What Makes a Good Concourse
Beyond the list of must haves, a great airport concourse has a je ne sais quoi design factor
Flying through Portland International Airport last August, I was reminded of a conversation I had with Hennebery Eddy Architects Principal Michelle Vo in 2020.
We were speaking about the then soon-to-open extension of Concourse E designed by Hennebery Eddy at the airport, and she mentioned that a concourse is a “hard thing to design.” There there are a lot of aspects to consider, she added.
As I picked up an iced coffee at Stumptown Coffee Roasters that August morning and proceeded to walk down the nearly 1,400 foot pier — the length of nearly 11 Boeing 737-800s lined up nose-to-tail — I took notice of the myriad of elements an architect must take into account when designing a concourse.
What does make a good concourse? Some thoughts, and excerpts from my 2020 story on the extension of Concourse E at PDX for The Points Guy.
A good concourse does a lot. A quick (or not so quick) read through the Airport Passenger Terminal Planning and Design Volume 1: Guidebook published by the U.S. Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) outlines the basics: size, wayfinding, concessions, conveyances, restrooms, gate holdrooms, seating layouts, etc.
Then there are what the guide describes as “intangible” factors; the je ne sais quoi of airport design. They include “the helpfulness and friendliness of staff, ambient noise levels, and the relative level of stress involved in moving through the various processing functions.” These are the elements that separate good airport design from great.
No wonder it’s hard to design a good airport concourse.
Concourses I like typically feature several elements. They are intuitive and easy to traverse; I like to be able to see where I am going without necessarily needing a sign (though well-placed signage is much appreciated, especially in mega-hubs like Atlanta or Denver). They are not cluttered or diversionary; I do not like being routed through a concession or shopping area on my way to the gate (even though I do understand why airports do this). They feature a lot of natural light from panoramic windows (of the planes, please), clerestories, or skylights. And, well, are interesting.
You may note that I do not include concessions. That’s simply because I rarely shop at an airport (I certainly don’t buy luggage there,
). I like a good local coffee shop but I do not expect it, nor do I expect great restaurants though they are always a plus.The airport concourses I like include the western expansion of Terminal 2 at San Diego International Airport by HNTB and Tucker Sadler Architects (opened 2013) with its multiple atria, short but interesting corridors, and panoramic views. Others are concourses E and F in the new Terminal C at New York LaGuardia by Corgan and Gensler where travelers enter on a third-floor mezzanine and drop down to the concourse level below almost midway down its length (though the walk from security to the concourses is lengthy). And Concourse A in the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport by SmithGroup (opened 2002) is a wonderful space with its broad width, panoramic windows and Express Tram wooshing by above.
Did Hennebery Eddy design a good concourse at PDX? They certainly did a lot within the limitations of the project. From the start, they faced the challenges of a footprint constrained by the terminal access road and runway 10L/28R. The new structure also had to integrate with the existing Concourse E designed by ZGF Architects that opened in the early 1990s.
“We quickly realized that this is going to be right adjacent to Airport Way, this is going to form the entryway to the airport,” said Vo in 2020. “This needs to be another big move.”
By “big move,” she meant something remarkable — a slanted wall of south-facing windows reminiscent of the nearby Columbia River Gorge, a north-facing clerestory that brings light into the space, and a panoramic “grand moment” view of Mount Hood for those who make the trek down the pier’s full length. Sadly, PDX has located a concession, and some tables and chairs at the end of Concourse E that take away from that grand moment experience.
One aspect I really love about Concourse E is the fact that concession nodes are purposely spaced about 200 feet apart, the standard length of a city in Portland. Unfortunately, most travelers probably do not pick up on that unique local design element.
As nice as the Concourse E extension is, I wouldn’t put it in the category of “great” concourses. It certainly does everything it needs to do well, no doubt. The local concessions, art, and the updated #PDXCarpet that locals and travelers alike have come to expect from PDX are all there. But it lacks that intangible element, the je ne sais quoi of airport design. And don’t get me started on the awkward zipper where new meets old.
Concourse E at PDX is a good concourse. It’s just not a great one. Thankfully, PDX benefits from plenty of great design, not least the gorgeous new ZGF-designed terminal core that opened in August.
Agree with all you wrote, Ned, especially your point about not being routed through unnecessary diversions (concessions, shopping, etc.). Likewise, I don't like it when airports (and their airline tenants) forsake efficient movement by placing concessions literally in the center of a concourse, especially when moving walkways would be helpful (or are even necessary). United and your EWR terminal C and ORD Terminal 1 C concourse facilities, I'm looking at you. There is a special place in hell for the design of many of LHR's terminals/concourses, especially Terminal 3. Airports also need to keep their concourse equipment in good operating condition, especially restrooms and moving sidewalks. AMS and your constantly out-of-service moving sidewalks, I'm looking at you.
I'd also add that concourses need to be designed not with optimal conditions in mind, but irregular ops. DFW terminals A, B, C, and E offer barely enough room for pax to move about on a good weather, normal operation day. During bad weather, when extensive delays occur, those terminals quickly become almost impossible to navigate. Same at ATL, CLT, DCA, FLL Terminal 3, FRA, IAH, ORD, PBI, many of SFO's concourses, and airside at many of LAX's terminals (I'm sure there are many others).
I enjoyed this one a lot!