Taking shape

As we enter the second half of 2017, the airport is on the cusp of an awakening, with over $1.6bn already spent across the precinct and major parts of the works ready for travellers to experience.

This includes the now completed $45m International upgrade. It focused on improving the customer journey for all travellers; delivering on the airport’s vision to create a meaningful sense of place by giving travellers a true Queensland experience.

But there is still much to be done. With the new runway forming the backbone of Brisbane Airport’s long term plans, the recent announcement of a $400m contract to complete the airfield works puts the project’s planned 2020 completion date well within reach.

A sense of place:

Brisbane’s current International terminal was originally opened in 1995. Its futuristic design incorporates walls of glass that flood the terminal with natural light; creating a bright and airy atmosphere. Today, such a feature is commonplace at airports around the world, however in 1995 it was considered a bold and innovative approach to terminal design.

Over the past twenty years this feature has stood the test of time. But the interior decor didn’t enjoy the same longevity.

The original internal concept took a stereotypically 90s approach to expressing the Queensland experience. This was achieved with extensive use of bright colours, palm trees and a focus on sun, surf and sand; something more closely associated with the nearby Gold Coast than the cosmopolitan city of Brisbane.

Although the design was well received in 1995; as the city developed a more sophisticated reputation, the terminal became dated. A refurbishment was required, with BAC opting to create a design that reflects the whole state of Queensland.

This direction was based in logic, given Brisbane Airport is the state’s main airport. Most international visitors heading to a Queensland destination travelling through the airport; with Brisbane handling 5.27m international passengers in 2015/16 financial year. And that number continues to grow.

The increasing passenger numbers presented BAC with a significant challenge, as those passengers wouldn’t stop coming just because the terminal was being worked on.

Australian Aviation recently spoke with Krishan Tangri, General Manager of Assets at Brisbane Airport Corporation. He indicated the 24/7 operational environment at Brisbane Airport was the biggest hurdle to overcome when achieving the redevelopment outcomes.

“Our most significant challenge was maintaining ‘business as usual’ in a 24/7 environment that accommodates millions of passengers, dozens of tenants and critical security infrastructure and processes,” comments Tangri.

“We achieved this by scheduling works around peak passenger times to minimise noise, dust and vibration for the comfort of passengers and tenants.”

The resulting transformation saw a modern and vibrant place created; offering a holistic Queensland ambiance. This can be witnessed from the Brisbane River Tuff Stone used as a feature element throughout, to local woods incorporated not only in the main concourse spaces, but also in twenty four new retail tenancies introduced during the redevelopment.

Further challenges were faced in conducting activity within the sterile departures area. This meant every person, tool and piece of construction material had to go through the same rigorous screening process as passengers and crew do during a normal business day; without disrupting the schedule.

To offer the support to disrupted retailers and travellers, BAC developed and maintained strong relationships with all stakeholders at the airport, including tenants, suppliers, contractors, airlines and passengers to ensure all parties involved were engaged with the overall project, and informed of progress at all times.

“Any concerns raised, such as noise or vibration issues, were immediately escalated and mitigation measures put in place, such as installing sound-proof booths for tile cutting or changing timings for certain aspects of the build,” explains Tangri.

“The team made a huge effort to ensure the terminal did not look like a construction site and, where possible, continued to look and feel like a fully operational terminal.”

Customer Experience:

With the International terminal delivered on time and on budget, passengers are already enjoying enhanced facilities and amenities. The goal of creating a strong sense of place has been achieved by adapting the original building design to meet the needs and wants of the modern traveller.

Krishan Tangri is proud of how Brisbane Airport has bucked the trend of meaningless airport experiences. “Through this development we wanted to debunk the timelessness and place-less-ness that defines so many modern airports,” he comments.

“We wanted to build an environment to directly engage passengers so they can acknowledge where they are and leave with distinct memories of time well spent. We feel we’ve created a space that perfectly fuses form with function in a way that complements the best attributes of Brisbane and Queensland.”

A fresh new approach to dwell time has seen a family ‘chill out zone’ take pride of place in the centre of the concourse. Taking the form of a grassed area (created using a large green carpet), families can mingle, play and even enjoy an impromptu picnic thanks to the nearby eateries and cafes.

Comfortable relaxation areas have been created, with luxurious covered deck chairs placed in quiet zones, providing magnificent views of the apron; while airport-wide fast and accessible WiFi allow travellers to stay connected throughout their visit.

While the palm trees remain, they are far better blended with the new design, creating a natural feel that hints at the rainforest palms of far-north Queensland. In the shadow of the trees, a newly revitalised retail zone has introduced a fresh approach on airport shopping; where Queensland products and produce rub shoulders with the expected high-end duty free offer.

“We are proud to have achieved our goal of building upon the original design of the terminal in a way that respects the dignity of the original architecture”, comments Tangri. “It ensures it will be timeless, ever- useful and iconic, in an ever-changing architectural, aviation and retail world.”

Airline Activity:

One of the most impressive aspects of the terminal works was the simultaneous development of a number of key airport lounges throughout the terminal. This allowed the refreshed passenger experience to be shared both inside and outside these premium lounge spaces.

The most significant of these developments occurred at the Qantas International Lounge which has been recreated in the airline’s new premium lounge theme. A split level space, the lounge adopts the Brisbane theme of local woods and natural light and blends it with Qantas’ highly regarded premium lounge experience.

Innovative features include the Brisbane Breakfast Hatch on the upper level which is popular with passengers given the airline’s high number of early morning departures; while a Quench Thirst Bar has been developed to provide hydration advice and a selection of drinks designed to keep travellers feeling refreshed and alert.

