China currently boasts the world's largest building, could soon be home to the world's tallest pair of towers, and according to Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), we will soon be able to add an airport passenger terminal to the list. The firm has unveiled plans for its Beijing New Airport Terminal Building, which it says will be the world's largest. The project is collaboration between ZHA and airport architecture firm ADP Ingenierie, and is being carried out under the leadership of the Beijing New Airport Headquarters (BNAH). Building will initially accommodate 45 million passengers per year and "will be adaptable and sustainable, operating in many different configurations dependent on varying aircraft and passenger traffic throughout each day," states ZHA. Beyond its predicted capacity of 45 million passengers per year, details on the new terminal building are scant. Gizmag reports that the terminal will "measure 700,000 square meters, and that the entire airport will be completed in 2018, for a total budget of roughly US$13.8 billion," but notes that ZHA is yet to confirm this. The mammoth new star-shaped terminal will include "direct links to local and national rail services including the Gaotie high speed rail," and is planned as "a key hub within Beijing's growing transport network and a catalyst for the region's economic development, including the city of Tianjin and Hebei Province". The New Beijing Terminal Building is being developed so as to alleviate pressure on Beijing's existing Capital Airport. Completed in 2008, the Foster + Partners-designed airport is already one of the largest in the world, but has been operating beyond its capacity.

The Singapore "Changi Airport", which was named the world's best airport in 2014, started construction of new terminal. Known as "Project Jewel", the new terminal is going to recreate nature. Airport, relax and comfort are three words destined never to sit next to each other in the same sentence, but looking forward at the plans for this new terminal that could soon change. According to project authors in 2018 visitors can enjoy new little "paradise" in airport. The massive donut-like structure, constructed from steel-and-grass will be 10 stories, five above ground and five underground. Jewel Chandi's centerpiece will be Forest Valley, a five story garden with thousand of trees, ferns and shrubs. In the middle of the forest, will be the 40-meter-high Rain Vortex. On completion, it'll be the world's tallest indoor waterfall, according to the airport. At the night, the Rain Vortex will transform into a light and sound show. In the US$ 1.1 billion terminal will be 130-room-hotel, for visitors and passengers, retail areas, game-zone, restaurants and so on.

UNStudio just officially unveiled Georgia's new Kutsai International Airport after two years of design and construction. The airport has actually been open and in operation since September 2012, but it reached full completion this month. The radically innovative and modern building features a daylight-filled transparent canopy, a pulsing LED tower that reacts to wind conditions, and a wide variety of green building strategies. Kutaisi is projected to become the gateway to Georgia in the near future, with up to a million travelers passing through in 2014-2015. The architecture of the terminal emulates the large open spaces and high ceilings of the great railways stations of the past, according to lead designer, Ben van Berkel. A clear, undulating structure provides a transparent and protective umbrella over the terminal. Passengers flow in and out of this transparent terminal while enjoying stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The terminal includes a cafe and a gallery that will showcase the country's best and brightest artists and innovators. Kutaisi Airport also features a 55-meter "pulsing tower" that serves as a beacon and focal point for the airport. The exterior of the tower is clad with a perforated skin over a concrete core. LED lights in-between the skin and the concrete core create the tower's beacon effect at dusk and dawn. The lights change color when there is fluctuation in wind speed, creating constant visual interest during the dark hours. The airport uses several innovative green building strategies. A large on-site underground water source is used for sprinkler basins, and pipes carry water through the floors of the terminal and the traffic control tower to maintain a comfortable temperature in the two buildings through radiative heating and cooling. Large cantilevered roofs on the south and southwest sides provide shade and reduce the heat load on the building. A hybrid low pressure ventilation system keeps energy consumption low, and there is a gray-water collection system in the floor underneath the terminal building. The terminal's next step is to establish a recycling system as part of its daily operations.

Eero Saarinen's famous JFK terminal at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture, but as a flight terminal, the building has fallen a bit behind the times. Largely unoccupied since 2001, the iconic building has left many wondering what would become of it. Recently, hotelier Andre Balazs announced that he would be turning the 1960s terminal into a hotel and changing the name from the TWA Flight Center to the Standard, Flight Center. The new hotel would include a conference center, meeting facilities, retail space, a spa and a flight museum to honor the building's heritage and will become a part of the Standard Hotel family. Balazs is still waiting for final approval from Port Authority, who contacted him about the opportunity, and there is no timeline in place as of right now. "The Port Authority is committed to preserving the essence of (Saarinen's) iconic design and to continuing to work with (Balazs Properties) on a plan to transform the historic TWA Flight Center into a one-of-a-kind hotel and conference center in the heart of JFK's central terminal area," said Pat Foye. It will be exciting to see what becomes of the historic space.

On January 30 during the "2nd Annual Emerging Airports Conference and Exhibition" held in Dubai the results of votes for over 20 nominations were announced. As reported the "Zvartnots International Airport's" official website, the nominations were different: "Best Emerging Airport of the World", "Best Emerging Airport of Middle East", Best Emerging Airport Europe", etc. According to the results for the nomination "Best Emerging Airport of Russia, CIS & Baltic States" Yerevan "Zvartnots International Airport" is the best in CIS. The new terminal of "Zvartnots" airport put into operation on September 16, in the framework of events dated to the 20th anniversary of Armenia's independence. Zvartnots International Airport also was nominated by the company Arabian Reach, Dubai for "EMAA" (Emerging Markets Airports Award). Besides "Zvartnots" four airports of CIS countries, namely: "Domodedovo" and "Sheremetevo" airports of Moscow, "Pulkovo" airport of St. Petersburg, "Manas" airport of Bishkek were nominated, as well. Voting lasted for more than a month. During the award ceremony the award was received by the General Manager of "Armenia International Airports" CJSC Marcelo Wende.