brand values, credentials and identity. This is something another regional airport, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), has been quick to grasp: "As the first and last touch points for visitors to our city", says Airport Authority Hong Kong CEO Fred Lam, "HKIA is a ref lection of Hong Kong people's values, where the airport's efficiency and vibrancy is a great source of pride for Hong Kong and its people."[4]

From the outset, CAG was similarly astute in leveraging Changi's brand identity to both reinforce and reflect Singapore's character and qualities. Indeed, to deepen the symbiosis between T4 and its parent city, Benoy's designs infused multiple cultural elements into the terminal's architecture. For example, one of T4's key features is the Heritage Zone, which draws on Singapore's historical street retail and cuisine. In the Heritage Zone, shophouses replicating Peranakan architecture sell traditional food, local produce and merchandise. In sharp contrast to the modern retail stores at the other end of the terminal, the shophouse façades tell the story of the evolution of Chinese Baroque and Singapore Eclectic architecture. Two 10-metre-wide digital screens also emerge from the shophouse fronts to play a six-minute musical, Peranakan Love Story, "giving travellers a glimpse of life in 1930s Singapore"[5].

In this way, Changi T4, like its adjacent development, Jewel, provides a visual spectacle and experience through which the airport becomes a destination in its own right. Designed by Safdie Architects, with interior design, retail and aviation facility planning by Benoy, Jewel not only comprises 137,000m2of retail, F&B and leisure space, but also includes a live rain forest, canopy park, and the world's largest indoor waterfall. Delighting passengers and visitors alike, both T4 and Jewel currently stand at the forefront of industry efforts to shift from the utilitarian and the functional, to something more aesthetic and magical.

5 The Passenger Experience

In the past, aviation authorities viewed their airport assets from a primarily operational perspective. Passengers arrived, boarded planes, and departed. They were "processed" and "corralled" through check-in and security with little thought for their comfort or convenience - let alone their experience of space and place.

In recent years, however, things have changed. As Trevor Vivian, Benoy's Global Director, remarks: "The passenger has become increasingly important in terms of time spent in airport terminals. In fact, today the passenger is king. People have begun using facilities in different ways; they are wanting and expecting more, and in some cases, they don't even need to leave the airport, so effectively are their needs being met."

In what is termed the "urbanisation of the airport", surrounding land is now often developed to accommodate hotels, offices and retail hubs, enabling people to meet, conduct business or shop without having to travel into city centres. The best new airports are built around an expanded passenger experience that offers a great variety of retail, pop-up, F&B and leisure options - or, like Changi T4, visually stunning interiors that distract, beguile and entertain through art, design and multimedia.

Indeed, Changi T4 is the epitome of the enhanced passenger experience. From the outset, CAG bought into the idea of treating everyone who arrives at the airport as a valued customer and guest - a VIP, almost, whose comfort, relaxation and happiness are paramount.

"Within a terminal, it is all about creating a smooth and enjoyable passenger experience," reflects Trevor. "There is a stress line that starts when you book a flight. It goes up as people pass through security and check-in. Using our expertise in retail, public spaces and people movement, in our designs we aim to reduce that stress line by enabling passengers to move more leisurely towards their departure."

At Changi T4, that stress line is virtually nonexistent. Upon arrival, at the terminal's entrance, passengers receive a red carpet greeting andwelcome. They then enter the main departures area where they are met by the automated check-in and bag drop kiosks. However, this is not a cold, hard wall of technology, on the contrary - as Terence Seah explains: "In the design of the automated check-in facilities, we made sure the space and shape were adequate at those key points. The check-in counters orient towards the passenger. In structure they are curvy and soft; it is like a person, a genial host, receiving you when you arrive. And the FAST (fast and seamless travel) system is so intuitive and simple. Passengers just scan their passport, print their boarding pass, tag their bags, and off they go. It is totally non-scary, even for those passengers who are not comfortable with technology. And FAST means a smooth passenger flow, with no queuing or waiting around."

Immigration is similarly painless. At the automated immigration gate, passengers scan their passport and have their identity confirmed via facial and thumbprint recognition. This ensures speed, convenience and flexibility - hallmarks of the Changi T4 passenger experience.

As they move on to security, passengers are offered a multiplicity of distractions to prevent any feelings of stress, as Seah observes: "To counter the boredom and anxiety passengers often experience at security, we introduced huge interactive LED screens and displays - the Changi Wonder Wall. These diverting elements and moments, along with the surrounding space and light, help to relax passengers. It is all about making people feel comfortable, calm and engaged. Providing entertainment and diversion is a key part of the passenger journey."

