A ground-breaking ceremony yesterday, led by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, kicked off a $508m revamp of Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) which will see 24 dining and retail units added.

 

The retailing at the Southwest Airlines terminal – which covers 2,350sq m [double the current space] – is being handled by Westfield. The concession developer promises a “reimagined experience featuring a hip, modern Californian feel that taps into the LA feeling”.

 

The design vision for T1 – which processes 7.4m passengers [11.1% of LAX’s total passenger volume] – includes opened and expanded views to flight operations outside, inviting sightlines, and sculpted facades and colour inside. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018 but will be phased.

 

DEFINED COMMERCIAL SECTIONS

Once past the security screening passengers will pass through five sections: The Crossing, Commercial Anchors, Marketplace, Commercial Hub and Activated Gate Lounges.

 

The Crossing gives passengers orientation with open visual access to the dining, shopping and gate lounges. They will then access the Commercial Anchors area which houses a cafe, the main duty free store and travel essentials.

 

Further on is the Marketplace, described as a “vibrant dining experience featuring a sculptural origami-inspired ceiling, open sightlines to gate areas and expansive windows”.

 

At the Commercial Hub Westfield claims it is developing an “immersive retail experience” featuring maximum height, unified retail storefronts. And in the Activated Gate Lounges there will be more dining plus flexible retail units. The programme will open in phases, with the first spaces ready by late next summer.

 

The T1 project is part of a $7.3bn investment in LAX, in which every terminal is being remodelled. When finished, T1 will accommodate 13 of Southwest Airlines’ larger Boeing 737-800 aircraft.