AIA Athens International Airport

Project information

  1. Location Athens, Greece

Project details

  1. Year2024
  2. StatusCompetition proposal
  3. Partners Betaplan
  4. Client Athens International Airport
  5. Enquiries Martin Moe

A new gateway to Greece

The expansion of AIA Athens International Airport reimagines the travel experience for millions of passengers. Designed as a seamless, efficient, and welcoming terminal, the project balances technical performance with a uniquely Greek sense of warmth and identity. The new spaces support smooth departures, arrivals, and transfers—combining clarity, comfort, and character in one cohesive design.

We envisioned a seamless, welcoming experience for passengers, blending modern design with Greece’s natural and timeless beauty - textures and cultural references evoke a true sense of place. Kostas Fetsis, Architect on the competition team

Functional clarity, cultural identity

Clear wayfinding and natural flows reduce stress, while light, materiality, and thematic zones reflect Greece’s landscapes and culture. Passengers move through a series of spatial experiences—from cultivated fields to island tones—offering orientation and inspiration.

A demanding operational setting

The project is located within the active and expanding AIA campus east of Athens. Working within a live airport environment has posed key challenges: maintaining operations, managing safe passenger flows, and staging construction with minimal disruption. The design responds with robust, modular planning that supports current demands and future flexibility.

Resilient, sustainable, human

The final design is a future-ready terminal that elevates both function and experience. It delivers efficient operations, integrates evolving technologies, and prioritises user wellbeing through generous spaces and intuitive layouts.

Sustainability is embedded at every level—from low energy and water use to compact planning and flexible systems. The project sets a benchmark for how architecture can support long-term performance while offering passengers a memorable experience.