Airport Made in Wood Looks Like Himalayas

By Reeta Rani Nayak

Normally airports are made of steel, cement, glass and occasional use of wood, but when it comes to the new airport at Gelephu in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, it is all of indigenous timber going by the reputation of the only carbon negative country in the world. When operational it will be the 4th airport in Bhutan and the second international one after Paro. The airport is coming at Gelephu in Sarpang District of Bhutan close to India. But it will not be just like 40,000 existing airports in the world, nevertheless the most beautiful environmentally friendly one with indigenous themes! The facility has a diagrid structure (diagonally intersecting beams) with a stunning backdrop of the Himalayas, and a timber facade put together from locallysourced wood, with traditional Bhutanese motifs carved into it. The structurally-independent frames can be easily taken apart for future expansion.

A biodiversity corridor extends into the terminal. Bjarke Ingels Group A biodiversity corridor extends into the terminal. A key requirement for all projects in the 386 squaremile megacity—will allow for simple disassembly and expansion. Spanning 68,000 square metres, the airport which was approved in 2023 will handle 123 daily flights and is projected to welcome 1.3 million passengers by 2029. The timber will be carved and coloured according to traditional craft, adorned with three types of dragons representing Bhutan’s past, present, and future. Inside, an internal courtyard, dubbed the Forest Spine, divides the terminal into two sections – for domestic and international travel. The green space would feature peaceful tranquil spaces, a treetop walkway, and indigenous biodiversity. The airport also offers abundant natural light and features a triple-height entry, floor-toceiling windows, and skylights.

 Using climate-responsive, passive designs, the all-timber structure absorbs moisture from the air, helping to regulate indoor humidity, while ventilated  Normally airports are made of steel, cement, glass and occasional use of wood, but when it comes to the new airport at Gelephu in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, it is all of indigenous timber going by the reputation of the only carbon negative country in the world. When operational it will be the 4th airport in Bhutan and the second international one after Paro. The airport is coming at Gelephu in Sarpang District of Bhutan close to India. But it will not be just like 40,000 existing airports in the world, nevertheless the most beautiful environmentally friendly one with indigenous themes! The facility has a diagrid structure (diagonally intersecting beams) with a stunning backdrop of the Himalayas, and a timber facade put together from locallysourced wood, with traditional Bhutanese motifs carved into it. The structurally-independent frames can be easily taken apart for future expansion. A biodiversity corridor extends into the terminal. Bjarke Ingels Group A biodiversity corridor extends into the terminal. A key requirement for all projects in the 386-squaremile megacity—will allow for simple disassembly and expansion. Spanning 68,000 square metres, the airport which was approved in 2023 will handle 123 daily flights and is projected to welcome 1.3 million passengers by 2029.

 The timber will be carved and coloured according to traditional craft, adorned with three types of dragons representing Bhutan’s past, present, and future. Inside, an internal courtyard, dubbed the Forest Spine, divides the terminal into two sections – fordomestic and international travel. The green space would feature peaceful tranquil spaces, a treetop walkway, and indigenous biodiversity. The airport also offers abundant natural light and features a triple-height entry, floor-toceiling windows, and skylights. Using climate-responsive, passive designs, the all-timber structure absorbs moisture from the air, helping to regulate indoor humidity, while ventilated