Not to be outdone, trans-Tasman rival Air New Zealand has decorated its new lounge in the airline’s trademark theme of dark furnishings juxtaposed with bright accents (the pink chairs are unmissable).

This space takes inspiration from the design of its flagship lounge at Auckland, and while it doesn’t incorporate Queensland decor, the lounge entry blends the airport theme into the lounge by bringing the Tuff Stone into the main reception area.

Guests of Air New Zealand (as well as Star Alliance members) can enjoy a range of services within the lounge, including a highly engaging kid’s zone, as well as the convenience of pre-ordered Barista made coffee for quick transit of the terminal, thanks to the airlines easy-to-use app.

Another Star Alliance member, Singapore Airlines, offers a new facility on the mezzanine level. A false ceiling in the shape of a suspended metallic structure gives the space a sense of intimacy, while still allowing the full-height of the terminal to be seen.

Furnishings have been selected to complement the airport design, while warm lighting makes the buffet, dining tables and lounge area feel luxurious and welcoming.

To round off the revitalised lounge offering, the Plaza Premium provide gourmet dishes prepared in front of you by a qualified chef. Comfortable seating, workstation pods and couches for families are placed around the lounge, which sports trees and exposed woods to tie in the terminal’s Queensland theme.

As with all elements of the terminal redevelopment, a partnership approach and clear communication was key for BAC to expand its design vision within the walls of the airline lounges.

“We have great relationships with our airline partners and they were fully on-board and very supportive of the direction we wanted to take with the terminal redevelopment,” comments Tangri.

“It was perfect timing for the airlines to refresh their lounge offerings in a way that complemented the broader terminal design and theme. They (airlines) have been hugely creative in adapting our original vision into their own distinct spaces, bringing to life the Brisbane and Queensland personality with the use of locally sourced timber, stone and tile.”

The New Runway:

While the terminal works have attracted the most attention from travellers, the majority of the $3.8bn price tag is dedicated to the airport’s new runway.

The scale of the project is significant, and includes the creation of a 3.3km long, 60m wide runway, 2km west of the existing main runway. To create this runway on the marshy land surrounding Brisbane Airport, 11 million cubic metres of Moreton Bay sand was pumped to the airfield in a mammoth engineering task. Over 330,000 wick drains allowed it to settle evenly; a process that is still underway today.

The reclaimed land will hold not only the new runway, but a good portion of the 12km of taxiways, navigational aids and airfield infrastructure and increased the airport’s footprint by 360 hectares.

“Brisbane’s new runway project is progressing beautifully and is on track to be open and operational in 2020 with the two final construction works packages having now been awarded,” explains Tangri.

“The Dryandra Road Works contract, awarded to McConnell Dowell, will deliver an underpass structure which supports the Link Taxiways that will connect the new runway to the existing runway system and terminals, whilst maintaining vehicular access to the northern airport facilities. Works commenced on site in March 2017 for the $120 million package with completion targeted for September 2018.”

The Airfield Works represents the largest and most expensive construction phase. This project was awarded to Skyway (a joint venture between BMD Construction and CPB Contractors) on 30 June 2017, and will see the physical runway structure created, along with all associated infrastructure.

Julieanne Alroe, Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO and Managing Director reflected on the significance of this milestone contract, made even more significant given the new runway had its earliest planning stages as far back as the 1970s.

“The new runway is a $1.2 to $1.3 billion privately funded investment that, when operational in 2020, will provide unlimited opportunities for the growth of our city, state and, ultimately, our nation,” Alroe comments.

“To put our investment in this project into context, BAC bought the entire airport for $1.38 billion, almost 20 years ago to the day. The new runway is the most important piece of aviation infrastructure undertaken by BAC since the airport was privatised in 1997.”

Keeping ahead:

Despite the scale of work currently underway, the team at BAC are already thinking about the next stages of the airports evolution.

“Brisbane’s new runway is intended to provide ample capacity for the next 40 years and beyond,” comments Krishan. “However in building a gateway for the future, we are not only focused on engineering excellence, but also on ensuring that we use capital efficiently and effectively; providing a superior customer experience that gives the airport a competitive advantage.”

To enhance the customer experience, BAC has a strong focus on utilising technology as a driver of future projects; rather than trying to retrofit it into works after the fact.

This has already been witnessed, with innovations pioneered by BAC including smart passport arrivals processing well ahead of the traditional customs area, as well as fast and efficient connectivity throughout the terminal for both passengers and staff, improving both personal and business outcomes for everyone transiting the airport.

“In the past, technology used to come at the end of the traditional civil or building design process,” comments Krishan. “For us, it’s one of the first things we look at to incorporate into a design. It’s going to become an even larger part of what we do, but the challenge now is determining what technology is relevant and how it can be used to produce the optimum outcome.”

In keeping with this philosophy, technology has been incorporated into works not just inside the terminal but outside too – with a focus on delighting travellers from when they leave their home to the moment they return again.

To this end, mobile apps have been developed to offer travellers real-time access to relevant content relating to their journey; while a smart e-carpark application ensures accessing parking services at the airport is seamless and simple.

Furthermore, a commitment to staffing social media channels 24/7 ensures that queries from customers can be answered in real-time’; and any issues or problems dealt with before they cause distress or inconvenience to those utilising the airport.

With a strong focus on customer experience, and a committed approach of consultation and collaboration with all stakeholders, the future of Brisbane Airport looks secure. BAC is on track to deliver their vision and provide Queensland with a modern, innovative global aviation hub.