Mini Review and Mini Panorama - Atlanta's New International Terminal

On Saturday I dropped off a loved one at the new $1.4B terminal. I visited the road, the parking lot, and the departures level. I'll have to buy a ticket to see the International Atrium.

It's like a small city airport with BIG design. The domestic side of the airport is huge, busy, important, lived-in. The new terminal is tiny and so easy to manage. It's a world apart.

As you approach by car, flanked by giant hangers you see the dead end ahead and wonder, is that it? Is that all?

It's so easy that you should consider a visit just for architecture tourist fun. You can take it in less than an hour and parking will cost you about 2 bucks.

This is as far as I got, the departures area, where you check you bags and go through security. See the reflections on the floor?

It's a mighty big room, about 2/3's as long and a bit wider than Delta's south terminal check-in and baggage claim in the old airport. Floor to ceiling windows north and south and the high swooping ceilings, make it a big feeling room, big like an airplane hanger with windows.

It's hard to get lost or out of visual contact here: You can see everything. Kids and parents seemed comfortable.


It seemed "democratic" to me. I felt important there. The place had an equalizing effect. Everyone is free to go everywhere, no corridors or passageways, no upper level. Everyone and everything is in an atrium.

Visually it's borderline migraine for me. It's simple but visually busy. The blue neon and pencil thin florescents in the swooping ceiling, and the window frame grid reflect on the polished diagonal gridded floor. The diagonal check-in desks have filigree cornices. I felt good there but it could cause me trouble on migraine prone days.

The best thing is the view of the planes. The planes are right there, RIGHT THERE. As you'll see in the video below.

Here a a little panorama.



Here is the floor-plan and map.