Gibraltar Airport by Blur Architects & 3DReid Architects

The new terminal at Gibraltar Airport is conceived as far more than an infrastructure project. Designed by Blur Architects in collaboration with 3DReid Architects and NACO, the building operates as Gibraltar’s primary point of arrival and departure—by air, by road, and even on foot. Its architectural ambition lies in translating this uniquely layered condition into a terminal that is open, transparent, and spatially generous, while responding sensitively to one of Europe’s most constrained and symbolically charged sites.

With the iconic Rock of Gibraltar rising dramatically behind it and the frontier with Spain immediately adjacent, the terminal establishes a powerful first impression. It sets out to frame Gibraltar not as a peripheral outpost, but as a confident, outward-looking gateway connecting Southern Europe, North Africa, and the wider Mediterranean.

An Exceptionally Constrained Site

Few airports occupy a site as complex as Gibraltar’s. The new terminal sits directly at the border with Spain to the north, the active runway to the south, Winston Churchill Avenue to the west, and restricted RAF land tapering to the east. Despite these limitations, the two-storey building accommodates 19,600 square metres of terminal space while maintaining clarity of movement and openness of experience.

Its position at the frontier allows passengers to enter and exit the terminal directly at the border, a rare condition that has been carefully integrated into the spatial planning. The building’s low height ensures that it does not compete with the Rock, instead allowing the natural landscape to remain dominant while the architecture acts as a precise and elegant foreground.

A Refined Architectural Response

Drawing on decades of experience in aviation architecture, the design team developed a solution that balances technical performance with civic presence. A defining feature is the large over-sailing roof, which stretches beyond the fully glazed façades to provide shade, shelter, and a strong architectural identity. This hovering roof references both the aeronautical logic of flight and the maritime character of Gibraltar’s coastal setting.

Beneath it, extensive glazing opens the terminal to panoramic views across the airfield, the Rock, and the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The result is an interior that feels light-filled and outward-looking, grounding the experience of travel in the specific geography of the place.

Public Realm and Passenger Experience

The terminal is approached through a newly designed landscaped forecourt, conceived as a park-like public space rather than a purely functional drop-off zone. This forecourt establishes a clear and welcoming threshold at the frontier, functioning as a place to meet, wait, and orient oneself—whether embarking on an international journey or simply crossing the border.

Inside, the terminal is organised over two levels. The ground floor accommodates the main check-in and arrivals concourse on the western side, while departures unfold above in a sequence of double-height spaces that enhance spatial legibility and comfort. An extensive airside roof terrace extends directly from the departures lounge, offering passengers a unique outdoor experience that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior.

Roof, Light, and Environmental Performance

The roof is treated as a critical “fifth elevation,” highly visible from the Rock above. Carefully positioned roof lights guide passengers intuitively through deeper interior zones, animating the spaces with changing daylight conditions. Throughout the day, soft discs of diffused sunlight move across the floors; in the evening, the roof captures a subtle blue glow that reinforces the terminal’s calm atmosphere.

Environmental performance was integral to the design from the outset. The deep roof overhang provides substantial solar shading, reducing cooling loads and maintaining comfortable interior temperatures. High-performance double glazing and automated roller blinds further enhance energy efficiency, ensuring that the building remains responsive to Gibraltar’s intense sun and marine climate.

Building in a Marine Environment

Proximity to the sea posed significant technical challenges, particularly in relation to corrosion and the long-term maintenance of glazed façades. Salt-laden air, wind-driven sand, and dust required a robust yet discreet solution. The design incorporates a specialised external cleansing system, which periodically rinses the façades using de-ionised water to preserve clarity and appearance over time.

Fire safety was addressed through a holistic strategy developed by Buro Happold, integrating passive and active systems with operational measures. This approach ensures life safety for large passenger volumes, limits smoke and fire spread, and reduces disruption in the event of an incident—all while remaining unobtrusive within the architectural language.

A New Threshold for Gibraltar

Beyond its technical achievements, the Gibraltar Airport terminal plays a crucial civic role. It enables new flight connections to Spain and the rest of Europe, strengthening Gibraltar’s accessibility and economic resilience. At the same time, it creates a dignified and memorable point of arrival that reflects the territory’s geographical drama, cultural openness, and contemporary aspirations.

Rather than asserting itself as an isolated object, the terminal responds to its extraordinary context with restraint and precision. It demonstrates how infrastructure can become architecture—shaping experience, framing landscape, and transforming constraint into identity.

Conclusion

The new Gibraltar Airport terminal is a carefully balanced composition of landscape, structure, and movement. By combining transparency, environmental intelligence, and a strong public realm strategy, Blur Architects and 3DReid Architects have delivered a building that operates simultaneously as transport infrastructure and civic space. It stands as a clear example of how airports—often defined by efficiency alone—can also offer clarity, generosity, and a powerful sense of place at the threshold between nations.

Photography: Hufton+Crow