This week, London Heathrow revealed their dazzling, super-modern, expansive new passenger terminal. Dubbed the Queen’s Terminal – who is due to open the new building on 4th June – the chief architect calls it a “cathedral for the 21st century”, and believes it will change the nature of air travel for the future. With its vaulted ceilings that deliver an abundance of natural light and a wide atrium that features an amazing sculpture, it is expected that around 20 million passengers a year will pass through Heathrow’s Terminal 2.
The terminal welcomed members of the press to the unveiling of the new centrepiece of the Queen’s Terminal – the sculpture called “Slipstream”. Designed by Richard Wilson and said to be inspired by the ‘turbulence created by a tumbling plane’, it is hung from a series of pillars and is similar to the riveted fuselage of a muscular vintage aircraft.
Wilson said: “It is a statement that says you’ve arrived in the cultural capital of the world.”
And that’s not the only sculpture on display as you pass through the terminal; indeed, in the hall that is filled with security gates, lounge, dining and shopping areas, there is artwork that looks like a tangle of windshield wipers… not quite sure what this sculpture is supposed to mean though.
The latest terminal building is, without doubt, an improvement on the previous that was closed five years ago; mind you, considering the old cramped areas and low ceilings, that wasn’t a difficult achievement! Terminal 2 has been built to house twenty-six airlines, including Singapore Airlines, United, Air New Zealand and Air Canada (all part of the global Star Alliance group), connecting to over fifty destinations worldwide.
Star Alliance’s CEO, Mark Schwab, commented: “Nowhere else in the world do you have as many airlines flying to a single airport as you do in London.”
It is also good to hear that Heathrow’s officials have learnt from past issues that came with the opening of Terminal 5 by announcing that they are easing Terminal 2 into operation; just one flight will be welcomed at Terminal 2 on 4th June ensuring that should there be any issues, and there always are, it is very much controllable.
