Abu Dhabi International Airport

Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), as the operator of Abu Dhabi International Airport, is tasked with ensuring that the airport is able to provide world-class services to meet this demand over the coming years.  

The centrepiece of ADAC’s multi-billion dollar investment programme is the Midfield Terminal Complex (MTC), which will be located between the airport’s two runways, allowing for the quickest possible journey from runway to stand, resulting in a smoother experience for passengers.

The MTC terminal building will be one of the region’s most architecturally impressive structures and will be between 630,000 and 702,369 square meters in size, and visible from more than 1.5 kilometres away. The central space of the terminal building could hold three full-sized football pitches and features a ceiling 52 meters tall at its highest point.

The complex will include 20,000 to 25,000 square meters of retail and food and beverage outlets, roughly equivalent to the current size of the Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi. These are set around an 8,400 square meter indoor park, which will host Mediterranean plants and features at its centre and desert landscapes at its perimeter.  

The terminal is designed to minimise its impact on the environment, making use of design elements such as high performance and angled glass facades to prevent heat from entering the building, making air conditioning more efficient while providing day lighting for interior spaces.

Environmental design initiatives which are being pursued also include water conservation through the use of waste water for the irrigation of outdoor plants. The MTC team is working closely with Masdar, whose zero-carbon city is being developed adjacent to the airport.

Piling works for the terminal building began in February 2009. ADAC announced the release of the MTB tender in January 2011.