A Great Place for Passengers to Spend Time
Terminal 3 at a Glance

“These days airports have become a destination in their own right. In fact, they typically receive more visitors than many city centers. This makes it even more important for airports to also perform some of the same functions as cities. We’re making this happen in Terminal 3.” – Christoph Mäckler, the architect who designed Terminal 3

More than the sum of its parts

When future users look upward, they will behold an architectural work of art: a striking “drop ceiling” spanning 94 by 22.5 meters. The required tubing is being measured, cut and bent right in Terminal 3, as mechanical design engineer Stefan Schmidt explains. Doing this work right on site will significantly reduce the need for truck transportation and speed up installation of the innovative ceiling.

Modern with a Feel-Good Ambiance

In 2005, architect Christoph Mäckler convinced the jury with this mission statement and won the contest to implement Terminal 3. In architectural terms, Mäckler’s design converts piers, gates, and lounges into equivalents of a city’s streets and squares. The idea isn’t just to create a place that people pass through on their way from A to B, but a city in its own right. A place where people can work, shop, eat, relax – and, of course, leave on trips. The light-flooded spaces in warm natural colors are intended to evoke a pleasant ambiance that encourages passengers to relax and stay a while. “This clearly sets Frankfurt Airport apart from other international airports,” says Mäckler. “It’s going to be the world’s first terminal in which people can actually feel good.”

Up to a hundred check-in and luggage drop-off counters let passengers start their trips smoothly. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

The futuristically designed marketplace covering around 6,000 square meters boasts a wide range of attractive shopping and dining opportunities. Source: www.moka-studio.com 141_FR_130708_Visualisierung Restaurant

You can dine in style in one of many restaurants serving a variety of international cuisines and watch people from around the world come and go before proceeding to the gate. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

All passenger areas are designed for maximum accessibility and can also be reached in electric carts. Moving walkways that are also suitable for luggage carts get you quickly and comfortably to your gate. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

The new terminal will have up to 15 baggage carousels so passengers won’t have to wait long for their luggage to appear. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

Featuring numerous restaurants, bistros, shops, and an information counter, the arrivals hall on the ground level is an ideal place to begin your onward journey. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

Shopping, Dining, and Enjoyment

The new terminal isn’t only designed to make passengers feel good. The aim is also to provide a pleasant ambiance for employees to work in. Artificial lighting is therefore kept to a minimum. There is plenty of glass to admit natural daylight into the expansive halls and spaces. Pipes and conduits are optimally integrated into the architecture without becoming eyesores or diminishing the sense of spaciousness. The aim is naturally also for visitors and shopping fans to be wowed by the new terminal. The marketplace at the core of Terminal 3 will accommodate a multitude of boutiques and shops on around 6,000 square meters – accompanied by multifaceted gastronomic offerings for air travelers.

Comfort and convenience from top to bottom

One trade is responsible for installing the elevators and escalators. Spanning seven levels, the main terminal building is quite tall. To ensure accessibility, it boasts an impressive total of 99 elevators and 89 escalators. Innovative control technology makes sure that no one has to wait very long. Overall, Terminal 3’s design is quite impressive, featuring efficient paths designed to minimize the need for travelers to change levels.

Only flying is nicer!

Comfort and convenience are top priorities at Frankfurt Airport. This includes enabling passengers to get around as easily as possible. For this purpose, a total of 99 elevators and 89 escalators are being installed in the new Terminal 3. The extraordinary installation work involving incredible logistical feats and the huge number and enormous size of the elevators and escalators are quite impressive. And the same statement applies to the magnificent views that they will provide for passengers to enjoy.

A Great Place for Passengers to Spend Time
Terminal 3 at a Glance

More than the sum of its parts

Modern with a Feel-Good Ambiance

Shopping, Dining, and Enjoyment

Comfort and convenience from top to bottom

Only flying is nicer!

Related Topics : A Great Place for Passengers to Spend Time

Facts and Figures

Modular Planning and Flexible Implementation

The Long Road to the Goal

The Management Center for the Terminal 3 Construction Site