From security, passengers move into the terminal's tree-lined retail spine, where the experience is again mediated through a generosity of space, light and greenery. Retail pods jut out into the central cavity, where the soft architectural edges and curves continue. These elegant features help to nudge the passenger on, enabling a gentle flow of people through the building as they browse, shop and stroll.

The aesthetic of openness and transparency really comes into play at this point, with the walls that traditionally separate landside and airside dissolved in a sea of glass and open space. Passengers passing through this zone can see relatives or arrivals from a distance, with clear lines of sight from one side to the other. The effect once again is to relax and reassure the passenger, with no straining to glimpse loved-ones through small exit points, and no wondering how to get from A to B to C. In fact, the wayf inding is so intuitive and seamless, passengers barely notice it - "they almost float through the building", says Seah.

6 Non-Aeronautical Activities and Revenues

While non-aeronautical features underpin the success of the passenger experience at T4, they are also integral to the terminal's revenue generation. Indeed, non-aeronautical revenues are vital to the financial sustainability of the modern airport. According to the 2017 Airports Council International (ACI) Economics Report, internationally about 40% of airport revenue comes from activities such as shopping, eating and drinking[6]. An ACI Report, released in March 2019, reconf irmed the importance of these income streams to airports around the world.

At C hang i T4, the oppor tunities for interaction with retail and F&B outlets are endless. A walkthrough duty-free zone features unique "retailtainment" hotspots, including an interactive cocktail bar and whiskey house. There is an integrated point-of-sale system where passengers can pay for cosmetics or alcohol at any cashier. There is also a cluster of six double-volume façade shops boasting a range of high-end brands - in total, over 80 retail stores and restaurants to choose from.

However, the commitment to experiential retail at Changi is unique. For many airports, financial targets and stringent regulations make operations a priority. Paradoxically, this traditional approach may well prevent developers from maximising commercial opportunities. Firstly, we know that corralling people through multiple queuing systems can act as a disincentive to retail activity. Secondly, and more importantly, the operational model, with its focus on process, neglects the importance of placemaking. And as we have seen above, placemaking improves the passenger experience, which in turn positively inf luences consumer behaviour, leading to increased dwell time and spend.

In an article from 2018, the UK's Financial Times quotes research from DKMA which found that "satisf ied passengers are likely to spend 10% more time at [an] airport, twice as likely to shop and spend 7% and 20% more on retail and duty free respectively"[7]. The same article also cites Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO of Groupe ADP (which runs Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris), who said: "The worse situation for retail is a worse passenger experience…Our conviction is, if we improve customer experience, we will improve all economic models."

Because when passengers are happy and relaxed, when they are treated like valued customers, they are more inclined to linger, browse and transact (according to a 2018 retail study, a 1% uplift in dwell time boosts sales by 1.3%[8]). It is the perfect marriage of aesthetics, experience and commerce. And it goes to the very heart of the design ethos which has helped Changi T4 lead the way in visually compelling and commercially sustainable airport environments. At Benoy, this ethos is known as "airports for people".

7 Airports for People

"Airports for people" is a design philosophy predicated on the belief that, by meeting the needs of the end-user, design solutions also meet the needs of the client. By creating more attractive and imaginative airport environments, not only can designers help clients increase non-aeronautical income streams, they can help them achieve lasting value that goes way beyond the bottom line. 4 兰花元素用于天窗设计及FAST系统/Orchid element used in skylight design and FAST system（摄影/Photo: Owen Raggett）

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Through "airports for people", Benoy aims to push the boundaries of airport design, creating airport solutions that are passenger-focused, futureproofed and profitable. As Trevor Vivian observes: "Our success with Jewel and Changi Airport more broadly demonstrates the strength and depth of our offer. Benoy is uniquely placed in the aviation sector to work alongside architects to make airport spaces more personal, pleasurable and commercially viable. By offering diversity and quality in retail and food, for example, we are responding directly to passenger demand. We are also creating a holistic passenger experience which considers key transition areas, circulation routes and wayf inding, looking foropportunities to strengthen brand representation and deliver commercial value to our stakeholders."

