With new terminal, LAX hopes to go from 'worst' to best
Los Angeles International Airport is undergoing a much-needed, airport-wide $4.1 billion modernization project. And on Wednesday, when the first scheduled flight arrives at the newly expanded $1.9 Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) – the project's centerpiece – passengers will notice big changes at the airport Dwell Magazine once labeled America's worst.
"They said LAX was the worst because it had hold rooms that were tired and small, that it had terrible retail, that the lines were long, that it was crowded and that way finding was terrible," said Curtis Fentress, Architect and Principal-in-Charge of Design for the new TBIT. "But now LAX has the best international terminal in the U.S., with wide generous spaces that are not dark and dingy but filled with daylight, lots of high-end retail and a signage systems that offers entertainment as well as information."
Sound promising? Here's a rundown of what you'll find now that Phase 1 of the terminal already being called LAX's "crown jewel" is open for business.
The space
Outside, the building has a sloping, curved aluminum rooftop designed to be reminiscent of waves breaking on a beach. Inside, there's 1,179,000 square feet of useable space, which the airport notes is nearly 40% greater than that of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
The most impressive indoor space is the Great Hall, named the Antonio Villaraigosa Pavilion, who served as 41st mayor of Los Angeles. This 150,000 square-foot area houses dining and retail, the airline club lounges (including the Star Alliance Lounge, which has LAX's first outdoor terrace and bar), and other passenger amenities.
Nine of 18 new aircraft boarding gates are now operational. They're built to accommodate the larger, new generation aircraft such as the A380 and the Boeing 747-8 with two and, in some cases, three boarding bridges to allow simultaneous (and faster) boarding of the upper and main decks on the larger airplanes.
In the roomy gate hold areas, at least 50% of the seats have power outlets and many are lounge-style, offering foot rests for travelers.
Retail and Dining
Shopping is decidedly upscale, with 10 pre-security and 26 post-security shops offering extensive duty-free offerings and a "Boutique District" with storefronts inspired by Rodeo Drive. In addition to 7-Eleven and multiple news and gifts shop brands, retail outlets range from Bulgari, (Italian jewelry and luxury goods) and Coach (designer handbags/accessories) to Porsche Design (men's accessories), Kitson LA (trendy fashion), and Victoria's Secret (intimate apparel). The Duty-Free shopping area will include a L.A.-themed tasting bar.
There are 9 pre-security and 22 post-security dining venues, with local L.A. brands comprising 17 of the new offerings. The line-up includes ink.sack (sandwiches from Top Chef winner Michael Voltaggio), LAMill Coffee, Border Grill, Luckyfish by Sushi Roku, Umani Burger, 800 Degrees Pizza, Petrossian Caviar and Champagne Bar, and several outlets offering baked goods and modern comfort food.
Art and other amenities
In addition to a branch of XpresSpa and a children's play area, the new TBIT has a wide variety of public art pieces and a very high-tech Integrated Environmental Media System (IEMS) made up of seven, architecturally-scaled media features. Hard to miss will be the 80 foot-tall Welcome Wall offering content that includes scenes of greeting and a Bon Voyage Wall featuring filmed clips of people jumping in super-slow motion. There's also a 72-foot-tall digital Time Tower, built around the elevator in the Great Hall.
"Traveling today has changed dramatically since 9/11," said TBIT architect Curt Fentress. "You spend a lot more dwell time in airports, particularly in international spaces, where people often spend up to two hours. With amenities for fine or fast dining, shopping and a variety of entertaining things, the new TBIT is an exciting and dynamic space where one can sit and enjoy."
Harriet Baskas is the author of seven books, including Hidden Treasures: What Museums Can't or Won't Show You, and the Stuck at the Airport blog. Follow her on Twitter at @hbaskas.