32 TERMINALS July | August 2026 AirportImprovement.com BWI wheelchair room adjacent to each restroom provides nearby storage and helps keep surrounding walkways clear. Overall, the connector not only improves the flow for passengers but also provides the space and function to help concessionaires and airlines operate efficiently and effectively, Shank summarizes. Designers created sense of place by including photo booths, interactive digital images, prominently featuring patterns from the Maryland state flag and referencing notable landmarks throughout the new facility. Facilitating Construction A detailed schedule ruled the project—and enabled the January 2026 opening. “Blown schedules blow money,” says Shank, noting that delays can significantly increase costs for both the airport and airlines. Naturally, the project required careful coordination to keep the concourses operational while construction was ongoing. To that end, an enabling project added an extension onto Concourse A to accommodate the three-year closure of gates A1 to A5. The gate closures, in turn, allowed for the “bump out” of Concourse A/B to create the connector, holdrooms and concessions space. The bump out also provides valuable space below for baggage and building support functions. Construction phasing was carefully managed to minimize operational disruptions. Working on the heels of COVID, it was important to create a secure “fortress” to keep the worksite safe, secure and separate from the public and operations, Koch notes. The space was fenced off from secure areas and workers were bussed in, which eliminated the need for badging and saved valuable time. “I think having the fortress and getting workers to the site quickly each day really helped keep the project on schedule and was something that the CMAR [construction manager at risk] pushed for through design,” he says. In addition, the project site was separated from the public with temporary 18-foot-tall construction walls. This helped work continue smoothly with minimal impact to passengers and critical systems, Shank says. Although there may be some benefits to allowing passengers to view construction, segregating the worksite helps preserve safety and security for crews, airport staff and the public. “This was a line in the sand that Clark Construction drew on behalf of our client,” says Project Executive Sean Fitzpatrick. “When working in an airport environment, it’s simply a risk we’re not willing to take.” The project team used modular, prefabricated structures from SwiftWall to create the desired buffer and separation. Fitzpatrick reports that the units set up quickly from floor to ceiling. Vinyl covered the seams between panels, making them look less like temporary walls, and provided a place to display entertaining factoids about the project. One example: The combined walking distance that all passengers save per year because of the new Concourse A/B Connector is 239,000 miles—almost the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Sustainability Commitment While airport leaders chose not to pursue formal LEED certification on the project, Shank notes that the new concourse connector and baggage system still meet high standards for energy reduction and adhere to BWI’s airportwide commitment to environmental sustainability. In addition to a building design that reduces conditioned space, a translucent glass roof above the marketplace area allows in natural light to reduce the level of traditional lighting needed during the day. Because the building faces southwest and receives a lot of harsh afternoon sun, designers specified a curtainwall with nearly 11,000 square feet of electrochromic glass that gradually tints to let sunlight in while managing solar heat gain and glare. That alone is projected to save the airport up to 20,000 tons per year on cooling. Kleinman notes that the curtainwall also adds ambiance to the space by providing a full view of the airfield. Locally produced glulam (engineered wood) supports the new holdroom ceiling areas and roof. The beams have a lower carbon footprint than steel and weigh about two-thirds less. PHOTO: JACOBS SEAN FITZPATRICK The translucent glass roof adds natural light and reduces the need for electric lighting inside the terminal.
View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.