"Air por ts for people" encompasses a range of major disciplines, such as commercial masterplanning, terminal design and airport repositioning, alongside more nuanced specialisms such as biophilia, wellness and digital relationships. In all areas, this work is underpinned by rigorous data analysis which provides a deep understanding of passenger demographics and movements. At Benoy, the team conducts detailed reviews of the passenger journey to ensure designs are calibrated to passenger profiles, needs and expectations, providing solutions which, as at Changi T4, optimise the passenger experience on multiple levels.

8 Environmental Standards and Performance

Changi T4 has also pushed the boundaries of sustainable airport design. Across Changi Airport as a whole, CAG has implemented a range of sustainability initiatives, including water conservation, waste management and carbon emissions reduction. The airport aligns with Singapore's Green Mark standard, with T4 going one better to achieve Green Mark Gold Plus.

With a high-performing building envelope, T4's use of glass and skylights maximises daylight penetration, reducing the need for artif icial lighting by day. Dimmed lighting is used during low-peak periods in the common areas, washrooms, and arrival and departure corridors, while LEDs are deployed after sunset to illuminate the terminal's interior. These measures help to reduce energy usage and operational costs, in line with benchmarks agreed with the Singapore Green Building Council.

A sophisticated Energy Management System also allows CAG to monitor energy consumption in all areas. Via detailed data analytics, CAG identif ies consumption trends across T4, and implements corresponding measures to drive improvements in energy efficiency[9].

Water management, meanwhile, includes the recycling of condensate water from T4's air handling units (AHUs). This water is captured and collected in storage tanks, then used to irrigate the terminal's many indoor plants and trees[9]. In turn, these biophilic elements contribute to a sense of place and wellbeing, which are critical to the longterm sustainability of the terminal. Furthermore, innovative fittings, leak detection and rainwater harvesting ensure water efficiency throughout.

9 Technological Innovation

In the drive for efficiency and excellence, CAG wanted T4 to embrace the very latest smart technology without compromising the passenger experience. As seen earlier, the use of FAST system technology enables passengers to progress smoothly through automated check-in, bag-drop and immigration, removing the need for manual verification and reducing passenger queuing time. The seamless journey continues at departure, where an automated boarding gate cross-checks passengers' identity through facial recognition.

Changi T4 also employs cutting-edge centralised security system technology. It is the first of Changi's terminals to use 100% computed, tomographybased X-ray machines to scan carry-on luggage. And through the use of 3D bag imaging with auto-threat detection capabilities, passengers can pass through security without having to remove laptops, tablets and other electrical devices from their bags. Once again, this measure improves the efficiency and fluidity of passenger movement.

Also at security, automatic tray returns free up staff so they can devote their attention to the passengers passing through. Non-invasive body scanners also locate metallic and non-metallic objects with pinpoint accuracy, meaning that search interventions only occur when absolutely necessary.

Through this focus on innovation and automation - which extends even to the terminal's cleaning and maintenance systems - CAG has expertly leveraged technology to deliver peoplecentric improvements and outcomes.

10 Continuous Improvement & Future Focus

Despite the multiple awards bestowed upon Changi T4 since its launch in 2018, CAG has continued to innovate and push the boundaries of service excellence. Far from resting on its laurels, the group is forever looking at how it can enhance the terminal's performance, from a social, economic and environmental perspective, and how it can continue to deliver a world-class passenger experience. As Terence Seah concludes:

"The success of the T4 project consortium was underpinned by the progressive vision and commitment of the client. This is a client who understands the importance of physical design, but also has a sharp eye for detail and comfort. I would say CAG has an almost obsessive attention to detail, always looking to ensure that every last feature is tried and tested to deliver the best possible experience for the end-user. To me, that sums up the CAG/Changi T4 ethos and approach. It is all about the passenger, who from one end of the T4 journey to the other, is treated like a truly valued customer."

It is an approach which will likely pave way for future success, as CAG begins to implement plans for the development of Changi International Airport Terminal 5 (T5). Commissioned to further enhance the airport's capacity to meet anticipated future growth, T5 is set to be one of the world's biggest airport terminals. With completion scheduled for the 2030s, at an estimated cost of $10 billion, T5 will initially be able to handle up to 50 million passengers a year. But can CAG maintain their people-focus while building on this scale? Undoubtedly. Whatever the scope and ambition of the project, whatever the predicted footfall and volume, one thing is for sure: the passenger experience will remain the beating heart and soul of Changi Airport long into the future.