Dubai International Airport Terminal 3

Opened in 2008, Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport was built as a new check-in area. The terminal is approximately 1km long and when it opened was the world’s largest terminal by floor space.

The building’s design is inspired by an aeroplane wing, with 84 ‘teardrop’ windows and two sloped gable walls that are point fixed glazed. Ornamental glass gives the terminal a striking appearance, with high transparency providing lots of natural light for passengers.

Brand: Gartner

Architect: ADPi, Dubai

Owner: Government of Dubai, Department of Civil Aviation

The project

The concept

The terminal complex is a huge steel and glass structure characterised by open spaces, high ceilings and natural light. Each teardrop window is a network structure of vertical and horizontal steel tension rods, differing in size from a minimum width of 13m and a height of 17.5m, to a maximum width of 17.5m and a height of 29m. The tension rods are connected to a continuous edge beam and horizontal running compression struts, creating a closed system so that no loads are transferred to the primary structure. The windows are closed at the bottom with a lattice girder.

What did we do?

We designed, engineered, fabricated and installed 84 individual glazed façades along the terminal and two sloped gable walls at either end of the building – an overall area of 35,000 sqm. Each of the approximately 11,000 pieces of glass has a unique identity and shape.