NEW
COMMUTER
CONCOURSE
INSIDE THE DESIGN
BY ROB YINGLING
With the demolition and removal of office buildings and aircraft
hangars that once occupied the north end of Ronald Reagan
Washington National Airport, the palette is clearing for the
construction of a New Commuter Concourse that will replace
passenger movement through the infamously congested Gate 35X.
Presently, six thousand passengers a day journey through 35X,
boarding buses that drive them to remotely parked aircraft. When
the new concourse opens in 2021, 14 gates with jetbridges will
replace the busing system, and the less-than-pleasing traits of Gate
35X will be retired.
Designing the new concourse is a labor of love for Metropolitan
Washington Airports Authority architect Louis Lee. He oversees
the team that developed drawings for the new concourse through
multiple stages with greater detail and refinement at each stage.
Lee says the concourse design will continue the look and feel of
its neighboring three piers, opened in 1997, while employing new
technologies and lessons learned from 20 years of experience using
the terminal.
Increasing passenger comfort and convenience was a priority
for designers, according to Lee. After lengthy discussions with
FLYWASHINGTON.COM 24 WINTER 2017/18
airlines and concessions operators, Lee’s team developed an
integrated concept that allows for easy circulation and sight lines
between open space, concessions and gate area seating. “The
concept is a new trend in the industry that enhances passenger
access and blurs the lines between seating space and food and
beverage opportunities,” said Lee. “The point is to give everyone in
concession areas a clear view to the gate areas so they can see the
status of their flight and feel more relaxed.”
From the outside, the new structure will boast the same style and
scale as the rest of the building it will join, extending the shapes
and hues that are hallmarks of the iconic Terminal B/C — originally
the work of renowned architect Cesar Pelli. The main refinements
will be more apparent within: Fewer obstructive columns. Wider
open space. More raised ceilings and lighter floors. And new
restroom designs — for humans and also for service animals that
now have to hold any urges until leaving the terminal. Advances
in technology through the years will translate into more energy-
efficient construction materials and more electric ports available
for power-hungry personal devices.
As the final structure to be built on a clean slate at the north end