Introduction

Changi Airport’s new passenger terminal, Terminal 3, will be opening on 9 January 2008. The 380,000 square metres terminal, located directly opposite Terminal 2, is a seven-storey building with three basement and four above ground levels. The terminal received its Temporary Occupation Permit on 30 April 2007, signifying the completion of the construction and interior fit-out.

Terminal 3 and its associated works cost S$1.75 billion. It will add a capacity of 22 million passengers a year, bringing the total capability of Changi Airport to 70 million passengers. Terminal 3 will add another 28 aerobridge gates to Changi Airport, with up to eight that will be designed to handle the new generation of large aircraft, the A380.

Design Concept

Passengers using Terminal 3 can expect to move around with ease and minimum dependence on signages. This is possible as Terminal 3 adopts a see-through layout concept, making it easier for travellers to orientate themselves.

This is part of the four guiding principles adopted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) when designing Terminal 3, namely, clarity, natural lighting, external views and maintainability.

Clarity

Travellers will find their passage through Terminal 3 simple and natural.

Dependency on signage is minimal as individuals can easily orientate themselves.

Natural Lighting

More natural lighting would be introduced into the building to create an open and spacious ambience.

External Views

Passengers will have extensive visual access to the external landscapes that surround them, including take-offs and landings of aircraft. Such attractions make queuing less tedious and contribute to the terminal’s overall sense of openness.

Maintainability

Terminal 3 would be designed for ease of maintenance.

Unique Features

Terminal 3 features a unique roof architecture which will allow soft natural light into the building while keeping the tropical heat out. The one-of-its-kind roof design has more than 900 skylights with specially designed reflector panels which will automatically adjust themselves to allow an optimal amount of soft and uniform daylight into the terminal building. At night, the skylights will glow with artificial lighting delicately concealed below the reflector panels. The overall effect would be a soothing ambience at all times of the day.

Another key highlight of Terminal 3 is a five-storey high vertical garden, called the “Green Wall”. Spanning 300 metres across the main building, it can be admired from both the Departure and Arrival Halls. The “Green Wall” is covered with climbing plants and is interspersed with four cascading waterfalls. In addition, a sculptured sandstone art wall display located below the “Green Wall” offers an artistic treat for arriving passengers waiting for their baggage.

Retail and Food & Beverage

On the commercial front, more than 25,000 square metres of floor space has been set aside for more than100 retail, over 30 food & beverage outlets and over 20 service concessions. To complement the see-through layout concept of Terminal 3, the Departure/Transit Mall is designed to provide a compact single shopping street layout that enhances the visibility of the retail outlets. The extensive use of glass in the terminal will allow passengers a vantage view of both the airside and landside shopping and dining zones.

Since early 2007, CAAS has issued invitations for proposals for the various commercial concessions at Changi Airport such as liquor and tobacco, perfumes and cosmetics, computers and electronics, fashionwear, watches and jewellery, chocolates & delicatessen, books and magazines, gifts and souvenirs and specialty shops.

Baggage Handling System

Terminal 3 will have a fully-automated baggage system which will includes a high-speed inter-terminal baggage transfer system and an automated early bag storage facility. Baggage of transfer passengers making connections at different terminals will be transported individually through underground tunnels at a speed of 7 metres per second. This means it will take only about three minutes for a bag to be transported through the underground baggage tunnel between Terminals 2 and 3.

The baggage handling system will also have an automated early baggage storage system, where bags that are checked-in early or transfer bags with long connection times are stored. Besides allowing for automatic bag storage and retrieval, the system is also able to automatically update changes in flight itinerary of passengers and thus discharge the bags to the right connecting flights.

The new baggage system will also have an integrated multi-level baggage security screening system to automatically screen bags.

New Automated People Mover

The new Automated People Mover System will comprise ten train services linking Changi Airport’s three terminals through 6.5 kilometres of elevated train tracks.

The new system will have a total of seven train stations: two stations each in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and three stations in Terminal 3. The new trains will be equipped with LCD screens providing flight information and other airport information. The trains’ cabins will also have more vertical stanchions and handholds, as well as designated areas for baggage trolleys, enhancing the convenience of users. There will also be plasma TV displays at the train stations to inform passengers of the arrival time of the next train.

Airport Hotel

CAAS has awarded a site at Changi Airport for lease to L.C. Development Ltd for the development and management of an airport hotel. The airport hotel, which occupies a site of approximately 7,700 square metres, is located next to Terminal 3.

The airport hotel will be a 9-storey building with up to 350 guest rooms. It will be equipped with amenities and facilities such as a swimming pool, restaurants, meeting and conference rooms, spa lounges as well as a health and fitness club. The airport hotel will be physically linked to Terminal 3. Hotel guests will also be able to reach Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 via an elevated People Mover System that will link all the three passenger terminals. In addition, there will be easy access from the hotel to the Changi Airport Mass Rapid Transit station, to facilitate guests heading to other parts of Singapore.

Source: www.caas.gov.sg Media Release 29 May 2007