Terminal 3
On a recent connection at Singapore International airport I accidentally stumbled on the brand spanking new terminal 3. At a cost of about 1.75 billion dollars and eight years of building, she is finally open to the public. Prior to opening on the 9th of January 2008 test flights were held from November 12 until 3 January where the baggage handling, check-in and ground handling systems were tested. While I was waiting for the sky train to make a transfer from terminal 2 to terminal 3, I was distracted to see a homeless man lying on the bench next to me. Perhaps a sign it was time for a new terminal?
A structure mainly made of glass, with big transparent spaces inside the terminal. However, unlike these newer airports, it incorporates "natural" features and "warm" tone extensively to balance the sterile feel of glass and steel. For example, the column is given a wood-like cladding and the floor of the terminal is mostly cream/ beige colour. The roof has been designed to allow natural light to enter the building, with 900 skylights. A five-metre-high "Green Wall" with hanging creepers and waterfall has been constructed to make the place feel tropical.
Now the house is open, everyone wants to be a tenant. Of course Singapore Airlines is at the front of the line followed closely by China Eastern Airlines, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways and United Airlines. Terminal 3 departs from the largely utilitarian architecture in the first two terminals. By world class standards it stands out as a first class terminal.
The first thing that hits me when I walk into this terminal is how massive the space is. On www.changiairport.com/t3/ you can experience a taste of the future in airports. The website header reads like a fairy tale island - " Explore Paradise " Its social marketing pages encourage customers to leave stories, pictures, videos like a you tube or my space site. They can chat about their experiences at an airport that appears more like a bird sanctuary than a stressful experience of long lines and security checks. They even had a paradise wedding photography contest. You can check the site for a whole bunch of soft focus, tree hugging and face sucking pics. It's hilarious! The winner gets to go to Paris care of Qatar airlines flying 1st class for an all expenses paid honeymoon valued at $30,000. Nice choice of winners who seem to be lost in a jungle of tropical green, waterfalls and cascading giant palms. The place smells good and whether you like it or not you come out feeling refreshed. It is like you have been to a convention of natural medicine.
I was almost waiting for the South American from the old TV show called "Fantasy Island" to come out in his white suit and greet me with his humble assistant in the golf cart.Each week two guests came to "Fantasy Island" to get their wish/fantasy fulfilled. Their mysterious host, the debonair and suave white-suited Mr. Roarke, would do the sometimes impossible and grant them their wishes...but there was always some twist to the fantasy, letting the guest learn something about themselves or get something they weren't expecting. Best remembered for the presence of Herve Villechaize as the diminuitive "Tattoo" and his cry of "De plane! De plane!" De plane at Singapore airport terminal three is waiting for you.
