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How to Measure Sustainability in Airport Terminal Planning?
Within the last 10 years, sustainability has become a key goal in airport infrastructure development. But do we understand well enough what truly defines a sustainable terminal? On the level of technical solutions, the answer seems easy: the more solutions for...
How to Measure Sustainability in Airport Terminal Planning?
Sustainability is a major priority in airport terminal design, but its true meaning is still unclear.
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Passenger Terminal Expo Madrid – Key Takeaways and Critical Reflections
My key takeaways on the 2.5 days I have spent at the Passenger Terminal Expo Conference 2025: Beside the conference itself, my personal favorite impressions have been: the beauty of Madrid, with its friendly people, perfect weather and walkable city center the...
Great terminals have „soul“ – so do people planning them
I am writing this lines sitting in the afternoon Swiss flight from Zurich to Madrid...on the way attending PTE-Passenger Terminal Expo. Planning airports is tough. It means playing in the super-complex project league. Success in planning and on this level doesn’t...
Changing Paradigms: German airports can no longer build their way out of efficiency problems
6 years ago in March 2019, I published my LinkedIn article “Agility – the biggest challenge for German airports”. It described ongoing operational disruptions due to “Wachstums-Schmerzen” (“Growth-Pain”… German for the pain children or companies might experience from...
Speedboat or Aircraft Carrier? Why the Right Organization is Critical to Large-Scale Airport Project Success
What kind of project are we running? Every large-scale project is unique, and there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to project execution. To ensure success, project owners and planners should clarify following key strategic questions at the project's outset. What...
Crossing the Alps, not a Walk in the Park: Lessons from Large Airport Projects
Large airport projects are like alpine crossings: long, complex, and risky. This article highlights key lessons for managing teams, complexity, and uncertainty in such unique and demanding project situations. Complex large-scale projects are incredibly exciting...
10 Most Important Learnings from 30 Years Planning Complex Projects
This year I am 30 years in planning large and complex projects: 1995 after studying architecture at ETH Zurich I had the chance to work as a design architect in Berlin. Due to the situation after the German-reunion I was fortunate to design within the next 9 years a...
Why I still call myself an Architect after 18 years of Airport Planning – Labour Day reflections
A good moment to pause and reflect on our own professional identity beyond job titles: What is my role, really?
Rethinking your Business Model – The Future of Airport Development
At „Passenger Terminal Expo“ in Madrid in April 2025 I attended an insightful talk on the use of AI at Airports. An Amazon and a...
Passenger Terminal Expo Madrid – Key Takeaways and Critical Reflections
My key takeaways on the 2,5 days I have spent at the Passenger Terminal Expo Conference 2025.
Great terminals have „soul“ – so do people planning them
I am writing this lines sitting in the afternoon Swiss flight from Zurich to Madrid...on the way attending PTE-Passenger Terminal Expo....
Changing Paradigms: German airports can no longer build their way out of efficiency problems
The traditional strategy -𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 space- is no longer viable. At most German airports nowadays there’s not enough space to expand, not enough profit to finance large infrastructure development plus an unfriendly regulatory and political environment.
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