Anemos Consortium Will Landscape a Circular Garden Inside the Athens International Airport

How Many Architects Does It Take to Change a Departure Hall?

The Anemos Consortium, including architectural heavyweight Grimshaw, Haptic, Athens’ own K-Studio, Arup, Leslie Jones, Triagonal, and Plan A, has been given the not-at-all daunting job of expanding Athens International Airport (AIA). The punchline? By 2032, this largest Greek airport—at a “modest” 20 kilometers from Athens city center—will welcome 40 million passengers annually. That’s up from 31.8 million for those not counting on their fingers. All without ceasing operations.

Let’s pause and appreciate: the current airport, a Hochtief legacy for the 2004 Olympics, remains the dominant gateway to Greece and, some would argue, to the sunburn industry. The architects now face the pleasant challenge of expanding the main terminal (MTB) and satellite terminal (STB) without creating an eyesore that might only impress 21st-century archaeologists. No pressure.

Main Features

• Athens International Airport will expand its footprint by 148,000 square meters by 2032;
• Capacity aim: up to 40 million passengers;
• The budget stands at a calm 1.28 billion euros;
• Construction will occur while the airport remains in use;
• Grimshaw, K-Studio, and several firms of the Anemos Consortium shape the vision;
• Planned updates: main and satellite terminals, aircraft stands, commercial hubs;
• Upgrades extend to landside and airside areas;
• Commitment to net zero operations and carbon reduction;
• LEED Gold certification is the carrot on a very green stick.

Will Athens Airport Stay Open While the Anemos Consortium Tears Up the Floor?

Some might expect a giant construction site to shut down or at least slow operations. Athens International Airport disagrees. There are plans to keep every wheel spinning and every suitcase rolling from start to finish. The grand solution? Construction will tiptoe around travelers and planes, the way a cat avoids stepping on Lego bricks — with varying degrees of success.

While other airports might hide their building projects behind plywood walls or apologetic signs, Athens is determined to maintain service without closing its gates for even a minute. This careful dance will update not just check-in counters, but commercial spaces and the aircraft parking area. It’s a logistical ballet that expects not a single tourist to miss their flight — except, of course, for the usual reasons.

What Does “Unifying Old and New” Mean When the Old Is a 2001 Airport and the New Gets Stone Fins?

The design philosophy reads like a love letter to Athens—and its penchant for stone, sunlight, and existential crises. Instead of the usual patchwork, the plan suggests blending extensions with the original architecture, forming what one could call the “Great Athens Terminal Melting Pot.” Apparently, this will reflect the essence of the city’s past, present, and maybe future, assuming robots don’t revolt before 2032.

Frequently, airports feel like soulless liminal zones. This proposal, however, sprinkles metaphors about Athenian life, history, and materials into the mix. The design promises effortless passenger flow (fancy for “please don’t get lost”), intuitive wayfinding, and landscapes more inviting than airport food. As if allergic to artificial lighting, daylight gets filtered generously across new and existing spaces.

Building a greener future is also at the heart of this scheme: think passive design, low-carbon steel and stone, modular structures, and sustainable power. In today’s terms, this isn’t so much ethical as it is social suicide not to mention. Plus, who doesn’t dream of golden plaques like LEED Gold?

Highlights—So You Don’t Miss the Important Bits:

• Bolder airport identity, especially to the west, introduces a modular stone façade;
• Six new portals guide even the bleariest travelers to check-in;
• Increased daylight, higher soffits for that “ascending to the gods” feeling;
• Two oculus features: north and south, each advertising Athenian vibes;
  • North Oculus becomes a Mediterranean paradise full of plants and views;
  • South Oculus arranges seating, terraces, and snack options for lingering;
• Satellite Terminal? Transformed into a fortress of Extra Schengen functionality;
• Tunnel connection upgrades passenger journeys with new atrium spaces.

Who Decided Airports Should Be Beautiful, and Are They Serious?

Apart from bringing more travelers through security faster than ever, the airport’s aesthetic is being dialed up past “functional” into the territory of “did I just enter the Acropolis?” The main terminal, flaunting its new look, wears rows of stone fins—each one more vertical than your posture during boarding announcements. Six wide portals part these fins, marking the path to check-in like a trail of marble breadcrumbs.

Inside the departures hall, a lifted ceiling lets sunlight drift in, meant to keep travelers awake no matter how jet-lagged they are.

The North Oculus forms the airport’s centerpiece: a circular garden with echoes of Greek theater, minus the chorus. Behold a 24.5-meter space decked in flora, welcoming each visitor with the subtlety of a grand gesture.

But Athens isn’t about standing still. The South Oculus crafts another gathering spot with terraced seating, landscaping, balconies, and smaller food options. Here, the ceiling rises again, distributing daylight so generously that sunglasses might be advised.

Last on the tour, the Satellite Terminal stops moonlighting as a generic outpost. Soon, it becomes home to all things Extra Schengen, linked to the main terminal via an upgraded tunnel. The addition of atrium spaces brings some much-needed natural light to these functional corridors.

If You Missed Anything, Remember:

• The design speaks to Athenian heritage and spirit;
• Flow, daylight, and hospitality replace stress;
• Sustainability isn’t a footnote; it’s a manifesto;
• Both terminals will feel more like Athens, less like a holding pen;
• The role of the Anemos Consortium is to keep the local architectural DNA strong.

Welcome to the future of airport travel, where you might just get distracted by the view and miss your call for boarding.