In a time marked by a pandemic and an economic slowdown, India is planning for the future. In October this year, Zürich Airport International (ZAIA) signed an agreement with the state of Uttar Pradesh in India for the construction and operation of Delhi’s new airport. Following an international architectural competition, their final choice landed on a team led by Norway’s Nordic Office of Architecture, together with the UK’s Grimshaw and the Norwegian-British Haptic Architects, supported by India’s STUP Consultants. The group has now been tasked with designing the new Delhi Noida International Airport (DNIA).

The architectural competition for the airport design was held in three phases from June to August 2020. The winner was chosen after a final round where they competed against strong global players: Gensler from the USA and Skidmore Owings and Merrill from the USA. The design competition took place under extraordinary conditions due to the pandemic – the teams worked, prepared, and presented their designs without being able to meet physically.

The winning team brings extensive experience from a range of world-class airport projects, including Oslo Airport, “the world’s greenest airport” when its expansion opened in 2017, and Istanbul’s new airport – the largest terminal building in the world under one roof.

In a statement, Zürich Airport said: The design presented by Nordic, Grimshaw, Haptic, and STUP won because it best matched the stated goals for this project: to combine Swiss efficiency with Indian hospitality to create a modern and seamless passenger experience. A building that will set a new standard in sustainable terminal development in India, with green spaces both inside and around the building, as well as a concept for a future airport city. The terminal building has built-in flexibility that allows for expansions so that it can handle 30 million passengers per year in the future.

Mr. Christoph Schnellmann, Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Noida International Airport, said, “We are pleased to partner with Nordic, Grimshaw, Haptic, and STUP to design this long-envisioned strategic project at Jewar. The team created the winning design with an efficient layout, convincing design language, multiple high-quality areas, spaced out with lush greenery with a balanced concept for both energy savings and a tangible sense of sustainability. The team demonstrated their proficiency in complementing customer comfort with sustainability, timeless design with flexibility for future needs. We will work closely with the team to ensure a design with everything available that a passenger expects at a world-class airport.”

The design includes parameters such as efficient passenger flow with short distances, digital services, and a commitment to minimal environmental impact.

Gudmund Stokke, Design Director and Founder of Nordic Office of Architecture, spoke on behalf of the group: “We are very pleased to have won the trust of Zurich Airport through this design competition. Delhi Noida International Airport will become a unique new gateway to the global city of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. In this project, Nordic, Grimshaw, Haptic, and STUP combine their extensive experience from airports such as Hyderabad, Oslo, Istanbul, and Zurich to create a modern, innovative, and green airport in a region with a proud and strong history and culture.”

When Delhi Noida International Airport is completed in four years, it will help strengthen the infrastructure in the rapidly growing region between Delhi and Agra and create new jobs in the area.

The level of ambition is high, even for a country that is already pushing the boundaries of what is possible in sustainable airport development. Possible goals mentioned for the project include LEED Gold Standard and Carbon Neutral operations. The team’s design proposal includes an indoor lush green courtyard deep inside the terminal, which, in addition to providing a memorable passenger experience, will ensure good ventilation and plenty of daylight. Externally, an airport village is proposed under the terminal’s roof – intended to become a destination in itself – firmly rooted in local culture.

Architect Team Nordic Office of Architecture

Grimshaw

Haptic Architects

STUP Consultants

Other Consultants

NACO – Netherlands Airport Consultants

Urban Systems Design

AKTII

SLA

COWI

Alan Thompson

Studio Fractal

AEON Consultants

T2 Consulting

Illustration/Rendering: Tegmark