With Singapore’s ever-expanding tourism industry, Changi Airport needed an innovative, practical solution. Changi airport group called for a ‘future-ready’ terminal with a boutique interior design approach that reflects Changi’s own philosophy of fun, vibrant and positively surprising.

Benoy is the Concept Design Architect, Interior and Wayfinding Designer of the new and prestigious Terminal 4 (T4) at Singapore Changi Airport. The new 225,000m2 terminal is located along Airport Boulevard and introduces a new boutique passenger experience to Singapore. Tasked with designing a large-scale, modern terminal that could cater to millions of passengers, Benoy developed exciting facilities and visually attractive interiors, whilst considering each and every logistical aspect. The planning agenda centred on introducing efficiency and comfort to the travel experience, with state-of-the-art facilities including self-check-in kiosks and self-bag-drops.

Benoy’s design vision for T4 was carefully crafted after intense study of existing airport passenger behaviours and a desire to celebrate Singapore’s personality. Singapore’s natural beauty takes centre stage: the interior design is based on a symmetrical petal shape inspired by Singapore’s national flower, the Vanda ‘Miss Joaquim’ orchid, and an abundance of skylights and interior gardens, trees and green walls help to capture Singapore’s national identity as a ‘City within a Garden’. 

Singapore is a notable global gateway, in order to evoke a sense of place, we wanted to provide a memorable ‘Welcome to Singapore’ experience that also highlighted the best of Singapore’s heritage, including traditional shop fronts, greenery, flowers and natural light; the east-west building orientation aligns with the sunrise and sunset to maximize natural light through the terminal’s skylights. We blended simplicity and modernism to create bright, open spaces. Multiple glazed designs and lush greenery were incorporated to complement glass, metal and fine grain materials, while utilising natural light and colourful illuminations.

Natural lighting is introduced through petal-shaped skylights. An impressive Central Galleria which traverses the length of the terminal enhances visual transparency. The final construction has resulted in a beautifully diffused natural light along all points of the passenger journey. Terminal 4 has also achieved a Green Mark Gold Plus rating.

The project has been accorded the Green Mark Gold Plus and Universal Accessibility awards for its excellent sustainability and accessibility features. Energy efficiency for the baggage claim system sets new benchmarks for the airport category. The 67 petal-shaped skylights wash the terminal in natural daylight both airside and landside, reducing the need for artificial lighting. Greenery is used for both visual and environmental relief with green walls and planters strategically located throughout the terminal.

The pièce de résistance is the 300-metre long Central Galleria: a glazed, open space separating airside and landside areas running the length of the terminal. The design enables departing passengers to stay in visual contact with their friends and family and provides a glimpse of what awaits in the transit lounge.

In line with Changi Airport's reputation for its gardens, T4 is also the greenest terminal at the airport and is home to more than half a million plants, trees and shrubs. In addition, the Boulevard of Trees along the departure corridor consists of more than 160 fig trees. The Boulevard of Trees is the boarding experience that every passenger will encounter and remember long after they depart.

T4’s design vision is a celebration of all the wonderful aspects of Singapore; every step of the passenger journey is intended to surprise, delight, educate, celebrate and engage. The giant immersive wall draws passengers into 17 different content capsules while the ‘Peranakan Love Story’ screen displays a part of Singaporean culture. Inspiration was also drawn from Singapore’s national flower, the orchid – close to 400 symmetrical orchid petal motifs are applied throughout terminal features both inside and out.