Articulate Design Thinking for Sustainable Airport Environment: A Case Study of Singapore Changi Airport T3

Abstract

Binary thinking to create cities and buildings have been the critical destructive force against nature since they have been dominated by the highest concentration of human activity. Particularly, airport construction has a negative influence on it with pressure regarding the aviation industry’s environmental impact. It is, therefore, definitely crucial to convert binary thinking to articulate thinking for environmentally friendly airport design and the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality. This study aims to find significant implications for sustainable airport design from the critical review of Changi Airport T3. This envisions an articulated design approach by creating the inner spaces to integrate with the groundside landscape, building performance, and green technologies. There are interesting design factors of multidisciplinary thinking in Changi Airport T3. The one is horizontal integration by the green continuation from the exterior nature of the airport groundside to inside the terminal through a series of large transparent surfaces of the building. The interaction is able to positively influence the creation of a new culture and place perception such as an interior park. The other is vertical integration in that the terminal\’s giant green walls and other vegetation communities integrate natural performance and system into the building. The hybrid interior landscape of T3 is enabled by integrating landscape and technologies. The idea of a massive vertical garden is able to be efficiently installed and operated thanks to double-layer cables support system and unique roof concept enabling natural skylight penetration. Thus, the interior landscaping presents a significant and innovative design approach to mingle nature with the building and technology. Building performance is enhanced by the synthetic feedback mechanisms between building, landscape, and technology. As a cyborg concept perceives a synthetic feedback dynamic through systematic integration of mechanical parts and the human body’s natural mechanisms, the cyborg interior concept and design for thorough bio-integration should be further developed with integrative thinking and multidisciplinary approaches to transcend dichotomous thinking. Architects, landscape architects, and technical engineers can create new frontiers of hybrid design and culture for an environmentally friendly airport.